Akhileshwar Prasad DRAFT Siliguri College

Experiment 1: Determination of Unknown

Resistance by Carey-Foster’s Bridge
Circuit diagram

Figure 1: Circuit Diagram

Working Formula
S−R
ρ= (1)
l2 − l1
where
• ρ = resistance per unit length of the bridge wire

• S = the resistance in the fractional resistance box S

• R = Resistance of the thick copper plate (= 0 Ω)

• l1 = null point from the left edge of the bridge when the thick copper plate (R) is
in the extreme right gap.

• l2 = null point from the left edge of the bridge when the thick copper plate (R) is
in the extreme left gap.
After determining ρ the thick copper plate is replaced by the unknown resistance R

R = S − ρ(l2 − l1 ) (2)

where
• R = Unknown Resistance.

• ρ = resistance per unit length of the bridge wire

Akhileshwar Prasad DRAFT Siliguri College

• S = the resistance in the fractional resistance box S

• l1 = null point from the left edge of the bridge when the unknown resistance (R) is
in the extreme right gap.
• l2 = null point from the left edge of the bridge when the unknown resistance (R) is
in the extreme left gap.

Experimental procedure (Do not write this in lab notebook)

To measure resistance per unit length.

1. Make the circuit connection as in figure 1. P = Q = 1 Ω ( or whatever is supplied).
Note that the thick copper plate is in the extreme right gap of the bridge.
2. Make sure all the plugs in the resistance box S are tightly closed (S = 0 Ω). Move the
jockey to the extreme left and check the direction of deflection of the galvanometer.
Move the jockey to extreme right and check the direction of deflection. If the two
deflection are in opposite direction then the circuit is OK and null point can be
obtained.
3. Without taking out any plug from resistance box S, obtain the null point and see
if it is near about 50 cm. If this is not in the 45 to 55 cm interval check all the
connections and tighten them. If you null point is in the 45 to 55 cm then you can
proceed with the next step.
4. At this stage you should have zero resistance in the box S. Now pull out the smallest
resistance (0.1 Ω) and check the null point. It should have shifted to the left. no
need to record this reading. Keep increasing the resistance and check the null point.
It will keep shifting to the left. Repeat this until the null point is near 2 to 3 cm.
The value of resistance in the box S is the maximum resistance you can work with.
5. With the maximum usable resistance in S obtain the null point and record in table
1 under direct current column. Change the direction of the current by using the
commutator C and measure the null point for reverse current. While changing
the direction of the current, pull out both the keys from the commutator
and only then insert them back so that you may not short circuit the
power supply.
6. Decrease the resistance in box S by 0.1 Ω and then obtain the null point as in step
5 and record the data in next row of table 1. As you decrease the resistance the
null point will shift to the right. Keep increasing the resistance and record the null
point till it is about 25 cm or you have 5 readings.
7. Now interchange the resistance S and copper strip R in the circuit and repeat all
the steps from 5. After interchanging the resistance the null points will be towards
the right. For the maximum workable resistance you had a null point at the left end
of the wire, now you should get the same at the right end and the null point will
shift towards the left as the resistance S is decreased.
8. Now that you have all the data needed to calculate ρ using equation 1 we can start
measuring the unknown resistance.
Akhileshwar Prasad DRAFT Siliguri College

To measure he unknown resistance.

9. Make the circuit as in step 1 but this time replace the thick copper plate with the
unknown resistance.

10. Pull out a small resistance (0.1 Ω) from the box S. Place the jockey to the extreme
left and check the direction of deflection of the galvanometer. Now place the jockey
to the extreme right and check the deflection. If the two deflections are in the
opposite directions then you can obtain the null point.

11. If the deflections are in the same directions then increase the value of S slightly and
repeat step 10 till the deflections are in opposite directions.

12. Now change the value of S systematically to obtain 4 to 5 null points between 40 to
60 cm. Record these in table 2.

13. Once you have readings for about 4 - 5 values of S, interchange the resistance box
S and the unknown resistance R. Measure the null points for the same values of S
as used in step 12 and complete the table 2 and calculate the unknown resistance
R using equation 2.

Experimental Data
 Table 1: Data to calculate ρ
S
Resistance in Null point when the copper plate is (in cm) l2 − l1 ρ = l2 −l 1
mean ρ
Nos of
the box S Ω In extreme right gap In extreme left gap cm Ω/ cm Ω/ cm
obs
Direct Reverse Mean Direct Reverse Mean
Current Current (l1 ) Current Current (l2 )
Akhileshwar Prasad

Table 2: Data to calculate Unknown resistance

Resistance in Null point when the unknown resistance is (in cm) l2 − l1 R=S− mean
Nos of
the box S Ω In extreme right gap In extreme left gap cm ρ(l2 − l1 ) RΩ
obs Mean Mean
DRAFT

Direct Reverse Direct Reverse Ω

Current Current (l1 ) Current Current (l2 )
Siliguri College
Akhileshwar Prasad DRAFT Siliguri College

Viva
1. The Carey-Foster bridge is a specialized form of the Wheatstone bridge, primarily
used for measuring small resistances with high precision. It is particularly effective
for measuring resistances in the range of milliohms to a few ohms.

2. It is used to compare the resistance of two nearly equal resistances with high preci-
sion.

Figure 2: Circuit Diagram of Carey-Foster bridge

3. Figure 2 shows the circuit diagram of Carey-Foster bridge in a manner that can be
easily compared to a Wheatstone Bridge. When the thick copper plate is in the
extreme right gap of the bridge and null point is obtained at l1
P S + α + l1 .ρ
= (3)
Q R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ

where α and β are end correction at the two ends of the wire. When the thick
copper plate is in the extreme left gap of the bridge and null point is obtained at l2
P R + α + l2 .ρ
= (4)
Q S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ

Solving 3 and 4
Akhileshwar Prasad DRAFT Siliguri College

S + α + l1 .ρ R + α + l2 .ρ
=
R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ

adding 1 both sides

S + α + l1 .ρ R + α + l2 .ρ
+1= +1
R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ

S + α + l1 .ρ + R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ R + α + l2 .ρ + S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ
=
R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ

S + R + α + β + 100ρ S + R + α + β + 100ρ
=
R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ

R + β + (100 − l1 )ρ = S + β + (100 − l2 )ρ

S − R = ρ(l2 − l1 ) (5)

S−R
ρ=
l2 − l1
where R = 0 Ω for the thick copper plate.
Once ρ has been found the thick copper plate is replaced by the unknown resistance
(R). Now using 5 we can write

R = S − ρ(l2 − l1 )