BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
Certified to be the bonafide project of work
Master :
Register No:
Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School villupur
during the year 2024-2023
Date: teacher in charge
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my gratitude to our principal Mrs. R. Mallika and Academy coordinator Mr. M. Sai Dharam
of our institution for continuous support and encouragement.
I express sincere thanks to my Physics teacher Mr. R.Prakash for helping me to complete this project
successfully.
History of Wheatstone bridge
Scientists use many skills to investigate the world around them. They make observations
and gather information from their senses. Some observations are as simple as figuring
out the texture and colour of an object. However, scientists may need to take
measurements if they want to know more about a substance. Measurement is one of the
important aspects of science. It is difficult to conduct experiments and form theories
without the ability to measure. Thus, to measure unknown resistance in a circuit, Samuel
Hunter Christie invented the Wheatstone bridge in 1833, which Sir Charles Wheatstone
later popularised in 1843
What is Wheatstone Bridge?
Wheatstone bridge, also known as the resistance bridge, calculates the unknown resistance by
balancing two legs of the bridge circuit. One leg includes the component of unknown resistance.
The Wheatstone Bridge Circuit comprises two known resistors, one unknown resistor and one
variable resistor connected in the form of a bridge. This bridge is very reliable as it gives accurate
measurements
Construction of Wheatstone Bridge
A Wheatstone bridge circuit consists of four arms, of which two arms consist of known resistances
while the other two arms consist of an unknown resistance and a variable resistance. The circuit also
consists of a galvanometer and an electromotive force source. The emf source is attached between
points a and b while the galvanometer is connected between points c and d. The current that flows
through the galvanometer depends on its potential difference.
What is the Wheatstone Bridge Principle?
The Wheatstone bridge works on the principle of null deflection, i.e. the ratio of their resistances is
equal, and no current flows through the circuit. Under normal conditions, the bridge is in an
unbalanced condition where current flows through the galvanometer. The bridge is said to be
balanced when no current flows through the galvanometer. This condition can be achieved by
adjusting the known resistance and variable resistance.
Wheatstone Bridge Derivation
The current enters the galvanometer and divides into two equal magnitude currents as I1 and I2. The
following condition exists when the current through a galvanometer is zero,
The currents in the bridge, in a balanced condition, are expressed as follows:
Here, E is the emf of the battery.
By substituting the value of I1 and I2 in equation (1), we get
Equation (2) shows the balanced condition of the bridge, while (3) determines the value of the
unknown resistance.
In the figure, R is the unknown resistance, S is the standard arm of the bridge and P and Q are the
ratio arm of the bridge.
Wheatstone Bridge Formula
Following is the formula used for the Wheatstone bridge:
Where,
R is the unknown resistance
S is the standard arm of the bridge
P and Q is the ratio of the arm of the bridge
The derivation of this expression is as follows:
The current enters the galvanometer and splits into two equal currents, I1and I2
When the current through the galvanometer is zero,
In a balanced condition, the currents in the bridge are
Substituting the values of I1 and I2 into equation (1) gives
A Wheatstone bridge is an electrical circuit bridge that can measure multiple electrical quantities,
such as resistance, capacitance, impedance, and inductance. It's a useful tool for finding the
accurate values of small unknown resistances.
Wheatstone Bridge Application
The Wheatstone bridge is used for the precise measurement of low resistance.
Wheatstone bridge and an operational amplifier are used to measure physical parameters such
as temperature, light, and strain.
Quantities such as impedance, inductance, and capacitance can be measured using variations
on the Wheatstone bridge.
Wheatstone Bridge Limitations
For low resistance measurement, the resistance of the leads and contacts becomes significant
and introduces an error.
For high resistance measurement, the measurement presented by the bridge is so large that the
galvanometer is insensitive to imbalance.
The other drawback is the resistance change due to the current’s heating effect through the
resistance. Excessive current may even cause a permanent change in the value of resistance.
Bibliography
1. Hewitt, P.G., et al. Concepts of Physics. 10th ed., Pearson, 2017.
2. Serway, R.A., and Jewett, J.W. Physics for Scientists and Engineers. 9th ed., Cengage, 2013.
3. Young, H.D., and Freedman, R.A. University Physics with Modern Physics. 14th ed., Pearson,
2015.
4. Resnick, R., Halliday, D., and Krane, K.S. Physics: Part 1. 5th ed., Wiley, 2002.
5. Chaudhuri, A. Electrical and Electronic Measurements. McGraw Hill, 2018.
Webliography
1. "Wheatstone Bridge" - Wikipedia: Link
2. "Working of Wheatstone Bridge" - Electronics Tutorials: Link
3. "The Wheatstone Bridge" - TeachEngineering: Link
4. "How the Wheatstone Bridge Works" - Circuit Digest: Link
5. "Wheatstone Bridge Applications" - Electrical4U: Link
