Advertisements
Advertisements
Question
Explain the determination of unknown resistance using meter bridge.
Advertisements
Solution
The meter bridge is another form of Wheatstone’s bridge. It consists of a uniform manganin wire AB of one meter length. This wire is stretched along a meter scale on a wooden board between two copper strips C and D. Between these two copper strips another copper strip E is mounted to enclose two gaps G1 and G2 An unknown resistance P is connected in G1 and a standard resistance Q is connected in G2.
A jockey (conducting wire) is connected to the terminal E on the central copper strip through a galvanometer (G) and a high resistance (HR). The exact position of jockey on the wire can be read on the scale. A Lechlanche cell and a key (K) are connected across the ends of the bridge wire.

Meter bridge
The position of the jockey on the wire is adjusted so that the galvanometer shows zero deflection. Let the point be J. The lengths AJ and JB of the bridge wire now replace the resistance R and S of the Wheatstone’s bridge. Then
`"P"/"Q" = "R"/"S" = ("R"' *"AJ")/("R"'*"JB")` ....(1)
where R’ is the resistance per unit length of wire
`"P"/"Q" = "AJ"/"JB" = l_1/l_2` ....(2)
P = Q `l_1/l_2` ....(3)
The bridge wire is soldered at the ends of the copper strips. Due to imperfect contact, some resistance might be introduced at the contact. These are called end resistances. This error can be eliminated, if another set of readings are taken with P and Q interchanged and the average value of P is found.
To find the specific resistance of the material of the wire in the coil P, the radius r and length l of the wire is measured. The specific resistance or resistivity r can be calculated using the relation.
Resistance = ρ - `l/"A"`
By rearranging the above equation, we get
ρ = Resistance `xx "A"/l`
If P is the unknown resistance, equation (4) becomes
ρ = P`(pi"r"^2)/l`
APPEARS IN
RELATED QUESTIONS
ε1 and ε2 are two batteries having emf of 34V and 10V respectively and internal resistance of 1Ω and 2Ω respectively. They are connected as shown in the figure below. Using Kirchhoff’s Laws of electrical networks, calculate the currents I1 and I2.

Given the resistances of 1 Ω, 2 Ω, 3 Ω, how will be combine them to get an equivalent resistance of (11/3) Ω?
Given the resistances of 1 Ω, 2 Ω, 3 Ω, how will be combine them to get an equivalent resistance of 6 Ω?
Consider the following two statements:-
(A) Kirchhoff's junction law follows from conservation of charge.
(B) Kirchhoff's loop law follows from conservative nature of electric field.
Consider the circuit shown in the figure. Find (a) the current in the circuit (b) the potential drop across the 5 Ω resistor (c) the potential drop across the 10 Ω resistor (d) Answer the parts (a), (b) and (c) with reference to the figure.


Power P is to be delivered to a device via transmission cables having resistance RC. If V is the voltage across R and I the current through it, find the power wasted and how can it be reduced.
Two cells of voltage 10V and 2V and internal resistances 10Ω and 5Ω respectively, are connected in parallel with the positive end of 10V battery connected to negative pole of 2V battery (Figure). Find the effective voltage and effective resistance of the combination.

Derive the equation of the balanced state in a Wheatstone bridge using Kirchhoff’s laws.
The value of current in the 6Ω resistance is ______.
In the circuit shown in Figure below, E1 and E2 are batteries having emfs of 25V and 26V. They have an internal resistance of 1 Ω and 5 Ω respectively. Applying Kirchhoff’s laws of electrical networks, calculate the currents I1 and I2.

