OBJECT: To study the use of the slide wire Wheatstone bridge in the measurement of resistance
and to use the bridge to verify the resistance values of the ohm’s law circuit board
APPARATUS: Ohm’s law resistance circuit board, dial resistance box, galvanometer, slide wire
Wheatstone bridge power supply, leads
NOTE: Use SAME circuit board that you need in the Ohm’s law experiment
The Wheatstone bridge is a classic circuit used to measure an unknown electrical resistance by
balancing two legs of a bridge circuit. It consists of four resistors arranged in a diamond shape.
The basic principle is based on the balance of voltages in the circuit, which allows for precise
measurement of resistances.
In its simplest form, the Wheatstone bridge is comprised of four resistors arranged as follows:
R1 and R2 are connected in series to form one leg of the bridge.R3 and R4 are connected in
series to form the other leg of the bridge as shown in figure 2.
A voltage source V is connected across the bridge (between the top and bottom nodes).
A galvanometer (or a sensitive meter) is connected between the two midpoints of the two legs.
The bridge is considered balanced when the voltage across the galvanometer is zero. At
balance, the ratio of voltage across conductor to the current flowing through it (R=V/I) R will be
expressed in Ohm’s
There are different method for measuring resistance. The most direct method measuring is the
ammeter-voltmeter for accurate measurement by this method ammeter and voltmeter have
appropriate range
The Wheatstone bridge method, used in this experiment, advantages this method over the
ammeter - voltmeter method in that it is both a null and a comparison method. Wheatstone’s
bridge is used for accurate measurement of resistance. The unknown resistance is compared
with a standard known resistance by getting a (null) deflection in a galvanometer connected in
the bridge zero circuit.
The schematic circuit diagram of Wheatstone bridge, as shown in Figures1and 2 consists of a
uniform resistance wire, usually m in length, stretched between points A and B. The unknown
resistance Rx is connected between A and D and a dial resistance box Rs is connected between
B and D. A power supply connected across AB, furnishes current for the bridge. A galvanometer
G is connected between D and C. By means of a sliding contact , the position of point C is
variable and may be anywhere in the interval AB, that is one terminal of the galvanometer may
be connected to any point on the bridge wire.
Figure 1: schematic circuit
diagram
Figure 2: conventional diagram of Wheatstone bridge
