PHYSICS EXPERIMENT – 1

Aim: To determine resistance per cm of a given wire by plotting a graph of potential difference versus current.
Apparatus: A metallic conductor (coil or a resistance wire), a battery, one way key, a voltmeter and an ammeter of
appropriate range, connecting wires and a piece of sand paper, a scale.

V
Formulae Used: The resistance (R) of the given wire (resistance coil) is obtained by Ohm’s Law R
I
Where, V : Potential difference between the ends of the given resistance coil. (Conductor)
I: Current flowing through it.
R
If l is the length of resistance wire, then resistance per cm of the wire =
l
Observation:
(i) Range:
Range of given voltmeter =
Range of given ammeter =

(ii) Least count:

Least count of voltmeter =
Least count of ammeter =
Ammeter and Voltmeter Readings:
Ammeter Reading I (A) Voltmeter Reading, V (v) V
Sr. No. Observed R
Value Observed Value I
1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
Mean R =
Length of resistance wire:
Graph between potential difference & current:

Scale: X – axis : 1 cm = 0.1 V of potential difference

Y – axis: 1 cm = 0.1 A of current
The graph comes out to be a straight line.

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Result: It is found that the ratio V/I is constant, hence current voltage relationship is established i.e. V  I or Ohm’s
Law is verified.
Unknown resistance per cm of given wire =
Precautions: Voltmeter and ammeter should be of proper range.
 The connections should be neat, clean & tight.
Source of Error: Rheostat may have high resistance.
The instrument screws may be loose.

EXPERIMENT – 2
Aim: To find resistance of a given wire using Whetstone’s bridge (meter bridge)
Apparatus: A meter bridge (slide Wire Bridge), a galvanometer, a resistance box, a laclanche cell, a jockey, a one-
way key, a resistance wire, a screw gauge, meter scale, set square, connecting wires and sandpaper.

Formulae Used:
(i) The unknown resistance X is given by:
(100  l)
X= R Where,
l
R = known resistance placed in left gap.
X = Unknown resistance in right gap of meter bridge.
l=length of meter bridge wire from zero and upto balance point (in cm)

D: Diameter of given wire L: Length of given wire.

Observation Table for length (l) & unknown resistance, X:

Resistance from Unknown Resistance
Sr. Length Length (100  l) 
resistance box X = R. 
No. AB = l cm BC = (100-l) cm
R (ohm) l

Table for diameter (D) of the wire:

Circular Scale Reading
Observed diameter
Sr. Linear Scale No. of circular
Value D = N + n x L.C.
No. Reading (N) mm scale divisions
n x (L.C.) mm mm
coinciding (n)

Observations:

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 Length of given wire, L =
Calculation:
 For unknown resistance, X:
X1 + X2 + X3 + X4
Mean X = 
4
D1 + D2 + D3 + D4
 Mean diameter, D = 
4

Result: Value of unknown resistance = 

Precautions: All plugs in resistance box should be tight. Plug in key, K should be inserted only while taking
observations.
Sources of Error: Plugs may not be clean.
Instrument screws maybe loose.

EXPERIMENT – 3
Aim: To verify the laws of combination (series & parallel) of resistances using meter bridge (slide Wire Bridge)
Apparatus: A meter bridge, laclanche cell, a galvanometer, a resistance box, a jockey, two resistances wires, set
square, sand paper and connecting wires.

Observations: Table for length (l) & unknown resistance (r):

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Resistance
Length Resistance
from Mean
Resistant Length BC = 100 – l 100  l
Obs. No. resistance r= .R Resistant
Coil AB = l (cm) (cm)
box, l (ohm)
R (ohm)

r1 only

r2 only

r1 & r2 in
series

r1 & r2 in
parallel
Calculations:
(i) In Series: Experimental value of RS = 
Theoretical value of RS = r1 + r2 = 
(ii) In parallel: Experimental value of RP =
r1r2
Theoretical value of RP = 
r1  r2
Result: Within limits of experimental error, experimental & theoretical values of RS are same. Hence the law of
resistance in series i.e. RS = r1 + r2 is verified. (1) Within limits of experimental error, experimental & theoretical
r1r2
values of RP are same. Hence law of resistances in parallel i.e. RS = is verified.
r1  r2

Observations:
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Precautions:
(i) The connections should be neat, clean & tight.
(ii) Move the jockey gently over the wire & don’t rub it.
(iii) All plugs in resistant box should be tight.
Sources of Error:
(i) The plugs may not be clean.
(ii) The instrument screws maybe loose.

EXPERIMENT – 6
Aim: To determine the resistance of a galvanometer by half-deflection method & to find its figure of merit.
Apparatus: A Weston type galvanometer, a voltmeter, a battery, a rheostat, two resistance boxes (10,000  and 500
 ), two one-way keys, a screw gauge, a meter scale, connecting wires and a piece of sandpaper.

Formulae Used:
(i) The resistant of the given galvanometer as found by half-deflection method:
R. S
G=
RS
Where R: resistance connected in series with the galvanometer
S: shunt resistance
E
(ii) Figure of merit: k =
(R  G) 
Where E : emf of the cell
 : deflection produced with resistance R.
Calculation: Mean G = 

(i) For G : Calculate G using formula. Page 6 (PHYSICS)
Take mean of all values of G recorded in table.
(ii) For k: Calculate k using formula & record in table.
Take mean of values of k.
Result:
(i) Resistance of Galvanometer by half – deflection method:
G = Figure of merit, k =
Precautions:
(i) All the plugs in resistance boxes should be tight.
(ii) The emf of cell or battery should be constant.
(iii) Initially a high resistance from the resistance box (R) should be introduced in the circuit. Otherwise for small
resistance, an excessive current will flow through the galvanometer or ammeter & damage them.
Sources of error:
(i) Plug of the resistant boxes may not be clean.
(ii) The screws of the instruments maybe loose.
(iii) The emf of the battery may not be constant.
EXPERIMENT – 12
Aim: (i) To determine angle of minimum deviation for a given prism by plotting a graph between angle of incidence
& angle of deviation.

Apparatus: Drawing board, a white sheet of paper, prism, drawing pins, pencil, half metre scale, office pins, graph
paper & protector.

Calculations:
From graph between angle of incidence, i and angle of deviation, we get the value of Dm (angle of minimum
deviation): Dm =

Result:
(i) From i  D graph we see that as i increases, D first decreases, attains a minimum value (Dm) & then again
starts increasing for further increase in i .
(ii) Angle of minimum deviation =
Precautions:
(i) The angle of incidence should be between 30o – 60o.
(ii) The pins should be fixed vertical.
(iii) The distance between the two pins should not be less than 8 cm.
Sources of Error:
(i) Pin pricks may be thick.
(ii) Measurement of angles maybe wrong.

EXPERIMENT – 14
Aim: To draw the I – V characteristics curve of p-n junction in forward bias

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Apparatus: A p-n junction semi-conductor diode, a three volt battery, a high resistance, a rheostat, a voltmeter (0-
3v), a milli ammeter (0-.30 mA), one – way key, connecting wires.

Observations:
Least count of voltmeter =
Least count of milli-ammeter =
Observation Table:
Forward Bias Voltage Forward Current
S. No.
(V) (mA)

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Calculations:
Graph is plotted between forward – bias voltage (VF) (on x-axis) and forward current, IF (on y – axis)
Scale: X – axis: 1 cm = V of VF Y – axis: 1 cm = mA of IF
Result: The obtained curves are the characteristics curves of the semi-conductor diode.
Precautions:
(i) All connections should be neat, clean & tight. (ii) Key should be used in circuit & opened when the circuit is not
being used. (iii) Forward bias voltage beyond breakdown should not be applied.
Sources of error: The junction diode supplied maybe faulty.

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