EXPERIMENT NO.

1
Aim:
To determine resistivity of two / three wires by plotting a graph between potential difference versus
current.
Apparatus/Materials Required:
A wire of unknown resistance, battery, voltmeter, milliammeter, rheostat, plug key, connecting wires etc.
Circuit Diagram:

Theory:
According to Ohm’s law, the electric current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the
potential difference across its ends, provided the physical state (pressure, temperature, and dimensions)
of the conductor remains unchanged.
If I is the current flowing through the conductor and V is the potential difference across its end, then V∝I
and hence V = RI, where R is the constant of proportionality and is termed as the electrical resistance of
the conductor. Resistance R depends on the dimensions and material of the conductor. The relationship
between the resistance of a material and its length and area of the cross-section is given by the formula
R= ρ l /A
Where ρ is the specific resistance or resistivity and is a characteristic of the material of the wire.
Observations:
.
Least count of the screw gauge (L.C) = .
0.001 cm
Range of ammeters = _____ mA to _____ mA
The least count of ammeter = _____ mA
Range of voltmeter = _____ V to ____ V
The least count of voltmeter = _____ V
Length of the given wire, l = _____ m
Observation Table:
Voltmeter Reading Ammeter Reading
Sr. R =V/I
Observed Observed
No. (Ω)
V (V) I (A)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Mean Resistance of the wire R = _______________ Ω

Graph:
1. Plot a graph between the potential difference across the wire V and the current I flowing through the
wire as shown below.

2. The resistance of the given wire is then equal to the reciprocal of the slope. From the graph,
R = BC/AB = ___________ Ω

Diameter of the resistance wire

Observed Zero Corrected

Sr.
MSR CSR Diameter correction Diameter
No.
D0=MSR + CSR x L.C. c D= D0 ± c

1. D1=

2. D2=

Mean Diameter of the resistance wire D =
= _____________________ cm
Calculations:
Specific resistance of the material of the given wire,

ρ= R


=R

=_________________ Ω cm

Result:
The potential difference across the wire varies linearly with the current.
The resistance of the wire is R = ____________ Ω
The specific resistance of the material of the given wire = ______________Ω cm

Precautions:
1. The connections should be neat, tight and clean.
2. There shouldn’t be any loops in the wire.
3. The diameter of the wire should be measured in two perpendicular directions that are mutual.

Sources of Error:
1. The screws of the instrument might be loose.
2. The wire might be of non-uniform diameter.
3. There might be a backlash error in the screw gauge.
EXPERIMENT NO. 2
Aim:
To find resistance of a given wire using a metre bridge.
Apparatus/Materials Required:
A metre bridge, battery eliminator, galvanometer, resistance box, jockey, one-way key, resistance wire,
metre scale, connecting wires etc.
Circuit Diagram:

Theory:
Metre bridge apparatus is also known as a slide wire bridge. It is fixed on the wooden block and consists
of a long wire with a uniform cross-sectional area. It has two gaps formed using thick metal strips to
make the Wheatstone’s bridge.
Then according to Wheatstone’s principle, we have:



Now, ∝ & ∝ !100 $ %

∴
!100 $ %
∴ The unknown Resistance S is given by
!100 $ %


Observation Table:
Resistance from
Unknown Resistance
Sr. resistance box, Length AD Length DC
' !()%
No. R (Ω) L (cm) (100 – L) (cm) (Ω)
)

1.

2.

3.

4.

Mean Unknown Resistance of the wire R = _______________ Ω

Calculations:
Unknown resistance of the given wire,
(100 − )


=_________________ Ω
Result:
The resistance of the given wire is R = ____________ Ω
Precautions:
1. The connections should be neat, tight and clean.
2. Plugs should be tightly connected in the resistance box.
3. The movement of the jockey should be gentle and it shouldn’t be rubbed.
4. The key K should be inserted only when the observations are to be taken.
5. The null point should be between 45cm and 55cm.
6. To avoid the error of parallax, the set square should be used to note the null point.
Sources of Error:
1. The screws of the instrument might be loose.
2. The wire might be of non-uniform diameter.
3. There might be a backlash error in the galvanometer.
EXPERIMENT NO. 3
Aim:
To verify the laws of combination (Series) of resistances using a metre bridge.
Apparatus/Materials Required:
A metre bridge, battery eliminator, galvanometer, resistance box, jockey, one-way key, two resistance
wires, metre scale, connecting wires etc.
Circuit Diagram:

Theory:
• The resistance of a resistance wire or a coil is given by
!100 $ %
*

where R is the resistance from the resistance box in the left gap, and L is the length of the metre
bridge wire from zero ends up to the balance point.
• When two resistors r1 and r2 are connected in series, their combined resistance is given as follows:
Rs = r1 + r2
Observation Table:
Resistance
Resistance from Mean
Resistance Sr. Length AD Length DC ' !()%
coil No.
resistance box,
L (cm) (100 – L) (cm)
+ Resistance
R (Ω)
)
(Ω)
(Ω)

1.
r1 only r1=
2.

1.
r2 only r2=
2.

r1 & r2 1.
Rs=
in series 2.

Calculations:
Experimental value of series combination of resistances Rs = _______________ Ω
Theoretical value of series combination of resistances Rs’ = r1 + r2 = ______________ Ω
Difference = Rs $ Rs’ = __________ Ω
Result:
Within limits of experimental error, theoretical and experimental values of Rs are the same. Hence, the
law of resistance in series is verified.

Precautions:
1. The connections should be neat, tight and clean.
2. Plugs should be tightly connected in the resistance box.
3. The movement of the jockey should be gentle and it shouldn’t be rubbed.
4. The key K should be inserted only when the observations are to be taken.
5. The null point should be between 45cm and 55cm.
6. To avoid the error of parallax, the set square should be used to note the null point.

Sources of Error:
1. The screws of the instrument might be loose.
2. The wire might be of non-uniform diameter.
3. There might be a backlash error in the galvanometer.
EXPERIMENT NO. 4
Aim:
To determine the resistance of a galvanometer by a half-deflection method and to find its figure of merit.
Apparatus/Materials Required:
A battery eliminator, a Weston type galvanometer, two one-way keys, a high resistance box, a low
resistance box, connecting wires etc.
Circuit Diagram:

Theory:

Observation Table:
• Table for resistance of the galvanometer by half deflection method
Galvanometer
Deflection in the
Sr. Resistance Shunt Resistance Half Deflection Resistance
Galvanometer
No. R (Ω) S (Ω) θ/2 '.
θ , (Ω)
'(

1.

2.

3.

4.

Mean value of Galvanometer Resistance (G) = ________________ Ω

• Table for Figure of merit
Reading of the Figure of merit
Resistance from
battery Deflection .
Sr. No.
eliminator
H.R.B.
θ (div)
-
(',)/
R (Ω)
E (V) (A/div)
1.

2.

3.

4.

Mean value of Figure of merit (k) = ________________ A/div

Calculations:
The number of divisions in the galvanometer scale, n = _____.
1.2
Galvanometer Resistance 0
1(2

________________ Ω
.
Figure of merit of the galvanometer -
(',)/

________________ A/div
Result:
1. The resistance of the given galvanometer (G) = __________ Ω.
2. The figure of merit of a given galvanometer (k) = ________ A/div.

Precautions:
1. All the connections should be neat, clean and tight.
2. All the plugs in resistance boxes should be tight.
3. The e.m.f. of cell or battery should be constant.
4. 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 can be damaged).

Sources of Error:
1. The screws of the instruments may be loose.
2. The plugs of resistance boxes may not be clean.
3. The e.m.f. of battery may not be constant.
4. The galvanometer divisions may not be of equal size.