AISSCE
SESSION: 2024-2025
PHYSICS PROJECT FILE
Topic- Wheatstone bridge
SUBMITTED BY- GUIDED BY-
ARPIT KUMAR PATEL Mr. SHANKAR KUMAR SHAH
CLASS: 12TH (PCM+IP) (HEAD OF PHYSICS DEPARTMENT)
BOARD ROLL NO: ……………
PRINCIPAL SIGN SUBJECT TEACHER SIGN
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CERTIFICATE
This is to Certify that Arpit Kumar Patel of class
XII of DAV Public School has successfully completed
the Physics Investigatory Project on the topic
"Wheatstone Bridge’’ as prescribed by the CBSE
Board for the Academic Year 2024-25 It is further
certified that the project is Individual Work of the
Candidate.
External's Signature -:
Internal's Signature-:
Principal’s Signature-:
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Acknowledgement
I would like to convey my heartfelt
gratitude to Mr. Shankar Kr. Shah for his
tremendous support and assistance in the
completion of my project. I would also like to
thank him for providing me with this wonderful
opportunity to work on a project with the topic
“Wheatstone Bridge”.
Secondly, I would also like to thank my
parents and teachers who helped me in
finalizing this project in limited time frame.
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INDEX
S NO. CONTENTS PAGE
1 COVER PAGE 1
2 CERTIFICATE 2
3 ACKNOWLEDGMENT 3
4 INDEX 4
5 AIM 5
5 INTRODUCTION 6
COMPONENTS OF WHEATSTONE
6 7
BRIDGE
7 CIRCUIT CONSTRUCTION 8
WORKING PRINCIPAL OF WHEATSTONE
8 9-10
BRIDGE
9 EXAMPLE CIRCUIT 11-12
10 APPLICATION OF WHEATSTONE BRIDGE 13
11 LIMITATION OF WHEATSTONE BRIDGE 14
12 SUMMARY 15
13 BIBLIOGRAPHY 16
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AIM
To study the concentration and
application of wheatstone bridge.
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INTRODUCTION
Samuel Hunter Christie invented the Wheatstone bridge in the
year 1833, which became popular with the works of Sir Charles
Wheatstone in 1843.
An electrical circuit that is set up to measure the unknown value
of a resistor and creates a balance between the two legs of the
bridge circuit is called a Wheatstone Bridge. As shown in the
figure below, three resistances are known (one is
variable/adjustable) and the fourth one has to be found out.
Compared to the other measuring instruments such as voltage
divider, the concept of Wheatstone bridge is widely used
because of the accuracy in its measurement of resistance.
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Components of
Wheatstone Bridge
● A resistor with an unknown resistance value.
● Two resistors (with known resistance value)
● Variable Resistor (a device like Rheostat or
Preset could work)
● Voltage/DC source
● Galvanometer (or any device which indicates the
voltage difference or the flow of current)
● Connecting Wires
● Circuit Construction
● Construction of Wheatstone Bridge
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CIRCUIRT
CONSTRUCTION
A Wheatstone bridge is a bridge-type structure
having four resistors, three of known and one of
unknown value.
Here RI, R2, and R3 have known values among
which R2 is adjustable and finally Rx is the value
to be measured. Along with these resistances, a
galvanometer (Vg) is there between B & D, and a
DC supply between A & C.
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WORKING PRINCIPLE OF
WHEATSTONE BRIDGE
Now according to the Wheatstone bridge principle
if the ratio of the two resistances (RI/R2) on one edge is
equal to the ratio of the two resistances (R3/Rx) on another
edge then there will be no flow of current between the
midpoints of the two edges of resistance. This condition of
the bridge is known as the Balanced Bridge Condition.
In the Balanced Bridge condition, the current through the
galvanometer is zero and also the voltage difference
between the points B & D becomes zero, i.e., at both
points voltage level would be the same.
Writing equations for the balanced bridge condition would
look like:
RI/R2 = R3/Rx (or) RI * Rx=R2* R3
Thus, Rx = R3 * (R2/R1)
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This detection of zero current in galvanometer is of high
precision, thus depending on the level of precision of
known values, the unknown resistance can be found with
the highest rate of accuracy and precision.
In the Wheatstone bridge experiment, one resistor
should always be variable in order to obtain a balanced
condition. The Circuit performs at its best when the
regulated voltage source is used, instead of the current
with repelling characteristics.
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EXAMPLE CIRCUIT
Let us consider the below circuit where the bridge
is in an unbalanced condition and we need to
calculate the voltage difference between QI and
Q2t i.e., Volt and hence the value of R4 needed to
make the bridge balanced.
Example of Wheatstone Bridge
As per the voltage division law,
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vql = (R3/(R3+R1)) * vs, where vs =100volts (voltage
source)
Putting values of R3 = 40 ohms, Rl=50 ohms, and Vs=
100 volts, we get Vql = 44.4 volts
Similarly, vq2 = (R4/(R4+R2)) * vs
putting the values, R4 —50 ohms, R2 =100 ohms, and
Vs =100 volts, we get vq2 =33.3 volts Thus, Volt can
be found as,
Volt = vql - vq2 so, Volt = 44.4 - 33 . 3 = 11.1
volts Now to make the bridge balanced, we can
find a suitable value for R4 as done below:
R4 = R2 * (R3/R1)
putting the values of RI, R2, and R3, we have
R4 = 100 * (40/50)
= 80 volts
Therefore, R4 = 80 volts is the value of resistor which
should be used to mal<e the bridge in a balanced
condition.
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APPLICATIONS OF
WHEATSTONE BRIDGE
● Used in Light detecting devices.
● For measuring the changes in the pressure.
● For measuring the changes in the strain of the circuit.
● Used for the Sensing of mechanical and electrical
quantities.
● Also, photo resistive devices use this circuit.
● Thermometers also use Wheatstone bridges for the
temperature measurements which need to be accurate.
● Values like capacitance, inductance, impedance, etc. can be
measured with some variations in the Wheatstone bridge circuit.
● 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.
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LIMITATIONS OF
WHEATSTONE BRIDGE
Along with all these advantages, there are a few
limitations of the Wheatstone bridge as well, such as:
● Readings may be inaccurate under unbalanced
conditions.
● The range of measured resistance varies from a few ohms to
mega ohms.
● Susceptibility for high dc current is not there.
● 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.
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SUMMARY
• Created in 1833, popularized in 1840s
• Wheatstone bridges are one of the best methods
of measuring resistance due to the basic mathematical ratio
involved.
• Accurate standards with sensitive enough voltmeter,
measurements of resistance within .05% can be reached.
• Many calibration laboratories still use this method
today.
• The Wheatstone Bridge are replaceable; however, for
its simplicity and versatility the circuit is an indispensable
piece of technology.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
For successfully completing my project file I
have taken help from the following website
links: -
www.google.com
www.youtube.com
www.wikepedia.com
Google images
www.brainly.com
www.scribd.com
BOOKS: -
NCERT Textbook
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