Electrical Measurements Laboratory (EEE 34)

Group 1st semester AY 2009-10

No.____
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Members: ______________________________ Date: _________________
______________________________ Section: _______________
______________________________ Instructor: _____________
______________________________ Grade: ________________

Experiment 3
Resistance Measurements

Objectives:
1) To know the different methods of measuring resistance
2) To know when each method can be applied
3) To be able to specify the accuracy of any measurements made

Materials and Equipment:

Variable DC Supply Potentiometer Box
1 Ma Movements Resistors (see procedure and figures
Digital Voltmeter (DVM) Protoboard
Analog Multimeter Wires, Connector Clips
Decade Resistance Box (DRB)

Procedure:
I. The Series Ohmmeter Method
1. Set up the circuit of Figure 1. Set the power supply to 10V and use a 10KΩ potentiometer for R 2. Make
sure you use the same 1mA movement that you used in Exercise no.1. Otherwise, you will once again
have to measure the internal resistance of your 1mA movement using Procedure 1 of Exercise no. 1.

2. Short together terminals a and b and adjust R 2 until the 1mA movement indicates full scale. Leave R 2 at
this setting.

3. Your instructor will have available three resistors R a, Rb and Rc whose resistances you are supposed to
determine. Record into Table 1 the deflection D (ImA/1mA) produced by each resistance in the 1mA
movement when the resistance is connected to the circuit at terminals a and b.

Resistance Deflection
Ra
Rb
Rc
Table 1
II. The Voltmeter – Ammeter Method
1. The same resistances Ra, Rb and Rc are to be determined using the circuit using the circuit in Figure 2.
Use an analog multimeter as the voltmeter and the 1mA movement as the ammeter. Do not use the
digital voltmeter (DVM) as the intended loading effects will not be observed. V s may be set to any
reasonable value provided that the 1mA movement does not go beyond full-scale and the maximum
power rating of Ru is not exceeded (Ru should not get too hot while in the circuit). For each of the
unknown resistances connected in place R u, record the readings of the voltmeter and the ammeter.
Fill the readings into table 2.

Resistance Voltmeter reading Ammeter reading

 (V) (mA)
Ra
Rb
Rc
Table 2

2. Repeat the above procedure using the circuit of figure 3 to fill in Table 3.
Resistance Voltmeter reading Ammeter reading
(V) (mA)
Ra
Rb
Rc
Table 3

III. The Wheatstone Bridge Method

1. The Wheatstone Bridge Method is a popular method of measuring resistance particularly in the field
of instrumentation. Figure 4 shows a Wheatstone bridge circuit. Set up the circuit in figure 4. Use DRB
for R3. Choose R1 and R2 so that resistance up to 100KΩ can be measured (what ratio of R 1 to R2 should
be used). Make sure the power ratings of R 1 and R2 are not exceeded even with a source voltage of
20V. Since the voltmeter needed should be capable of indicating positive and negative voltages, use a
DVM.

2. Before turning the power on, the DRB should first be set to maximum (for maximum power
dissipation). Two measurements will be made for each unknown resistance, on with V s = 5 volts and
another with Vs = 10 volts. The DVM should be initially set to be able to reads the maximum imbalance
of the bridge, which is Vs.

3. The value Ru can be determined from the values R1, R2 and R3 if the bridge is balanced. The Objective,
therefore, is to get the bridge balanced by adjusting the DRB until the voltmeter reads zero (or
practically zero, e.g. 0.001). This can be done systematically in the following manner:
a) Start with the most significant digit of the DRB.
b) Decrease the setting of the most significant digit until the DVM reading changes polarity.
c) When this occurs, increase the setting of the most significant digit by one step and shift
to the next most significant digit.
d) Repeat the procedure, a) to c), working your way towards the least significant digit. The
final DRB setting will be equal to R3.

4. For each of the resistance Ra, Rb, and Rc, take note of the setting of the DRB that balances the bridge of
the power supply settings specified in 2 above. Fill the obtained values into table 4.

Resistance DRB setting DRB setting

(Vs = 5V) (Vs = 10V)
Ra
Rb
Rc
Table 4
Required Discussion:
1. Show that the relationship between the unknown resistance R u and deflection D for the series
ohmmeter circuit of figure 1 is given by:

Ru = Ro (1 – D)/D, where Ro = R1 + R2 where D = ImA/1mA

In our case, what is the value of R o? Why was it not necessary to measure the value of R 2 to be able to be
able to determine the value of R o?

2. Use the equation given in 1 above to determine the values of R a, Rb and Rc. Treat these as your
experimental results compare these with the actual values of R a, Rb, and Rc given by your instructor.
Account for any differences. Extend Table 1 to show your results.

3. From the voltage and current readings obtained in Procedure II, compute the corresponding
resistance values of Ra, Rb and Rc both for the circuit of figure 2 and the circuit if figure 3. Neglect the
loading effect of the meter. Compare these with the actual values of R a, Rb and Rc. Tabulate your
results. Account for any differences obtained.