Current Sensitivity Of A

Galvanometer
EXPERIMENT 1

Mustafa Anwar & Ahmed Ali

| Electronic Measurements Lab | 2018-10-23
Object
To study the Galvanometer current sensitivity

Apparatus
1) Galvanometer
2) Dc-power supply
3) Fixed & variable resistors
4) Connection board with connection wires
5) Voltmeter
6) Manual switch

Procedure
1. Connect the circuit as shown below :

Note : R1 ≈ 10 R2

2. adjust the galvanometer to zero set

3. Take a suitable value for the voltage Vdc with adjusting the resistance
R1 &R2
4. Switch on the circuit by the switch s and observe the deflection of the
galvanometer coil (d) in (mm) then record the voltage V and
diffraction d values

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5. Calculate the galvanometer current IG from the following equation:
IG=V/R+RG ------(1)
Where:
IG : Galvanometer
RG: Galvanometer coil resistance
RG<<<R
Since the equation (1) can be written as follows
IG ≈V/R -----(2)

6. Take several values for voltage Vdc in steps with recording the results
in a table as shown below:

Results
Vdc (volt) IG (µA) d (mm) IG theoretically
(µA)
1 0.9 0.9 1
2 1.8 1.8 2
3 2.7 2.7 3
4 3.7 3.7 4
5 4.6 4.6 5
6 5.5 5.5 6
7 6.5 6.5 7

7. From the obtained results plot a curve between (d) on the Y-axis & IG
on the X-axis

8. From the curve (1-d) find the slope which is equals to the
galvanometer current sensitivity (SI).
Where
SI=∆d(mm)/∆IG (µA)

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Discussion
1. What is the mean of the galvanometer current sensitivity?
Current sensitivity of a galvanometer is defined as the deflection produced
in the galvanometer when a unit current flow through it
2. Are the curve (IG-d) passes from the origin point? what is
your comment on that?

3. Why the resistance R must be high value?

High-value resistance increases the range of measurement of the potential
difference by the galvanometer and so the range of voltmeter is increased.
High-value resistance protects the galvanometer coil from being
damaged due to the excess voltage applied

4. Why it is better to use R1 & R2 instead of just one of them?

To convert a galvanometer to an ammeter (to measure currents), a very low
resistance known as "shunt" resistance is connected in parallel to
Galvanometer, and when we use the galvanometer to measure the voltage
we connect High-value resistance in series with the galvanometer to protect
it

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