PHYSICS

PRACTICAL

CLASS 12

EXPERIMENT CYCLE : 01

NAME: ____________________



 PSG PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COIMBATORE

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

1. OHM’S LAW

Experiment No: _____ Date: ______________

AIM: (a) To establish Current – Voltage relationship for a given resistance using an
Ammeter and a Voltmeter by plotting a graph. [Verification of Ohm’s Law]
(b) To find out the resistance per unit length of the given wire.

APPARATUS: Power supply / Battery, Ammeter, Voltmeter, Key, Rheostat and connecting
wires.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

BATTERY
KEY

RHEOSTAT -

A
UNKNOWN +
RESISTOR

+ -
V
FORMULA:
R= dV
dI
Where, V is the potential difference,
I is the current through the resistor &
R is the resistance

Resistance per unit length = R / l , where ‘l’ is the length of the wire

 PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS:

(1) Range of the Ammeter : 0A - _____ A

(2) Least count of the Ammeter : __________ A

(3) Range of the Voltmeter : 0V - ______V

(4) Least count of the Voltmeter : ___________V

(5) Length of the given wire : ___________cm

TABLE:

VOLTMETER AMMETER
RESISTANCE
S.No READING READING
[Ω]
[V] [A]

 PROCEDURE:

1. Connect the circuit according to the circuit diagram.

2. Switch on the circuit and check if the meters show deflection to the right. If not, reverse the
connections [only for the meters]
3. Adjust the rheostat jockey [power supply voltage settings] and note down the ammeter and
volt meter readings.
4. Switch off the circuit and move the jockey to a new position [change the voltage setting on
the power supply]
5. Close the circuit and note down the ammeter and voltmeter readings.
6. Repeat the experiment for different values of the voltage
7. Draw a graph taking V along X – axis and I along Y – axis [the origin is 0,0]

PRECAUTIONS:

1. All connections should be tight.

2. The circuit should be switched off between the readings to maintain the constant
temperature.
3. The zero errors in the ammeter and voltmeter should be taken care.
4. All readings should be without parallax error.

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1. The screws of the instruments may be loose.

2. Thick connecting wires may not be available.
3. Rheostat may have high resistance.

GRAPH:

SLOPE=
ΔY =
ΔI =
1
ΔX ΔV R I

O
RESULT: V
1. It is found that the ratio V is constant, hence current – voltage relationship is
I
established.
2. Unknown resistance of the given wire = _______________ Ω

3. Resistance per unit length of the wire = _______________ Ω / m

 PSG PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COIMBATORE

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

2. METER BRIDGE

Experiment No: ____ Date: _______________

AIM: To find the resistance of a given wire using Meter Bridge and hence determine the
specific resistance of the material of the wire.

APPARATUS: Power supply/Battery, Meter Bridge, a resistance box, resistance wire,

screw gauge, Galvanometer, Key, Rheostat and connecting wires.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:
Battery
K

Rh
X
R.B

l 100 - l

FORMULAE:

Unknown Resistance in the right gap 100 - l

X =R Ω
l

Unknown Resistance in the left gap l

X =R Ω
100 - l

Where R is the known resistance and l is the balancing length

 Specific resistance of the given wire πD 2
ρ= X Ωm
4. l

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS:

Least count of the meter bridge scale = _______________ cm

Length of the given wire (l) = _______________ cm

Diameter of the wire ‘D’ = _______________ mm

TABLE I: UNKNOWN RESISTANCE IN THE RIGHT GAP

Resistance
Balancing length l 100 – l 100 - l
S.No. R X =R Ω
( cm ) ( cm ) l
( Ω )

01

02

03

04

05

TABLE II: UNKNOWN RESISTANCE IN THE LEFT GAP

Resistance
Balancing length l 100 – l l
S.No. R X =R Ω
( cm ) ( cm ) 100 - l
( Ω )

01

 02

03

04

05

TABLE III: DIAMETER OF THE WIRE

MAIN SCALE CIRCULAR SCALE TOTAL READING =

S.No. READING DIVISION CSD x LC MSR + (CSR x LC) ±
MSR CSD ZERO ERROR

PROCEDURE:
1. Arrange the apparatus according to the circuit given above.
2. Connect the resistance wire whose resistance is to be determined in the right gap. Take
care that no part of it forms a loop.
3. Take out some resistance (say 1 ohm) form the resistance box and plug the key K.
4. Touch the jockey gently first at left end and then at right end of the wire. Note the
deflections in the galvanometer. If the galvanometer shows deflections in opposite
directions, the connections are correct.
5. Slide the jockey gently along the wire from left to right till galvanometer gives no
deflection. It is the null point.
6. Measure the distance of this null point from the left end. It is equal to ‘l’.
7. Take at least five sets of observations in the same way by changing the value of R.
8. Record your observations in Table I.
9. Repeat the same experiment by keeping the unknown resistance in the left gap and
record your observations in Table II.

 10. Find the diameter of the wire using a screw gauge and record the readings in Table III.
11. Using the formula, calculate the value of X and take the average of all the values.

PRECAUTIONS:
1. All connections should be tight.
2. The circuit should be switched off between the readings to maintain the constant
temperature.
3. All readings should be without parallax error.
4. The unused keys in the resistance boxes must be tightly fixed in their respective slots.
5. Null point should be brought between 40 cm and 60 cm on the bridge.
6. Avoid the back lash error while using the screw gauge.

SOURCES OF ERROR:
1. The screws of the instruments may be loose.
2. Thick connecting wires may not be available.
3. The meter bridge wire may not be of uniform thickness.

CALCULATIONS:

πD 2
ρ= X Ωm
4. l

RESULT:

The value of unknown resistance = _______________ Ω

The specific resistance of the material of the given wire = __________ Ω m

 PSG PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COIMBATORE

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

3. METER BRIDGE (SERIES AND PARALLEL)

Experiment No: ____ Date: _______________

AIM: To study the series and parallel combination of resistances.

APPARATUS: Power Supply / Battery, Meter bridge, Resistance boxes (3 Nos.),

Galvanometer, Key, Rheostat and connecting wires.

CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:
BATTERY
KEY

RHEOSTAT

Fig I: Resistors in Series

BATTERY
KEY

RHEOSTAT

Fig II: Resistors in parallel

FORMULA:
Unknown Resistance 100 - l ,
X =R Ω
l

Where R is the resistance in the left gap and l is the balancing length

R = R1 + R2 when the resistors are in series.

1/R = 1/R1 + 1/R2 when the resistors are in parallel.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS: Least count of the scale = ______ cm

EXPERIMENT OBSERVATIONS:

Resistance Balancing length 100 - l

S.No.
100 – l
X =R Ω
R ( Ω ) l ( cm ) ( cm ) l
Resistance R1 in the right gap

01

02

03
Resistance R2 in the right gap

01

02

03

Resistance Balancing length 100 - l

S.No.
100 – l
X =R Ω
R ( Ω ) l ( cm ) ( cm ) l
Resistances R1 & R2 in SERIES in the right gap
01
02
03

 Resistances R1 & R2 in PARALLEL in the right gap

01
02
03
PROCEDURE:

1. Arrange the apparatus according to the circuit given above.

2. Connect the resistance wire whose resistance is to be determined in the right gap (R1
or R2). Take care that no part of it forms a loop.
3. Take out some resistance (say 1 ohm) form the resistance box and plug the key K.
4. Touch the jockey gently first at left end and then at right end of the wire. Note the
deflections in the galvanometer. If the galvanometer shows deflections in opposite
directions, the connections are correct.
5. Slide the jockey gently along the wire from left to right till galvanometer gives no
deflection. It is the null point.
6. Measure the distance of this null point from the left end. It is equal to ‘l’.
7. Take at least three sets of observations in the same way by changing the value of R.
8. Record your observations in the Table.
9. For resistors in series, connect according to the circuit diagram (I)
10. Introduce a resistance in R and measure the balancing length.
11. Repeat the observation by changing the values of R.
12. Record them in Table.
13. For resistors in parallel, connect according to the circuit diagram (II)
Follow the steps from 08 to 12 and record them in the table.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. All connections should be tight

2. The circuit should be switched off between the readings to maintain the constant
temperature.
3. All readings should be without parallax error
4. The unused keys in the resistance boxes must be tightly fixed in their respective slots.

SOURCES OF ERROR:

1. The screws of the instruments may be loose.

2. Thick connecting wires may not be available.
3. The meter bridge wire may not be of uniform thickness.

 CALCULATIONS:

SERIES
R1 = R2 =

Rnet = R1 + R2 =

From Formula Rnet =

From Experiment Rnet =

PARALLEL
R1 = R2 =

Rnet = R1 x R2 / (R1 + R2 ) =

From Formula Rnet =

From Experiment Rnet =

RESULT:

The values of the given resistors were found individually. They were also used in the series
and parallel combinations and their effective resistances were compared with the theoretical
values. They were in agreement with each other.

 PSG PUBLIC SCHOOLS, COIMBATORE

PHYSICS DEPARTMENT

4. FIGURE OF MERIT OF A GALVANOMETER

Experiment No: _____ Date: _______________

AIM: To determine the resistance of a galvanometer by half deflection method and to find its
figure of merit.

APPARATUS: Power supply/Battery, Galvanometer, Keys, two resistance boxes of range 0–

100 Ω and 0–10000 Ω and connecting wires.

CIRUIT DIAGRAM:
BATTERY
K1

0 – 10000Ω
range R

K2
S
0 – 100Ω
range
FORMULA:
(a) The resistance of the given galvanometer R.S Ω
G=
R -S
Where R is the resistance connected in series and S is the shunt resistance.

(b) The figure of merit

E
k=
(R + G )θ
Where E is the emf of the cell and θ is the deflection produced with resistance R.

 TABLE I: DETERMINATION OF RESISTANCE OF GALVANOMETER

Deflection in the Shunt R.S Ω

Resistance G=
S.No. galvanometer resistance S R -S
R[Ω] θ [Ω]

01.
02.
03.
04.

amp/
E M F of the Deflection in the E
Resistance k=
S.No. source ‘E’ galvanometer (R + G )θ
R[Ω]
[V] θ
division
01.
02.
03.
04.

TABLE II: DETERMINATION OF FIGURE OF MERIT

PROCEDURE:

1. Connect the circuit according to the given diagram.

2. Ensure that the plugs in the resistance box are tight. In case of using knobs, set them at
zero.
3. Keep the Key K1 closed and K2 open.
4. Introduce a suitable resistance in box R such that the deflection in the galvanometer is an
even number within the scale. Note down the deflection. Let it be θ.
5. Close the key K2 also and without changing the value of R, adjust the value of S, such that
the deflection in the galvanometer reduces to exactly half the value obtained in step 4.
6. Note the value of resistance S.
7. Repeat the steps 3 to 6 for different values of R and note down the readings in Table I.
8. Calculate the value of G using the given formula.
9. Measure the emf of the cell using a multimeter. Let it be E.
10. Keeping the key K1 closed and K2 open, adjust the value of R to obtain certain deflection θ.
11. Note down the values of resistance R and θ. Repeat the steps 9 to 11 for different emf’s.

 PRECAUTIONS:

01. All connections should be tight.

02. The circuit should be switched off between the readings to maintain the constant
temperature.
03. The emf of cell or battery should be constant.
04. All readings should be without parallax error.

SOURCES OF ERROR:

01. The e.m.f of the battery source may not be constant.

02. The connection of the wires may be loose.

RESULT:
01. The resistance of the galvanometer = _______________ Ω

02. The figure of merit of galvanometer = _______________ Amp/division