Physics Laboratory

Assignment
Ballistic Galvanometer

Submitted by,
Maharnab Paul
Roll: JN-118-088
Batch: 1
Lab Group: 3
Session: 2020-21
Introduction
A ballistic galvanometer is a type of electrical instrument that was first developed
in the late 19th century to measure small electrical charges. It is based on the
principle of mechanical resonance, which allows it to amplify and measure small
current signals. The instrument consists of a coil of wire suspended in a strong
magnetic field, which experiences a force when a current is passed through it. By
measuring the resulting oscillation of the coil, the instrument can calculate the
magnitude of the current or charge that was passed through it.

Ballistic galvanometers were widely used in scientific research and engineering

applications throughout the 20th century. They were particularly important in the
field of particle physics, where they were used to measure the charge of individual
particles such as electrons and protons. However, with the development of digital
electronics and modern measurement techniques, ballistic galvanometers have
largely been replaced by other types of instruments. Nonetheless, they remain an
important part of the history of electrical and electronic instrumentation, and are
still appreciated for their elegant design and precise measurements.

History
ballistic Galvanometer was invented by Johann schweigger at the University of
halle on 16 September 1820 . At the time, scientists were beginning to explore the
properties of electricity and the behavior of electric charges in different materials.
One of the challenges they faced was how to measure the small electrical charges
that were involved in many of these experiments. Traditional instruments such as
the galvanometer were not sensitive enough to measure these small charges
accurately.
 Figure 1: Ballistic Galvanometer Setup

Figure 2: Ballistic Galvanometer

Construction
These are some essential components that allows a ballistic galvanometer to work
properly
Coil: The coil is the main component of the galvanometer, which is typically made
of a thin wire wound around a soft iron core. The wire used in the coil must be thin
to allow a small current to produce a significant magnetic field. The soft iron core
is used to increase the magnetic field strength, which interacts with the magnetic
field of the surrounding magnet. The amount of rotation produced by the coil is
proportional to the magnitude of the current or charge passing through it.

Suspension: The coil is suspended within the magnetic field using a thin fiber or
wire, which is designed to be very sensitive and minimize damping to maintain
measurement accuracy. The suspension fiber or wire is typically made of materials
such as quartz, tungsten, or steel. The suspension system must be carefully
designed to minimize any external influences that could cause unwanted vibrations
or oscillations.

Magnetic Field: The magnetic field is created using a permanent magnet or

electromagnet, which surrounds the coil. The magnetic field must be uniform and
strong enough to interact with the magnetic field produced by the coil. The
magnetic field strength is critical to the sensitivity and accuracy of the instrument.

Mirror: A mirror is used to avoid parallax errors when taking readings. By

positioning the mirror so that the position of the pointer and its reflection are
superimposed, readings can be taken accurately. This helps to avoid errors that can
occur if the position of the pointer is viewed from different angles.

Torsional Head: The torsional head is used to control the position of the coil and
dampen any oscillations. The torsional head is critical for accuracy, as it adjusts the
zero settings of the meter. The zero settings ensure that the pointer is properly
aligned and doesn't drift over time, which could cause errors in measurement.

Spring: A spring is used to provide restoring torque to the galvanometer and make
the deflection of the pointer proportional to the quantity being measured. The
spring also helps to ensure that the pointer returns to its original position when the
current passing through the coil stops.
Iron Core: A cylindrical soft iron core is placed symmetrically inside the coil
between the magnetic poles. The iron core helps to concentrate the magnetic field
and produce a radial field. The radial field ensures that the current passing through
the coil interacts with the magnetic field of the surrounding magnet, which
produces the necessary rotation in the coil.

Terminals: The upper end of the suspension wire and the lower end of the spring
are connected to terminals T1 and T2. The terminals are used to pass the current
through the coil and measure the resulting oscillation. The terminals must be
designed to be easily adjustable, which allows the instrument to be calibrated for
specific applications.

Fig 3 : Schematic diagram of ballistic galvanometer

Working Principle
The ballistic galvanometer is used to measure the quantity of electricity passed
through it. This quantity in magnetic measurements is the result of an emf
instantaneously induced in a search coil connected to the galvanometer terminals,
when the magnetic flux interlinking with the search coil is changed. Such a
galvanometer is usually a D’Arsonval type, since this type is least affected by
external magnetic fields. It does not show a steady deflection when in use, owing
to the transitory nature of the current passing through, but gives a “throw” which is
proportional to the quantity of electricity instantaneously passed through it. In the
ballistic case the current flow takes place in a short period of time. The coil
receives a momentary impulse, which causes it to swing to one side and then return
to rest, either gradually or after several oscillations, depending on the damping.
The proportionality between the throw of the galvanometer and the charge passing
holds good only if the whole charge passes through the galvanometer coil before
any appreciable deflection of the coil takes place. This condition can be satisfied if
the time taken by the charge to pass is small and the time period of the undamped
oscillations of the galvanometer is large.

The time period for undamped oscillations of a galvanometer is

𝐽𝐽
𝑇𝑇 = 2𝜋𝜋� (1)
𝐾𝐾

where J = inertia constant and K =control constant.

Thus to have a long time period, (it is usually 10 to 15 second) the moment of
inertia oi the moving system should be large and the control constant of the
suspension should be small.
The above conditions can be satisfied by attaching small weights to the moving
system in order to increase its moment of inertia and by using suspensions of
smaller stiffness so as to decrease the control constant K.
The damping of the galvanometer should be small in order that the amplitude of
the first swing is large. After the first swing has been observed, electromagnetic
damping may be used to bring the coil rapidly to rest. This can be done by having a
key connected across the galvanometer terminals; this key short circuits the
galvanometer coil-when closed.
Except for the above special features, the construction of a ballistic galvanometer
is similar to a d’Arsonval type galvanometer.
Theory. It has been mentioned above that as long as charge passes through the
meter there is no significant deflection of the moving system. The moving system
deflects only after the charge has completely passed through the meter. The
moving system has to deflect in order that the energy imparted to it by the charge
is dissipated gradually in friction and electromagnetic damping. But during the
actual motion, there is no deflecting torque as there is no current through the coil.
Supposing Q is the charge to be measured.

(2)
Let the instant of time during which the charge Q passes be defined as the
t=t0=0 and t=t1 between time interval t0 to t1 , there is no motion of the coil of the
galvanometer and the equation of motion is

(3)

(4)

Integrating above gives

But the deflection, 0, remains zero during the time interval t0 to t1 , then the
equation (4) becomes

(5)
After passage of charge, i.e., after the expiry of interval t1, no current passes
through the coil of the galvanometer and hence the deflecting torque is zero. Thus
the equation of motion after time t1 is :

The solution of this equation is

But in this case, the galvanometer does not show any steady state deflection
therefore
θf =0
thus we have :

(6)
Also since damping is small , ωd = ωn
hence

(7)
Differentiating Eqn. 7

(8)
The initial conditions at t=0 are θ=0 and

From Eqn. 7 we get, F sinϕ=0 or ϕ=0

And from Eqn .8

(9)
Hence Eqn. 7 can be written as :

(10)

(11)
(12)

where
(13)

It is evident from Eqn. 12, that the charge, Qt is proportional to the deflection, θ, at
any instant. Also the motion of the galvanometer is oscillatory with a decreasing
amplitude. The deflec¬tion time curve for the ballistic galvanometer is shown in
Fig. 4
The amplitude of the oscillations decreases with time. The maxima of successive
oscillations occurs at
 (14)
𝐽𝐽
Putting the value of 𝑇𝑇0 = 2𝜋𝜋� in the above equation,
𝐾𝐾

(15)

Fig. 4: Variation of deflection with time for a ballistic galvanometer.

Let us examine Eqn. 18 for logarithmic decrement

Logarithmic decrement,

For cases where damping is small, Td=To and

(16)
Hence Eqn. 15 can be written as

(17)
Similarly we can write

(18)
Let us examine the case when the galvanometer is free from damping
equation of motion of an undamped galvanometer as derived from Eqn. 12 is:

(19)
Amplitude of swings of undamped oscillations is, therefore,

(20)
The deflection-time curve for an undamped galvanometer is shown in Fig. 5

Fig. 5 : Undamped oscillation

Hence, we can write,

(21)

(22)
Logarithmic decrement is logarithm of ratio of successive swings.
Thus, Logarithmic decrement,

(23)
Now ratio of successive swings is:

(24)
Similarly,

(25)
From above we get

Hence logarithmic decrement is:

(26)

From Eqn. 7T01, we have,

(27)
(28)
(29)
.'.Charge

(30)

Substituting the value

in the above expression we get:

Charge (31)

Now

.'.Charge (32)

Let us eliminate quantities K and G from above expression.

Suppose a steady current I, passing through the galvanometer produces a steady
deflection θ.

(33)

(34)

(35)

= constant of galvanometer,
Units of Ka are coulomb per radian
Applications:
1. Ballistic Galvanometer- Determination of mutual inductance
2. Magnetic flux density of an electromagnet using a Search coil
Other applications
3. Charge measurements: Ballistic galvanometers can be used to measure the total
charge flowing through a circuit.
4. Absolute capacity of a capacitor : Ballistic galvanometers can be used to
measure the absolute capacity of a capacitor.
5. Determine the value of the given high resistance by the method of leakage of a
capacitor through ballistic galvanometer.
6. Ballistic galvanometers are used in nuclear research to measure the energy
released by radioactive decay events
7. Audio frequency measurements: Ballistic galvanometers can be used to measure
audio frequency signals in audio testing and calibration applications.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the development of the ballistic galvanometer has played a
significant role in the field of electrical engineering. These instruments have
enabled scientists and engineers to accurately measure the flow of electrical
charge, and they have opened up new possibilities for the study of semiconductors,
high-frequency electrical signals, and other important areas of research.

The ballistic galvanometer is a complex instrument, and its operation depends on a

range of factors, including the strength of the magnetic field, the properties of the
coil, and the energy storage capacity of the spring. However, despite these
challenges, ballistic galvanometers have proven to be a valuable tool for a wide
range of applications.

One of the key advantages of the ballistic galvanometer is its high sensitivity.
These instruments are capable of measuring very small amounts of electrical
charge, down to the level of individual electrons. This has opened up new
possibilities for the study of semiconductors and other materials, and it has enabled
researchers to explore new frontiers in the field of electrical engineering.

Another advantage of the ballistic galvanometer is its ability to measure the charge
of very short electrical pulses. This has made it a valuable tool for studying high-
frequency electrical signals, which are used in a wide range of applications,
including telecommunications, power generation, and industrial control systems.

Despite these advantages, there are also some limitations to using ballistic
galvanometers. These instruments are relatively slow compared to other types of
galvanometers, and their operation is affected by a wide range of factors, including
temperature, humidity, and the strength of the magnetic field. However, with
careful calibration and attention to these factors, it is possible to achieve accurate
and reliable measurements using ballistic galvanometers.

In practical terms, ballistic galvanometers have been used in a wide range of

scientific and industrial applications. They have been used to study the properties
of semiconductors, to measure the charge of individual electrons, and to measure
the properties of high-frequency electrical signals. They have also been used in a
variety of industrial applications, including the measurement of electrical currents
in power plants and the measurement of charge in electroplating processes.

Looking to the future, it is likely that ballistic galvanometers will continue to play
an important role in the field of electrical engineering. As new materials and
technologies are developed, it will be important to have accurate and reliable tools
for measuring the flow of electrical charge. The ballistic galvanometer, with its
high sensitivity and ability to measure short electrical pulses, is well-suited to this
task.

In conclusion, the development of the ballistic galvanometer has been a significant

achievement in the field of electrical engineering. These instruments have enabled
researchers to explore new frontiers in the study of electrical charge, and they have
opened up new possibilities for a wide range of applications. While there are
limitations to using ballistic galvanometers, these instruments remain an important
part of the field of electrical engineering, and they are likely to be used in a wide
range of scientific and industrial applications in the future.
References
1. Electrical and Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation, Prithwiraj Purkait

2. Instrumentation and Measurement in Electrical Engineering, Roman Malaric

3. Electrical and Electronics Measurements and Instrumentation, A.K. Sawhnney

4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballistic_galvanometer

5. https://circuitglobe.com/ballistic-galvanometer.html

6. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ballistic%20galvanometer