EXPERIMENT NO 1

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT : To determine the resistivity of two / three wires by plotting a graph
for potential difference vs current
APPARATUS REQUIRED: Battery/ eliminator
Rheostat
Ammeter
Connecting wires
Screw gauge
Voltmeter
THEORY: According to Ohms law the current flowing through the conductor is directly proportional
to the potential difference applied across its ends provided the physical conditions (temperature,
pressure) of the conductor remains the same. If I is the current flowing through a conductor & V be the
potential difference across its ends, then according to Ohms law
VαI
Or V =IR
For a wire of uniform cross section, the resistance depends on the length l , & the area of cross section
A. It also depends on the temperature of the conductor. At a given temperature the resistance can be
written as
ρl
R=
A
Where ρ is specific resistance or resistivity of the wire & it depends on the characteristics of the
material of the wire.
If r is the radius of the wire, then the area of cross section A = ¿ π r 2, then the resistivity of the wire is
given by
2
πr ×R
ρ=
l
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

OBSERVATIONS:
TABLE FOR WIRE 1
LEAST COUNT OF VOLTMETER: --------------------V
LEAST COUNT OF AMMETER = ---------------------A

TABLE FOR WIRE 2

Least count of screw gauge: ------------mm

TABLE FOR DIAMETER OF WIRE 1

S.NO LINEAR CIRCULAR ERROR CORRECTED MEAN
SCALE SCALE TOTAL READING (mm)
READING READING (LSR + (mm)
(LSR) (CSR) CSR)
(mm) (mm) (mm)
1
2
3
TABLE FOR DIAMETER OF WIRE 2
S.NO LINEAR SCALE CIRCULAR ERROR CORRECTED MEAN
READING (LSR) SCALE TOTAL READING (mm)
(mm) READING (LSR + (mm)
(CSR) CSR)
(mm) (mm)
1
2
3
LENGTH OF WIRE 1 = ----------------------------m

LENGTH OF WIRE 2 = ----------------------------m

From the V – I curve resistance of wire 1 = ------------------Ω

From the V – I curve resistance of wire 2 = ------------------Ω

CALCULATIONS: The area of cross section of wire 1 ( A1)= ----------------m2

The area of cross section of wire 2 ( A2 ¿ = -----------------m2
2
π r1 × R 1
Resistivity of wire 1 ρ1= =¿---------------------Ω m
l1
2
π r2 × R 2
Resistivity of wire 1 ρ2= =¿---------------------Ω m
l2

CONCLUSION: The resistivity of wire 1 is --------------Ω m

The resistivity of wire 1 is --------------Ω m
PRECAUTIONS: 1. The connections should be neat & tight
2. The ends of the connecting wire should be cleaned with sandpaper before connection
3. A low resistance rheostat must be used
4. The key must be inserted only while taking observations.