MOVING COIL GALVANOMETER (M.C.G.

PRINCIPLE:
A current carrying coil placed in a magnetic field experiences a torque, the magnitude of which depends on the
strength of current.
CONSTRUCTION:
It consists of a rectangular coil of fine insulated copper wire wound on a
light non-magnetic metallic frame. The two ends of the axle of this frame
are pivoted between two jeweled bearings. The motion of the coil is
controlled by a pair of hair springs of phosphor-bronze. The inner ends of
the springs are soldered to the two ends of the coil and the outer ends
are connected to the binging screws. The springs provide the restoring
torque and act as current leads. A light aluminum pointer attached to the
coil measures the deflection on a suitable scale.
The coil is symmetrically placed between the cylindrical pole pieces
of a strong permanent horse-shoe magnet. A cylindrical pole pieces
magnets provides a radial shaped magnetic field due to which normal to
plane of coil always makes an angle 90 with the magnetic field.
THEORY AND WORKING:
Consider a rectangular coil suspended in a radial shaped magnetic
field having the following specifications:
I = current through the coil,
a,b = sides of the coil and N= number of turns in the coil,
When current flowing through the coil, it experience a torque, as
the field is radial, angle between the normal and the direction of
magnetic field is 90° .
Mag. of torque acting on the coil τ= NIAB
Let α is the deflection produced in the coil. A restoring torque is set up in the coil due to the spring,
i.e. τrestoring = kα, where k is the torsion constant of the springs.
At equilibrium restoring torque = deflecting torque
Kα = NIAB
α = NIAB/k
Thus the deflection produced in the galvanometer coil is proportional to the current flowing through it.
Also,, I = (k/NBA)α where the factor G = k/NBA, Is known as a galvanometer constant.

SENSITIVITY OF A GALVANOMETER:
If a galvanometer shows large scale deflection for a small current then it is said to be highly sensitive.

CURRENT SENSITIVITY: the deflection produced in the galvanometer per unit current flows through it.
Is = α/I =NBA/k

VOLTAGE SENSITIVITY: the deflection produced in the galvanometer per unit potential difference applied across it.
Vs = α/V = NBA/kR where R is the resistance of the galvanometer’s coil.