UET

University of Engineering and Technology

Lahore
Electrical Instrumentation and Measurements

(LAB MANUAL NO.:8)

Submitted to: Mr. Ali Raza
Submitted by: Ahsan Ijaz (2014-EE-422)

Department of Electrical, Electronics and Communication

Engineering
Electrical Instruments and Measurements (Electrical Engineering Department) Lab. Manual

Reg. # 2014-EE-422
Name Ahsan Ijaz
Marks
EXPERIMENT #8
Sensitivity of Wheatstone Bridge
Objectives:
To analyze the sensitivity of Wheatstone Bridge.
Lab Tasks:
Plot graph between change in voltage versus resistance in order to calculate the
sensitivity of Wheatstone bridge.

Plot graph between percentage error versus resistance

Required apparatus:

 Power supply
 Known resistances
 Unknown Resistance (Potentiometer)
 Jumpers
 Multimeter
 Galvano meter
Procedure and Theory:

1. Make circuit of Wheatstone bridge.

2. Out of four resistances, one resistance is potentiometer and one is unknown
resistor.
3. Change the resistance of potentiometer until galvanometer shows zero
reading.
4. Determine value of unknown resistance using galvanometer.
5. Measure value of unknown resistance using formula.
6. Change value of resistances in the bridge and repeat the same procedure to
calculate resistance of potentiometer
7. At balance point of Wheatstone bridge

Voltage across galvanometer can be calculated by given formula.

Vm = (Vi*Rm (R4R2 – R1R3))/ (R1R2(R4 + R3) + R4R3(R1 + R2) + Rm (R1 + R2)
(R4 + R3))

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Electrical Instruments and Measurements (Electrical Engineering Department) Lab. Manual

To check sensitivity of Galvanometer we take five different readings.

i. When R1 = R2 = R3 = R4 < 50 Ω
ii. When R2= R4< 100 Ω
iii. When R2= R4< 500 Ω
iv. When R2= R4< 1000 Ω
v. When R2= R4< 5000 Ω
For 1st case We take R1 = R2 = R3 = R4 =27 Ω at this value Galvanometer show
zero deflection. By keeping all resistance same, we change R 1 and noted its
deflection. Now the value of resistance R1=42 Ω. For 2nd case we take R2 = R4 =
99 Ω and. For 3rd case we take R2 = R4 = 468 Ω. For 4th case we take R2 = R4 =
668 Ω. For 5th case we take R2 = R4 = 2700 Ω. We measured voltages in each
case and find their difference between two consecutive values. At the end we plot
graph of %age error between voltage difference and resistance in ohm.

Wheatstone Bridge: The Wheatstone Bridge is the name given to a combination

of four resistances connected to give a null center value.

The Wheatstone Bridge was originally developed by Charles Wheatstone to

measure unknown resistance values and as a means of calibrating measuring
instruments, voltmeters, ammeters, etc, by the use of a long resistive slide wire.
Although today digital multimeters provide the simplest way to measure a
resistance. The Wheatstone Bridge can still be used to measure very low values
of resistances down in the milli-Ohms range.
The Wheatstone bridge (or resistance bridge) circuit can be used in a number of
applications and today, with modern operational amplifiers we can use
the Wheatstone Bridge Circuit to interface various transducers and sensors to
these amplifier circuits.
The Wheatstone Bridge circuit is nothing
more than two simple series-parallel
arrangements of resistances connected
between a voltage supply terminal and
ground producing zero voltage
difference between the two parallel
branches when balanced.

Figure 1

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Electrical Instruments and Measurements (Electrical Engineering Department) Lab. Manual

Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

By replacing R4 above with a resistance of
known or unknown value in the sensing arm of
the Wheatstone bridge corresponding to RX and
adjusting the opposing resistor, R3 to
“balance” the bridge network, will result in a
zero voltage output. Then we can see that
balance occurs when:

Figure 2

The Wheatstone Bridge equation required to give the value of the unknown
resistance, RX at balance is given as:

Where resistors, R1 and R2 are known or preset values.

Wheatstone Bridge Applications:

1. The Wheatstone bridge is used for measuring the very low resistance values
precisely.
2. Wheatstone bridge along with operational amplifier is used to measure the
physical parameters like temperature, strain, light, etc.
3. We can also measure the quantities capacitance, inductance and impedance
using the variations on the Wheatstone bridge.

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Electrical Instruments and Measurements (Electrical Engineering Department) Lab. Manual

Circuit Diagram

Figure 3

Result:
No. R1 (Ω) R2 (Ω) R3 (Ω) R4 (Ω) Change in Voltage ∆V0 (V) Voltage across Rm Vm (V) %age Error
1 42 27 27 27 1.098 1.0909 0.64
2 42 99 27 99 0.87 0.824 0.52
3 42 468 27 468 0.271 0.268 0.3
4 42 668 27 668 0.202 0.195 0.2
5 42 2700 27 2700 0.052 0.0516 0.01

Graphs

(Y-Axis= Voltage Change, X-Axis= Resistance (R2 ,R4 ohm))

Change in Voltage (V) vs Resistance (Ω)

1.5
Voltage change ∆V0 (V)

1
0.5
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

Resistance (R2,R4) Ω

Figure 4

(Y-Axis= Percentage Error, X-Axis= Resistance (R2 ,R4 ohm))

Percentage Error Vs Resistance (Ω)

1.5
Percentage Error

0.5

0
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000

Resistance (R2,R4) Ω

Figure 5

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Electrical Instruments and Measurements (Electrical Engineering Department) Lab. Manual

Observations and Conclusion:

 The circuit is built with two known resistors, one unknown resistor and one
variable resistor connected in the form of bridge. When the variable resistor
is adjusted, then the current in the galvanometer becomes zero, the ratio of
two unknown resistors is equal to the ratio of value of unknown
resistance and adjusted value of variable resistance. By using a Wheatstone
Bridge, the unknown electrical resistance value can easily measure.
 The Wheatstone bridge illustrates the concept of a difference measurement,
which can be extremely accurate. Variations on the Wheatstone bridge can
be used to measure capacitance, inductance, impedance and other
quantities
 By increasing resistance sensitivity decreases and vice versa (inverse
relation)
 By increasing resistance, percentage error decreases and vice versa
(inverse relation).
 The Wheatstone Bridge has many uses in electronic circuits other than
comparing an unknown resistance with a known resistance. When used
with Operational Amplifiers, the Wheatstone bridge circuit can be used to
measure and amplify small changes in resistance, RX due, for example, to
changes in light intensity.

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