Physics

Activity File

By Sai Satya Rahul

ACTIVITY 1
*OBJECTIVE:
To assemble the components of a
given electrical circuit.
*APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:
a) Apparatus: A voltmeter and an
ammeter of appropriate range, a
battery, a rheostat, one way key.
b) Materials: An unknown
resistance or resistance coil,
connecting wires, a piece of sand
paper.
*PROCEDURE:
1. Connect the components
(Resistors, inductors etc.) in
series with each other as shown in
figure and then in series with the
battery.
*DIAGRAM:

2. Connect the ammeter in series

with the circuit, to measure the
current.
3. Connect the voltmeter in
parallel to the resistor, to measure
the potential difference.
4. Connect the switch in series
with the battery.
5. Assembly of circuit complete.
*UTILITY:
It is used for measuring an
unknown resistance.
ACTIVITY 2
*OBJECTIVE:
To study variation in potential
drop with length of a wire for a
steady current.
*APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:
a) Apparatus: Potentiometer.
b) Material: A fully charged 4.5 V
battery or battery eliminator, a
low resistance rheostat, a
voltmeter of range (0-3 V), an
ammeter (0-3 A), a one-way key, a
jockey, a set square, connecting
wires and a piece of sand paper.
*DIAGRAM:

*THEORY:
For a potentiometer with wire of
uniform material density and
thickness (CSA) carrying a steady
current, a potential drop is
proportional to the length of the
wire.
V ∝ l
V = Kl
K = V/l = constant.
Where K is the drop of potential
per unit length. It is called the
potential gradient.
*PROCEDURE:
1. Draw a circuit diagram showing
the scheme of connections.
2. Remove the insulation from the
ends of the connecting copper
wires with a sand paper.
3. Connect the positive pole of the
battery (eliminator) (a battery of
constant e.m.f) to
the zero end (P) of the
potentiometer and the negative
pole through a one way key, an
ammeter and a low resistance
rheostat to the other end (Q) of
the potentiometer.
4. Connect the positive terminal of
the voltmeter to the end P of the
potentiometer and the negative
terminal to the jockey.
5. Touch the jockey to the end Q of
the potentiometer.
6. Close the key and set the
rheostat such that the voltmeter
gives full scale deflection (3 V).
7. Touch the jockey at end P at 0
(zero) cm. The voltmeter will give
zero deflection.
8. Touch the jockey at marks
separated by 50 cm length of wire.
Note the voltmeter reading in both
cases.
9. Record observations.
*OBSERVATIONS:
S.No Length of Voltmeter Potential
potentiometer reading drop per
(cm) (V) unit length
K=V/l
(V/cm)
1. 50 1.4 0.028
2. 60 1.65 0.0275
*RESULT:
The graph between V and l is a
straight line. Therefore, the
potential drop along the length of
wire is directly proportional to its
length.
V ∝ l
V = kl

ACTIVITY 3
OBJECTIVE:
To draw the diagram of a given
open circuit comprising of at least
a battery, resistor/rheostat, key,
ammeter and voltmeter. Mark the
components that are not
connected in proper order and
correct the circuit and also the
diagram.
APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:
A battery eliminator or a battery
(0 to 6 V), rheostat, resistance box
(0 to 100 Ω), two or one way key,
D.C ammeter (0-3 A) and a D.C
voltmeter (0-3 V).
THEORY:
An open circuit is the combination
of primary components of electric
circuit in such a manner that on
closing the circuit no current is
drawn from the battery.

DIAGRAM:
PROCEDURE:
Ammeter; it should be connected
in series with the battery
eliminator.
Voltmeter; it should be connected
in parallel to the resistor.
Rheostat; it should be connected
in series (in place of resistance
coil) with the battery eliminator.
Resistance coil; it should be
connected in parallel (in place of
rheostat).
One way key; it should be
connected in series to the battery
eliminator.
ACTIVITY 4
*OBJECTIVE:
To identify a diode, an LED, a
transistor, an IC, a resistor and a
capacitor from a mixed collection
of such items.
*APPARATUS AND MATERIALS:
Apparatus: Multimeter.
Material: Above mixed collection
of items.
*THEORY:
For identification, appearance and
working of each item will have to
be considered.
1. A diode is a two terminal
device. It conducts when forward
biased and does not conduct when
reverse biased. It does not emit
light while conducting. Hence, it
does not glow.
2. A LED (Light Emitting Diode)
is also a two terminal device. It
also conducts when forward
biased and does not conduct when
reverse biased. It emits light while
conducting, hence glows.
3. A transistor is a three terminal
device. The terminals represent
emitter (E), base (B) and collector
(C).
4. An IC (integrated circuit) is a
multi- terminal device in for of a
chip.
5. A resistor is a two terminal
device. It conducts when either
forward biased or reverse biased.
(In fact there is no forward or
reverse biased for a resistor). It
conducts even when operated with
A.C voltage.
6. A capacitor is also a two
terminal device. It does not
conduct when either forward
biased or reverse biased. When a
capacitor is connected to a D.C
source, then multimeter shows
full scale current initially but it
decays to zero quickly. It is
because a capacitor initially
draws a charge.
*PROCEDURE
1. If the item has four or more
terminals and has a form of a chip,
it is an IC.
2. If the item has three terminals,
it’s a transistor.
3. If the item has two terminals, it
may be a diode, a LED, a resistor
or a capacitor.
*To Differentiate Proceed As
Follows:
Make a series circuit with battery
eliminator, reversing key, the
item and the multimeter with
range set in milli-amperes. Switch
off the battery eliminator and
watch the movement of the
multimeter pointer.
1. If the pointer moves when
votage is applied in one way and
does not move when reversed and
there is not light emission the
item is a diode.
2. If the pointer moves when the
voltage is applied in one way and
not when reversed and there is
light emission the item is a LED.
3. If the pointer moves when
voltage is applied in one wayand
also when reversed, the item is a
resistor.
4. If pointer does not move when
voltage is applied in one way and
also when reversed, the item is a
capacitor.
*DIAGRAMS:
 *RESULT
No of No. of legs Name of
observations device
1 More than 3 IC
2. 3 Transistor
3. 2 Capacitor,
Diode,
LED or
Resistor
4. Unidirectional, Diode
emits no light
5. Unidirectional, LED
emits light
6. Both Resistor
directions
7. Initial high but Capacitor
decays to 0

ACTIVITY 5
*OBJECTIVE:
To observe refraction and lateral
deviation (displacement) of a
beam of light incident obliquely on
a glass slab.
*APPARATUS:
Glass slab, drawing board, white
paper sheet, drawing pins, office
pins and protractor.

*THEORY:
When a ray of light (PQ) incident
on the face AB of glass slab, the nit
bends towards the normal since
refraction takes place from rarer
to denser medium. The refracted
ray (QR) travel along straight line
and incident on face DC of slab and
bends away from the normal since
refraction takes place from denser
to rarer medium. The ray (RS) out
through face DC is called
emergent ray.
(i) The incident ray is parallel to
the emergent ray, i = e.
(ii) The emergent ray is laterally
deviated from its original path
(incident ray) by a distance
d = t sec r sin (i – r).

*PROCEDURE:
Fix a white paper sheet by
drawing pins on a drawing board.
Take a glass slab and put it
symmetrically In the middle of the
paper and mark its boundary
ABCD.
Draw a normal at point Q on face
AB and draw a line PQ making an
angle I with the normal. PQ will
represent an incident ray.
Fix two pins at points 1 and 2 on
the line PQ at distances 1 cm or
more between themselves.
See images of these pins through
face DC and fix two more pins at
points 3 and 4 (1cm or more apart)
such that these two pins cover the
images of first two pins, all being
along a straight line.
Remove the glass slab. Draw a
straight line RS through 3 and 4 to
represent emergent ray. Join QR to
represent refracted ray.
Draw normal at point R on face DC
and measure angle e. It comes out
to be equal to angle i.
Produce PQ forward to cut DC at T.
Draw TU perpendicular to RS. TU
measures lateral displacement d.
Take another angle and measure
the lateral displacement.

OBSERVATIONS:
S.no i r e
1 30° 20° 30°
2 40° 25° 40°
3 50° 29° 51°

*CONCLUSION:
1. Angle of incidence ( i ) = Angle
of emergence ( e ).
2. The lateral displacement
increases with the increase in the
thickness of the slab.
3.The lateral displacement
increases with the angle of
incidence ( i ).

ACTIVITY 6
Activity 6(a):
*OBJECTIVE:
To study the nature and size of the
image formed by a convex lens on
a screen by using a candle and a
screen (for different distances of
the candle from the lens).
*APPARATUS:
An optical bench with three
uprights, a convex lens with
holder, a burning candle, a card-
board screen.
*DIAGRAM:
*THEORY:
From lens formula, 1v-1u= 1f
When u = ∞, v = f
When u = -2f, v = 2f
When u = -f, v=∞
When u < (-f), v becomes negative,
(image becomes virtual).
Hence, as the object (burning
candle) is moved from infinity
towards the convex mirror, its
image (position of screen) moves
from lens focus towards infinity.
For candle distance < f, image
becomes virtual and does not
come on screen.
*PROCEDURE:
Find rough focal length of the
convex lens by usual method.
Mount the convex lens in holder in
central upright and keep it in the
middle of the optical bench.
Mount the card-board screen on
another upright and keep it at
distance equal to rough focal
length of the lens, from the central
upright.
Mount the burning candle in third
upright and keep it on the other
side of the central upright and
near the end of the optical bench.
Adjust heights so that the inverted
image of erect flame of burning
candle is formed on screen. Move
the screen to make the image
sharp. The screen will be nearly at
the focus of the convex lens.
The image will be real inverted
and much more diminished.
As the burning candle is moved
towards the lens on one side, the
screen has to be moved away from
the lens on the other side, for
getting sharp flame images. The
inverted image size increases.
When the position of the candle is
at distance 2f from the lens, the
screen is also at same distance on
the other side. The image size will
be equal to the actual flame size.
Move the candle nearer to the
lens. The screen has to be moved
away for getting an enlarged
inverted real image on screen.
As the candle reaches the focus of
the lens, the screen may not be
able to get its image which will be
at infinity, i.e beyond the ends of
the optical bench.
OBSERVATIONS:
S Object Image Focal
no Distance Distance Length
(u) (cm) (v) (cm) (f) (cm)
1) -30 43 17.67
2) -32 36 16.94
3) -34 34 17
4) -36 31 16.65
5) -38 29 16.45

CONCLUSION:
The change in position, nature and
size of the image is according to
theoretical predictions.

ACTIVITY 6(b):
*OBJECTIVE:
To study the nature and size of the
image formed by a concave mirror
on a screen by using a candle and
a screen (for different distances of
the candle from the mirror).
*APPARATUS:
An optical bench with three
uprights, a concave mirror with
holder, a burning candle, a card-
board screen.
*DIAGRAM:

*THEORY:
From mirror formula, 1v+1u= 1f
When u = ∞, v = -f
When u = -2f, v = -2f’
When u = -f, v=∞
When u < (-f), v becomes positive
(image becomes virtual).
Hence, as the object (burning
candle) is moved from infinity
towards the concave mirror, its
image (position of screen) moves
from mirror focus towards
infinity. The two cross each other
at distance 2f i.e, at the C of the
mirror.
For candle distance < f, image
becomes virtual and does not
come on screen.

*PROCEDURE:
Find rough focal length of the
concave mirror by usual method.
Mount the concave mirror in
holder in central upright and keep
it in the middle of the optical
bench, keeping mirror face
inward.
Mount the card-board screen on
another upright and keep it at
distance equal to rough focal
length of the mirror, from first
upright.
Mount the burning candle in third
upright and keep it near the other
end of the optical bench.
Adjust heights so that the inverted
image of erect flame of burning
candle is formed on screen. Move
the screen to make the image
sharp. The screen will be nearly at
the focus of the concave mirror.
The image will be real inverted
and much more diminished.
As the burning candle is moved
towards the mirror on one side,
the screen has to be moved away
from it to get sharp flame images.
The inverted image size increases.
When the position of the candle
approaches the C of the mirror,
the screen also approaches the
same position. The image size will
be equal to the actual flame size.
Move the candle nearer to the
mirror. The screen has to be
moved away for getting an
enlarged inverted real image on
screen.
As the candle reaches the focus of
the mirror, the screen may not be
able to get its image which will be
at infinity, i.e. beyond the ends of
the optical bench.

OBSERVATIONS:
 Object Image Focal
S.no Distance Distance Length
(u)(cm) (v)(cm) (f) (cm)
1) -20 -39 -13.22

2) -23 -35 -13.87

3) -32 -26 -14.34

4) -35 -23 -13.87

5) -42 -20 -13.22

*CONCLUSION:
The change in position, nature and
size of the image is according to
theoretical predictions.