PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY

PROJECT 2019
CONVERTION OF GALVANOMETER
INTO AMMETER
NAME : KEERTHANA.K

CLASS : XII

GROUP : MATH-BIO/ PCMB

REG.NO :

EXAMINER TEACHER-INCHARGE
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is my foremost obligation to express my deep

regards and gratitude to our officiating vice
principal admin MRS. RADHA PRABHU,
Who accorded me this chance to exhibit my
project and my revered physics teacher
MRS.KANCHANADEVI, under whose kind
guidance and supervision, I was able to undertake
this sublime project -
“CONVERSION OF GALVANOMETER INTO
AMMETER”
It is her, who’s been my primary source of
inspiration and confidence and motivated me at
different stages to make this project a successful
one.
I wish to extend my gratitude to my beloved
friends, for their help and support.
 INDEX
S.NO TITLE

1 Introduction

2 Galvanometer

3 Ammeter

4 Conversion of
galvanometer to ammeter
5 More to know

6 Bibliography
 INTRODUCTION

The prime objective of this project is to convert

galvanometer into ammeter, so that it can be used for
multiple purposes. In addition, A galvanometer can
be used to show both magnitude and direction of
current if used as an ammeter.
However, The galvanometer cannot be as such used
as an ammeter to measure the value of current in a
given circuit. This is for two reasons:

(i) Galvanometer is a very sensitive device, it gives

full scale deflection for a current of order µA.
(ii) For measuring currents, the galvanometer has
to be connected in series as it has a large
resistance, this will change the value of current
in the circuit.

This project deals with the process of overcoming

these disadvantages by connecting a shunt resistance
in parallel with the galvanometer coil so that most of
the current passes through it.
 THE GALVANOMETER

A galvanometer is a type of sensitive ammeter;

an instrument for detecting electric current. It is
an analog electromechanical actuator that
produces a rotary deflection of some type of
pointer in response to electric current through its
coil in a magnetic field.

Galvanometers were the first instruments used to

detect and measure electric currents. Sensitive
galvanometers were used to detect signals from
long submarine cables, and to discover the
electrical activity of the heart and brain.
Some galvanometers use a solid pointer on a
scale to show measurements; other very sensitive
types use a miniature mirror and a beam of light
to provide mechanical amplification of low-level
signals. Initially a laboratory instrument relying
on the earth’s own magnetic field to provide
restoring force for the pointer, galvanometers
were developed into compact, rugged, sensitive
portable instruments essential to the
development of electro technology. A type of
galvanometer that records measurements
permanently is the chart recorder. The term has
expanded to include use of the same mechanism
in recording, positioning and servomechanism
equipment.

Different common types of galvanometer are

Tangent galvanometer, Astatic galvanometer,
Mirror galvanometer and Ballistic galvanometer.
 THE AMMETER

An ammeter is a measuring device used to

measure the current in a circuit. Electric currents
are measured in amperes (A), hence the name.
Instruments used to measure smaller currents, in
the milliampere range, are designated as milli
ammeters or microammeters.

Early ammeters were laboratory instruments

which relied on the Earth’s magnetic field for
operation. By the late 19th century, improved
instruments were designated which could be
mounted in any position and allowed accurate
measurements in electric power systems.
Common types of ammeter in use are Moving coil
ammeter, Moving Magnet Ammeter,
Electrodynamic Ammeter, Moving Iron ammeter,
hotwire ammeter, Digital ammeter and
Integrating ammeter.

A picoammeter, measures very low electric

current, usually from the picoampere range at the
lower end to the milliampere at the upper end.
picoammeters are used for sensitive
measurements where the current being measure
below the theoretical limits of sensitivity of other
devices, such as Multimeters.
CONVERSION OF GALVNOMETER
INTO AMMETER

OBJECTIVE:
To convert the given galvanometer (of
known resistance and figure of merit) into an
ammeter of desired range and to verify the same.

APPARATUS REQUIRED:
 Pivoted galvanometer
 Milli Ammeter
 A battery
 Two Resistance boxes
 A resistance wire
 Screw gauge
 One way key
 A Rheostat and
 Sand paper.
THEORY:
Let Ig be the current for maximum deflection in a
Galvanometer to be converted into an ammeter
to measure a current I, then a shunt S is applied
across its terminals such that current Ig flows
through the Galvanometer and (I - Ig).

Ig = SI/S+G
SI = Ig(S+G)
SI-Ig.S = Ig.G
S(I-Ig) = Ig.G
S = Ig.G
I-Ig

Where Ig = nk,
n is number of division in galvanometer,
k is figure of merit and
Ig is the range of conversion.
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:

PROCEDURE:
 Count the total number of divisions on
either side of zero of the galvanometer
scale.
 Calculate the current Ig for full scale
deflection.
 Calculate the value of shunt resistance for
conversion into ammeter using the formula-
S= Ig.G
I-Ig .
 Cut a length of wire of 2cm more than the
calculated value of I. Mark two points on the
wire one cm away from each end. Connect this
wire to the two terminals of galvanometer such
that the marked points are just outside the
terminal screws. This galvanometer with shunt
wire will now act as an ammeter of range I.
 Make the electric connections as shown in
the circuit diagram.
 Insert the key and adjust the rheostat so
that the galvanometer shows nearly maximum
deflection.
 Note the reading on the galvanometer scale
and also corresponding reading on the
ammeter.

 Record your observations.

OBSERVATIONS:
S.NO DEFLECTION IN AMMETER
GALVANOMETER READINGS
(θ=2a) (A)
1 5 0.25
2 10 1.75
3 15 1.O
4 20 1.25
5 25 1.5

CALCULATIONS:
S = Ig.G / I- Ig
S= 2.25 x 15 / 1.15-2.25
S= 33.75/ 1.10
S = 30.68Ω
PRECAUTIONS:
 Make all connections neat clean and tight.
 The resistance box to be used in series
should have very high resistance as compared
to resistance of galvanometer and that to be
used in parallel should have very low
resistance.
 Use a freshly charged battery so that its emf
may remain constant throughout the
experiment.
 The deflection in galvanometer should be
large and in even number of divisions.
 For verifications use the ammeter of the
same range as the range of conversion.
 Take 3 to 4 cm extra length of wire than the
calculated one.
 MORE TO KNOW
 Since an ammeter is a parallel combination
of the galvanometer and the shunt
resistance, so its resistance is even less than
that of the shunt resistance.
Moreover, RA << G.
 Because of its very small resistance, an
ammeter placed in a series circuit does not
practically change the current in the circuit to
be measured.
 Higher the range of ammeter to be
prepared from a given galvanometer, lower
the value of shunt resistance required for the
purpose.
 The ammeter of lower range has a higher
resistance than the ammeter of higher range.
 The range of an ammeter can be increased
but it cannot be decreased.
BIBILIOGRAPHY