UET

University of Engineering and Technology

Lahore
Electrical Instrumentation and Measurements

(LAB MANUAL NO.:6)

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 #6
Wheatstone Bridge
Objectives:
To plot graph between percentage error resistance.
Lab Tasks:
To build Wheatstone bridge circuit analysis to find unknown resistance, and plot
graph between percentage error resistance.
Required apparatus:
 Power supply
 Known resistances
 Unknown Resistance (Potentiometer)
 Jumpers
 Multimeter
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. Plot graph between percentage error and resistance at different values of
bridge resistance combinations.

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.

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

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

Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

Figure 2

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:

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

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.

Circuit Diagram

Figure 3

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

Result:

# R2 R3 R4(calculated) R4(measure) Error

R1
1 813 554 676 460.6445 458 0.574093

2 683 554 676 548.3221 543 0.970617

3 20 554 19.3 534.61 543 1.569368

4 683 678 560 555.9004 563 1.277128

5 683 554 820 665.1245 666 0.131637

6 560 678 560 678 680 0.294985

7 683 678 820 813.9971 800 1.719548

8 560 560 812 812 810 0.246305

9 560 678 680 823.2857 821 0.277633

10 560 2680 812 3886 3940 1.389604

Table 1

Graph

(Y-Axis= %age Error, X-Axis= Resistance)

Figure 4

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

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 3500 4000

Rx (ohms) Calculated Rx (ohms) Measured

Figure 5

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
 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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