Experiment No.

4
Bridge Circuits
I. Introduction
Dataforth (n.d) stated that bridge circuits have been in use for all over 150 years. To this day, the
bridge remains the most cost-effective circuit technique for precisely measuring resistance. The
original bridge circuit topology has been modified numerous times and is now used in
applications such as alternating current measurements, automatic balancing, oscillators, and
amplifiers. Perhaps the most well-known application of Samuel Hunter Christie's circuit is the
bridge strain gage, which is used to determine the strain type in mechanical assemblies and
structural elements.

According to Williams, j. (2011) Bridge circuits are fundamental and extremely powerful
electrical tools. They are used in circuits such as measurement, switching, oscillator, and
transducer. Additionally, bridge techniques are broad, supporting bandwidths ranging from DC
to well into the GHz range. They are also the progenitor of all electrical differential techniques,
as they are the electrical equivalent of the mechanical beam balance. Numerous tricks and
techniques have been used to improve the basic configuration's linearity, sensitivity, and
stability. Manufacturers of transducers, in particular, are quite adept at customizing the bridge to
their specifications. A careful match of the mechanical characteristics of the transducer to the
electrical response of the bridge can result in a trimmed, calibrated output. Similarly, by adding
active elements to the bridge, excitation source, or both, circuit designers have altered
performance. The precise determination of the differential output voltage is a primary concern.
Bridge amplifiers are intended to precisely extract the differential output of the bridge from its
common mode level. A negative power supply is required for the common mode suppression
circuits illustrated. Frequently, these circuits must operate in systems with only a positive rail
available. The processor also accommodates the bridge's inherent nonlinear output. Level
transducers are used in road construction, machine tools, inertial navigation systems, and other
applications that require a gravity reference.

There are different types of bridge circuits according to Elprocus (n.d) these are Wheatstone,
Wien, Maxwell, H-bridge, Fontana, Diode, Kelvin and Carey Foster. A Wheatstone bridge
circuit is primarily used to determine an unknown electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a
circuit, with one leg containing an unknown component, Wien bridge circuit is used to obtain
precise capacitance measurements in terms of frequency and resistance. Additionally, it is used
to measure audio frequencies, Maxwell bridge circuit is used to determine the inductance of an
unknown quantity in terms of standardized capacitance and resistance, while by enabling a
voltage across a load, an H-bridge circuit enables DC motors in robots to move forward and
backward, Fontana bridge circuit is used to implement a voltage to current converter with a wide
frequency band, Diode bridge circuit is used to generate an output with the same polarity as the
input, Kelvin bridge circuit is used to determine the resistance of unknown electrical resistors
that are less than 1 Ohm. It is designed specifically for measuring resistors that have been
assembled as four-terminal resistors, and lastly Carey Foster bridge circuit is used to calculate
low resistances by measuring minute differences between two large resistances.
II. Wiring Diagram

Figure 4.1 Sample Simulation of Run 1

Figure 4.2 Sample Simulation of Run 2

IV. Exercises and Computation

R v =10 ( 105 )=5 kΩ

2.9
R v =960 ( 550 )=5.06 kΩ
Trial 2

2.1
R v =960 ( 550 )=3.67 kΩ
Trial 3

1.3
R v =960 ( 550 )=2.27 kΩ
V. Questions and Problems
1.) In STEP 1 of RUN 1, what is meant by the voltmeter reading zero (0) volts?
Voltmeter will read potential drop across batteries, but there must be some electrical element
present in order for potential drop to be measured. Because there is no electrical element present
in the given circuit, there will be no potential drop, and the voltmeter will display zero.
2.) In STEPS 2 and 3 of RUN 1, why did the voltmeter moves out of its zero reading?
A change in the levels of resistance in the circuit has resulted in the voltmeter reading moving
away from its initial zero reading.
3.) Why is the reading of voltmeter in Trial 2 and 3 of Run 1 turned out negative
Due to the fact that you have not changed the wiper of the potentiometer while decreasing the
value of R3, the value of volts will become negative, and the two points will be unable to meet
the null reaction, resulting in an unbalanced circuit.
VI. Data Analysis and Interpretation
This chapter presents the analysis and interpretation of the data gathered according to the specific
problems in this study where the main object is to find out the value of unbalanced bridge circuit
and the balanced bridge circuit

The experiment's outcome is shown in Table 4.2. the unbalanced bridge circuit it shows the are
calculated by the voltmeter the R3 has the only independent value therefore the value also
changes while the other resistors are dependent

The experiment's outcome is shown in Table 4.2. the balance bridge circuit, it should must set
the potentiometer; to do so, adjust the potentiometer until it reaches its lowest value voltage.
Additionally, it must obtain the resistors' computed values using the formula R2*R3/R1, and
then divide the result by 1000 and the result of the data for Table 4.2 are displayed in the table
above which are 5.06kΩ, 3.67kΩ, and 2.27kΩ.
VII. Findings and Conclusion
Wheatstone Bridge: A Beginner's Guide for the uninitiated you acquired knowledge. a
Wheatstone Bridge Circuit, the meaning of a balanced bridge, how to calculate an unknown
resistance with a Wheatstone bridge, and also how an unbalanced Wheatstone Bridge may be
used to measure different physical parameters like temperature or strain.
To demonstrate how the bridge circuit may be used to determine an unknown resistance from
known relationships, this lab used the resistivity correlation to length as a basis for their
experiments. A Wheatstone bridge was built up in the lab and then manipulated to show how to
do each of those things. In addition, the lab showed how the previously established linear
relationships applied in real life. In spite of the fact that there was a lot of human error in this lab,
the results nonetheless accurately reflect the Wheatstone Bridge's relationship rules in an
experimental scenario.
unknown resistance by utilizing the resistivity correlation to length-based relationships that have
been established. A Wheatstone bridge was set up and then manipulated in a laboratory setting,
showing how to do both. Aside from that, the lab demonstrated the aforementioned linear
connections. In spite of the fact that this laboratory had major errors, the data nevertheless show
the connections. to a sufficient extent the Wheatstone bridge to be understood in an experimental
situation
VII. Reference
All about circuits (n.d). Bridge circuits. Retrieved from:
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-8/bridge-circuits/
All about circuits (n.d). Voltmeter Impact on Measured Circuit. Retrieved from:
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-8/bridge-circuits/
DataForth (n.d). Basic Bridge Circuits. Retrieved from: https://www.dataforth.com/basic-
bridge-circuits.aspx
electronics-tutorials (n.d). Wheat stone bridge. Retrieved from: https://www.electronics-
tutorials.ws/blog/wheatstone-bridge.html
Elprocus (n.d). Infographics: Different Types of Bridge Circuits and Circuit Diagrams.
Retrieved from: https://www.elprocus.com/different-types-bridge-circuits-and-circuit-diagrams/
Teja, R. (2021). Wheatstone Bridge: Working, Examples, Applications. Retrieved from:
https://www.electronicshub.org/wheatstone-bridge/
Williams, J. (2011). Bridge Circuits. Retrieved from:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/bridge-circuits