3.

1 TO DETERMINE RESISTANCE

sensitive
OF A GALVANOMETER BY
METHOD AND TO FIND ITS FIGURE OF MERIT
device which is uscd to detect fecble clectric current. The resistant
HALF-DEFLECTION:
offered by cot o
A galvanometer is a galvanometer.
called resistance of
galvanometer to the flow of current passing through it, it is
Aim
half-dcflcction method and to find its figure of merit,
To determine resistance of a galvanometer by
Materials Required Voltmcter
Moving coil galvanometer " High resistance box "Low resistance box
Rheostat "Leclanché cell "Two one-way keys " Battery
Sand paper "Connectíng wires
Theory
The resistance of the coil of a galvanometer is known as the resistance of the galvanometer. lt is represented by the
symbol G. It is determined by haif deflcction method. The deflection is made half by using a shunt resistance S,
The resistance of the galvanometer can be given mathematically as follows:
RS
G=
R-S
where, R is the resistance introduced by high resistance box to produce deflection 0 and S is the resistance introduced
by low resistance box to produce deflection 0/2. If we know the value of R and S then G can be calculated.
Figure of Merit of a galvanometer
Low resistance
Figure of merit of a galvanometer is the current required to produce a
deflection of one division on the galvanometer. Figure of merit can be given
mathematically as follows:
E
k= Galvanometer
9(R +G)
where, k is the figure of merit, E is the emf of cell, 0 is the deflection E
in galvanometer. R is the resistance in circuit and G is the resistance of
galvanometer. K
Cell! Ky High resistance
Circuit for measuring resistance of
galvanometer by half deflection method
R

Circuit diagram for determining figure of merit of a galvanometer

 petermination of Resistance S
kevping the value ofR ixed,
. While introduce asmall resistance (-30 2) fiom he resIstance bx S.
Insert the plug into key Ky and close it.
" Ad1st the value of S, till the delection on galvanometer is exactly halt of what it was in the pxevhs &tep
(Le, for R).
" Once you achieve half defleclion, note down the value of Sand take out the plug tron K,
petermining Resistance of
Calculate the value of
Galvanometer G
galvanometer resistance Gby using the following fomula
RS
G
R-S
petermining the Figure of Merit
e Using a high resIsance volmeter, mcasure the value of emf E of
cell.
.Eoreach set of observalions, calculate the figure of merit by
using the following formula:
E
e Note down the observations in a table.

Observations and Calculations

The emf of battery,E= V.
Number of divisions on galvanometer scale =
Observations for Resistance of Galvanometer
High resistance, R Deflection Low resistance, S Half-deflection RS
S. No.
(2) (0)
(in 2)
(2) (0/2) R-S

Observations for Figure of Merit

Figure af merlt
e.m.f of the cell, E High resistance, R Defection E
S. No.
(V) (2) (0) (amp/div)
B(R+G)
1.

2.

Mean value of galyanometer resistance 4

Mean value of figure of merit

H+htkhtk A/div

PRACTCAL SKLLS IN PHYSICS-12

Result
Resistance of given galvanometer by half deflection method, G = 2.
Figure of merit of given galvanometer k= A/div.

A Precautions
" Connections should be neat and tight.
The e.m.f of cell should be constant.
" Use high resistance voltmeter to measure the value of e.m.f.
The value of R must be very large as compared to the value ofG.
resistance box to avoid short
" Before inserting plug in key KT, always introduce some resistance from shunt
circuit of cell.