KALPAVRUKSHA MODEL

SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL.

PROJECT
ON

SUBMITTED BY:
CHETAN R SOMAPUR

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 INDEX
1) Certificate
2) Acknowledgements
3) Aim
4) Introduction
5) Apparatus
6) Theory
7) Applications
8) Procedure
9) Observation
10) Conclusion
11) Sources of error
12) Bibliography

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 AIM

To study the variation in current flowing in a circuit

containing LDR because of a variation in:
a)The power of incandescent lamp, used to illuminate the
LDR (keeping all the lamps at a fixed distance).

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 APPARATUS

1) LDR(Light Dependent Resistor)

2) Connecting wires
3) Bulb holder
4) Bulbs of different power rating
5) Meter scale
6) Multi meter
7) Battery

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 INTRODUCTION
A photoresistor or light dependent resistor is a
component that is sensitive to light. When light falls
upon it then the resistance changes changes. Values of
resistance of the LDR may change over many orders
of magnitude the value of resistance falling as the
level of lightincreases.
With such a wide variations in resistance, LDRs are easy to use and
there are many LDR circuits available.The sensitivity of light dependent
resistors or photoresistor also varies with the wavelength of the incident
light.
LDRs are made from semiconductor materials to enable them to have
their light sensitive properties.

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Types of photoresistor:

 Intrinsic photoresistor:

Intrinsic photoresistor use undoped semiconductor materials

including silicon or germanium. Photons fall on the LDR excite
electrons moving them from the valence band to the conduction band.
As a result these electrons are free to conduct electricity. The more
light that falls on the device, the more electrons are liberated and the
greater the level of conductivity, and this results in a lower level of
resistance.

 Extrinsic photoresistor:

Extrinsicphotoresistor are manufactured from semiconductor of

material doped with impurities. These impurities or dopants createa
new energy band above the existing valence band. As a result,
electrons need less energyto transfer tothe conduction band because of
smaller energy gap.

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LDR Symbol:
The LDR symbol user in circuits is based around the resistor circuit
symbol, but shows the light, in the form of arrows shining on it.

Circuit symbols used for light dependent resistor / photoresistor

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 THEORY

1.)LDRandits characteristics

When light isincident onit, aphotonisabsorbed and thereby it excites an

electron from valence band into conduction band. Due to such new
electrons coming up in conduction band area,the electrical resistance of
the device decreases. Thus the LDR or photo-conductive transducer has
the resistance which is the inverse function of radiation intensity.

ℎ. 𝑐
𝜆0 =
ⅇ. 𝐸𝜔

λ0 =threshold wavelength (mtrs)

e=chargeononeelectron (C)
E𝜔=work functionof the metal/ used(eV)
Here we must note that any radiation with wavelength greater than the
value obtained in above equation CANNOT PRODUCE any change in
the resistance of this device.

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The gap energy of Cadmium Sulphide is 2.42eV and for Cadmium
Selenide it is 1.74eV. Due to such large energy gaps, both the materials
have extremely high resistivity at room temperature. Such large energy
gaps, both the materials have extremely high resistivity at room
temperature.

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Characteristics of photo conductive cells:
Now when the device kept in darkness, its resistance is called a dark
resistance. This resistance is typically of the order of 10 13ohms. When
light falls on it, its resistance decreases up to level kilo ohms or even
hundreds of ohms, depending on the intensity of light, falling on it.
The spectral response characteristics of two commercial cells were
compared in our laboratory. And we found that there is almost no
response to the radiation of a wavelength which was shorter than
300nm. It was very interesting to note that the Cadmium Sulphide cell
has a peak response nearer or within the green color of the spectrum
with a range of 520nm. Thus it can be used nearer to the infrared region
up to 750nm. It was found that the maximum response of Cadmium
Sulphoselenide is in the yellow- orange range at 615nm and also it can
be used in the infrared region up to about 970nm.

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Sensitivity:
The sensitivity of a photo detector is the relationship between the light
falling on the device and the resulting output signal. In thecase of a
photocell, one is dealing with the relationship between the incident light
and the corresponding resistance of the cell.

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Spectral Response:
Like the human eye, the relative sensitivity of a photoconductive cell is
dependent on the wavelength (color) of the incident light. Each
photoconductor material type has its own unique spectral response curve
or plot of the relative response of the photocell versus wavelength of
light.

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 APPLICATION
Analog Applications:

 Camera Exposure Control

 Auto Slide Focus- dual cell
 Photo copy machines
 Electronic scales-dual cell
 Automated Rear View Mirror
Digital Applications:

 Automatic head light Dimmer

 Night Light Control
 Street Light Control
 Position Sensor
 LDR has a Disadvantage that when its temperature
changes, its resistance changes drastically for a
particular light intensity.

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 PROCEDURE

1) Drawadiagramshowing the scheme of

the connections as shown in fig.

2) Maketheconnectionsas given in the

diagram.
3) Arrange the incandescent lamp and
LDR so that they are in same
straightline,andmakesurethat
bothare stable.
4) To find the resistance, set the multimeter
to ohm section and select suitable range
and measure the resistance of LDR with a bulb on.
5) In multi meter select the switch to microampere to get current.

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6) Switch on the bulb and take different readings with different
power sources played at same distance.
7) Now repeat these steps again with different power sources at
different distances and repeat the observations.

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 OBSERVATION
The experiment has been conducted by using various sources with
different power rating. Voltage of the battery=6V
1. 15 watts(yellow)(wavelength)=570nm
Serial Distance from RESISTANCE CURRENT
no source(cm) (kilo ohm) (micro ampere)
1 50 142.5 40
2 40 69 80
3 30 41 150
4 20 21 300

2. 15 watt(mean wavelength)=610nm

Serial Distance from RESISTANCE CURRENT

no source(cm) (kilo ohm) (micro ampere)
1. 50 51 120
2 40 35 170
3 30 22 270
4 20 11 540

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 3.)40 watts(incandescent)(mean wavelength)=610nm
Serial n0 Distance RESISTANCE CURRENT (micro
from (kilo ohm) ampere)
source(cm)
1 50 20 300
2 40 13 460

3 30 8.5 700
4 20 4.5 1330

4.) 20 watts (CFL) (white light

Serial n0 Distance RESISTANCE CURRENT

from (kilo ohm) (micro
source(cm) ampere)
1 50 15.5 380
2 40 10 600
3 30 6 1000
4 20 3 2000

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 CONCLUSION
o The LDR resistance decreases with increase in intensity of light
and hence there is an increase in the flow of current.
o There is an increase in current as the distance from the source
decreases.
o The intensity decreases as the distance from the source increases.

SOURCES OF ERROR
o The LDR may not be perpendicular to the source.
o Connections may be faulty.
o Experiment should be conducted in a dark room.
o Measurements should be taken accurately.

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 BIBILOGRPHY
 NCERTClass-12 Physics

 www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1

 PhysicsLab Manual Class-12

 https://en.wikipedia.org

 https://www.google.co.in

 Physicsforyou blogs

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