SRI KRISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

A PROJECT REPORT ON
MOVING COIL GALVANOMETER
SUMITTED FOR
PHYSICS
PRACTICAL EXAMINATION TO BE HELD ON
2025
SUBMITTED BY
P.DEVI PRIYA
XII-SCIENCE STREAM
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I express my sincere gratitude to
Mr Dr. R. KRISHNAMOORTHY Chairman Sri
Krish International School for his guidance
throughout the work on this project.

I am highly thankful to Mrs Dr. S. UDAYA

CHITRA principal for her valuable guidance and
for her constant encouragement.

I am highly thankful to Mrs NAVITHA

ALVA for her valuable guidance and for her
constant encouragement.

I am highly thankful to Mr MANOHAR T for

his valuable guidance and for his constant
encouragement.

I take this opportunity to thank all those

who have
helped me to complete this project in time.

PLACE: CHENNAI
DATE:
 CERTIFICATE
This to certify that the project titled “MOVING
COIL GALVANOMETER” is a work done by P.DEVI
PRIYA during the year 2024-25.

SUBMITTED ON:

INTERNAL EXAMINER

EXTERNAL EXAMINER
 PREFACE

In terms of the directive of the CBSE, learning

of physics should be activity oriented wherein
students besides grasping the theory could
easily apply the concepts and get it easily.

File covers the study of Moving coil

galvanometer.

The project file contains the theory and

applications of moving coil galvanometer.
 TABLE OF CONTENT
1] INTRODUCTION
2] PRINCIPLE
3] WORKING
4] CONSTRUCTION
5] TYPES OF MOVING GALVANOMETER
6] SENSITIVITY OF GALVANOMETER
7] CONVERSION OG GALVANOMETER
INTO VOLTMETER
8] CONVERSION OG GALVANOMETER
INTO AMMETER
9] ADVANTAGES
10] DISADVANTAGES
11] APPLICATION OF GALVANOMETER
12] CONCLUSION
13] BIBLIOGRAPHY
 INTRODUCTION
A galvanometer is a device that is used to detect a
small electric current or measure its magnitude. The
current and its intensity are usually indicated by a
magnetic needle’s movement or that of a coil in a
magnetic field, which is an important part of a
galvanometer.
Since its discovery in the 1800s, the galvanometer has
seen many iterations. Some of the different types of
galvanometer include Tangent galvanometer, Astatic
galvanometer, Mirror galvanometer and Ballistic
galvanometer. However, today, the main type of
galvanometer that is used widely is the
D’Arsonval/Weston type or the moving coil type. A
galvanometer is basically a historical name that has
been given to a moving coil electric current detector .
The galvanometer is mostly used in the potentiometer
and bridges where they show the null deflection or zero
current. After the Ostered experiment that proved that
an electric current can turn aside a magnetised needle in
the year 1820, a Galvanometer was first designed. A
moving coil galvanometer is an instrument which
measures electrical current.
 PRINCIPLE

Moving coil galvanometers work on the principle

that a current-carrying coil experiences torque
when placed in a magnetic field. As the electric
current is passed through the coil, a torque acts on
it, which deflects the coil. The deflection of the coil
is measured using a scale, and the deflection is
directly proportional to the amount of the current
passed through the coil. The greater the amount of
current, the greater the torque and the deflection.
It also produces a higher reading on the scale.
 WORKING
A galvanometer works based on the magnetic
force that causes a needle to turn; its movement
is directly proportional to the intensity of the
electric current in the circuit; that is, depending
on whether the magnetic force is greater or less, it
will make the measuring instrument’s needle turn
more or less.
The galvanometer has a permanent magnet that
exposes the coil to its magnetic field. When
electricity travels inside the coil, the needle inside
it begins to turn with greater or lesser intensity,
depending on the current circulating inside
it. The coil’s rotation then causes the spring,
which is connected to it, to move, as well.
A galvanometer’s scale is graded into marks of
the final value of the measurement, which
corresponds to the intensity of the electrical
current and is indicated by the instrument’s
needle.
Let a current I flow through the rectangular coil of
n number of turns and a cross-sectional area A.
When this coil is placed in a uniform radial
magnetic field B, the coil experiences a torque τ.
Let us first consider a single turn ABCD of the
rectangular coil having a length l and
breadth b. This is suspended in a magnetic field of
strength B, such that the plane of the coil is
parallel to the magnetic field. Since the sides AB
and DC are parallel to the direction of the
magnetic field, they do not experience any
effective force due to the magnetic field. The sides
AD and BC being perpendicular to the direction of
the field, experience an effective force F given by
F = BIl
Using Fleming’s left-hand rule, we can determine
that the forces on AD and BC are in opposite
directions to each other. When equal and opposite
forces F called couple acts on the coil, it produces
a torque. This torque causes the coil to deflect.
We know that torque τ = Force x Perpendicular
distance between the forces
τ=F×b
Substituting the value of F, we already know,
Torque τ acting on single-loop ABCD of the coil =
BIl × b
Where lx b is the area A of the coil,
Hence, the torque acting on n turns of the coil is
given by
τ = nIAB
The magnetic torque thus produced causes the coil
to rotate, and the phosphor bronze strip twists. In
turn, the spring S attached to the coil produces a
counter torque or restoring torque kθ, which
results in a steady angular deflection.
Under an equilibrium condition,
kθ = nIAB
Here, k is called the torsional constant of the
spring (restoring a couple per unit twist). The
deflection or twist θ is measured as the value
indicated on a scale by a pointer which is
connected to the suspension wire.
θ= ( nAB / k)I
Therefore, θ ∝ I
The quantity nAB / k is a constant for a given
galvanometer. Hence, it is understood that the
deflection that occurs in the galvanometer is
directly proportional to the current that flows
through it.
 CONSTRUCTION
The moving coil galvanometer is made up of a
rectangular coil that has many turns, and it is
usually made of thinly insulated or fine copper
wire that is wounded on a metallic frame. The coil
is free to rotate about a fixed axis. A phosphor-
bronze strip that is connected to a movable torsion
head is used to suspend the coil in a uniform radial
magnetic field.
Essential properties of the material used for the
suspension of the coil are conductivity and a low
value of the torsional constant. A cylindrical soft
iron core is symmetrically positioned inside the
coil to improve the strength of the magnetic field
and to make the field radial. The lower part of the
coil is attached to a phosphor-bronze spring having
a small number of turns. The other end of the
spring is connected to binding screws.
The spring is used to produce a counter torque
which balances the magnetic torque and hence
helps in producing a steady angular deflection. A
plane mirror which is attached to the suspension
wire, along with a lamp and scale arrangement, is
used to measure the deflection of the coil. The
zero-point of the scale is at the centre.
 Types of Moving Coil
Galvanometer
o Suspended coil galvanometer: In this type of
galvanometer, the coil is suspended by a thin
wire or fiber. The torque on the coil is
balanced by the gravitational torque of the
coil. Suspended coil galvanometers are very
sensitive, but they are also fragile and easily
damaged.
o Pivoted coil galvanometer (Weston
galvanometer): In this type of galvanometer,
the coil is pivoted on a bearing. The torque on
the coil is balanced by the spring torque of a
spiral spring. Pivoted coil galvanometers are
less sensitive than suspended coil
galvanometers, but they are also more robust
and less easily damaged.
 Sensitivity of Moving Coil
Galvanometer
The general definition of the sensitivity
experienced by a moving coil galvanometer is
given as the ratio of change in deflection of the
galvanometer to the change in current in the coil.
S = dθ/dI
The sensitivity of a galvanometer is higher if the
instrument shows a larger deflection for a small
value of current. Sensitivity is of two types,
namely, current sensitivity and voltage sensitivity.

 Current Sensitivity
The deflection θ per unit current I is known as
current sensitivity θ/I
θ/I = nAB/k

 Voltage Sensitivity
The deflection θ per unit voltage is known as
voltage sensitivity θ/V. Dividing both sides by V
in the equation θ= (nAB / k)I
θ/V= (nAB /V k)I = (nAB / k)(I/V) = (nAB
/k)(1/R)
R stands for the effective resistance in the circuit.
It is worth noting that voltage sensitivity = Current
sensitivity/Resistance of the coil. Therefore, under
the condition that R remains constant, Voltage
sensitivity ∝ Current sensitivity.

Factors Affecting the Sensitivity of a

Galvanometer
a) Number of turns in the coil
b) Area of the coil
c) Magnetic field strength B
d) The magnitude of a couple per unit twist k/nAB
 Conversion of Galvanometer to
Voltmeter
A galvanometer is converted into a voltmeter by
connecting it in series with high resistance. A
suitable high resistance is chosen depending on the
range of the voltmeter.

In the given circuit,

RG = Resistance of the galvanometer
R = Value of high resistance
G = Galvanometer coil
I = Total current passing through the circuit
IG = Total current passing through the
galvanometer, which corresponds to a full-scale
deflection
V = Voltage drop across the series connection of
galvanometer and high resistance
When current IG passes through the series
combination of the galvanometer and the high
resistance R, the voltage drop across the branch ab
is given by
V= RG.IG + R.IG
The value of R can be obtained using the above
equation.
 Conversion of Galvanometer to
Ammeter
A galvanometer is converted into an ammeter by
connecting it in parallel with a low resistance
called shunt resistance. Suitable shunt resistance is
chosen depending on the range of the ammeter.

In the given circuit,

RG – Resistance of the galvanometer
G – Galvanometer coil
I – Total current passing through the circuit
IG – Total current passing through the
galvanometer, which corresponds to full-scale
reading
Rs – Value of shunt resistance
When current IG passes through the galvanometer,
the current through the shunt resistance is given by
IS = I – IG. The voltages across the galvanometer
and shunt resistance are equal due to the parallel
nature of their connection.
Therefore, RG .IG= (I- IG).Rs
The value of S can be obtained using the above
equation.
 Advantages of Using a Moving
Coil Galvanometer
The main advantage of a moving coil
galvanometer is that this instrument can detect the
current and potential differences for various types
of electrical and electronics circuits. There are
many other advantages listed below:
 It is sensitive
As the instrument detects the presence of current
or voltage through magnetic induction, a slight
change in the field density, number of coils or the
flux incident area will change the readings.
Therefore, it is susceptible and needs to be handled
carefully.
It is represented as S = dθ/dl
The sensitivity of a moving coil galvanometer is
controlled by:
 Number of coil turns
 Magnetic field strength
 Coil area
 Couple per unit twist
Usually, a sensitive moving coil galvanometer will
produce a more significant deflection of the arrow
 from its default value even when a small amount
of current flows through the circuit. It helps
understand how the circuits will behave and the
output voltages in response to induced currents.
 Accurate Readings
Due to its high sensitivity, the readings obtained
are more accurate and reliable. It doesn’t matter
whether the circuit components are electronic or
electrical; values for the current and voltage
obtained will be as close to the original values as
possible.
Thus, this instrument is used to study the outputs
of sensitive circuits like that of a barometer, a
weight measuring device, etc.
 Uniform Scaling
If an instrument is scaled incorrectly, it will lead to
an increase in discrepancies. As a result, erroneous
values will cause a problem in circuit designing,
improvement of existing circuit performance, etc.
Besides, you will also get the moving coil
galvanometers in different scale ranges as per
requirements, such as 100mA to 1000 mA or 250
mA to 1000 mA.
 Can be used as an Ammeter or Voltmeter
When connected to low resistance in a parallel
circuit, the entire arrangement behaves like a
dynamic ammeter. On the contrary, it will act like
a voltmeter when connected in series to high
resistance.
Disadvantages of using moving
coil galvanometer
o Restoring torque can’t be varied easily.
o Restoring torque can be easily affected by the
variation of temperature as it can cause
expansion or contracting in the coil.
o These can’t be used for measuring Alternating
Current quantities
o In case the magnetic field changes due to
ageing of the magnetic, the galvanometer
reading value also comes out to be wrong.
o It is a highly sensitive device and thus needs to
be handled very carefully. Even a slight
mistake led to incorrect reading.
 Applications of Moving Coil
Galvanometer
o Detection of electric current in the circuit
o Since, it can be converted into an ammeter,
thus it can be used to measure electric current
in the circuit.
o Since, it can also be converted into
a voltmeter, hence it can be used to measure
the potential difference between any two
points in the electric circuit.
o It can also be used to detect the direction of
flow of electric current
o These are also used in laser
engraving/sintering displays like monitors and
televisions.
 Conclusion
It is important to understand the advantages and
disadvantages of a moving coil galvanometer
when using the instrument and designing or
modifying circuits. It is available in two forms and
has a vast area of application. According to the
resistance value and connection type, you can use
it as an ammeter or voltmeter. It will become
easier to measure both the currents and voltages
across terminations. However, the current
measured will only be of DC type as you won’t be
able to detect the alternating currents.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://unacademy.com/
2. https://testbook.com/physics
3. https://byjus.com/
4. https://www.ferrovial.com/