Activity – 1

Aim: To measure resistance, voltage (AC/DC), current (AC) and check continuity of a
given circuit using multimeter.

Apparatus and material required: Three carbon resistors, one standard resistance
coil, a battery eliminator with tapping (2 V, 4 V and 6 V), a step-down transformer (6-
0-6 V) with two tapping (2 V and 4 V), a resistor of 100 ohm, a plug key and
multimeter.

Theory

Multimeter: It is a single measuring device acting as an Ammeter, a Voltmeter and

an Ohmmeter. For this reason, it is also called AVO meter.

It can measure alternating as well as direct current and alternating as well as direct
voltage in addition to resistance.

For this purpose, its panel is divided into five different sections. There are many
ranges in each section so that it can measure from micro (10-6) to mega (106) units.

Rotation of a knob changes the section and the range in one section.

Rotation of knob for change in ammeter range, brings shunt resistances of different
values in circuit in parallel with the coil.

Rotation of knob for change in voltmeter range, brings series resistances of different
values in circuit in series with the coil.

Rotation of knob for change in ohmmeter range, brings different resistances in circuit
in series with the multimeter cell.

1. Carbon resistors are frequently used in electrical and electronic circuits and their
values vary over a very wide range. A colour code is used to indicate the value of the
resistance.

2. A carbon resistance has four different concentric colored rings or bands on its
surface. The first three bands a, b and c determine the value of the resistance and the
fourth band d gives the percentage of accuracy called tolerance. The resistance of
carbon resistor R = (ab x 10c ± T %) Ω.

3. To read the value of carbon resistance, the following sentence is found to be of

much more helpful.
4. The following table provides the colour code for the carbon resistors:

(b) D.C. Voltage

1. Select a D.C. source of potential difference, 6 V battery eliminator or a battery.

2. Plug the probes black in com and red in +.

3. Select D.C. volt, by turning the selector switch to range 10 V D.C. volts,

4. Touch and press other ends of probes such that red is on battery terminal marked +
and black on and not the reading.

5. Insert red probe in terminals marked 4 V, 2 V in succession and note readings.

(c) A.C. Volts

1. Turn the selector A.C. (200 Volt).

2. Touch and press the probes other ends to two terminals of A.C. source of potential
drop and note the reading.

3. Use red probe in terminals 4 V and 2 V in succession and record the reading.

Precautions

1. Instructions for handling the multimeter should be gone through thoroughly as it is

a very handy instrument and is likely to get damaged if carelessly or ignorantly used.

2. Select the appropriate parameter current, voltage or resistance to the measured and
set it on appropriate range.

3. If range of the parameter measured is not known, start with maximum. For
measuring V, never connect more than maximum 600 V.
 Activity – 2

Aim To assemble a household circuit comprising three bulbs, three (on/off) switches,
a fuse and a power source.

Apparatus and material required: No apparatus required in assembling a circuit.

Material: Three bulbs (6 V, 1W) each, fuse of 0.6 A, main switch a power supply
(battery. eliminator), three (on/off) switches flexible connecting wire with red and
black plastic covering, a fuse wire.

Supplementary: Main electric board with a two-pin socket and main switch.

Theory: Electricity supplied to us for domestic purposes is 220 V A.C. and 50 Hz. The
household circuit, all appliances are connected in “parallel” with mains.

The switches are connected in series with each appliance in live wire. 5 A switches are
required for normal appliances like, bulbs, fluorescent tubes fans etc. 15 A sockets and
switches are required for heavy load appliances ‘like, refrigerator, air conditioner,
geyser, hot plates etc. All appliances must have three wires called live, neutral and the
earth. Total power consumption ‘P’ at a time

P = P1 + P2 + P3 +………...

where P1, P2, P3 are the powers drawn by appliances. To protect the appliances from
damage when unduly high currents are drawn fuse of little higher rating, 10 to 20%
higher than the current normally drawn by all appliances. For further safety, a suitable
value MAINS FUSE like rating 32 A is connected in series with supply source.

Procedure
1. Connect the bulbs B1, B2 and B3 in series with switches S1, S2 and S3 respectively
and connect each set of B-S in parallel with each other.
2. Connect main supply to a step-down transformer (battery eliminator) to get
required voltage from 0 to 10 V (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 V).
3. Connect the mains fuse M.S. in series with the power supply (battery eliminator).
4. Connect an A.C. ammeter in series with the B-S set.
5. Connect one end of power supply to one end of B-S set.
6. Check the circuit one again to ensure that household circuit is complete.
7. Gradually increase the current to 0.75 A, the fuse must bum off at about 0.6 A.
 Activity – 3

Aim: To assemble the components of a given electrical circuit.

Apparatus and material Apparatus: A voltmeter and an ammeter of appropriate

range, a battery, a rheostat, one way key. Material: An unknown resistance or
resistance coil, connecting wires, a piece of sand paper.

Diagram

Procedure

1. Connect the components (Resistors, inductors etc.) in series with each other as
shown in diagram and then in series with the battery.

2. Connect the ammeter in series with the circuit, to measure the current.

3. Connect the voltmeter in parallel to the resistor, to measure the potential difference.
4. Connect the switch in series with the battery.

5. Assembly of the electrical components in electric circuit is complete.

 Activity – 4
Aim: To identify a diode, an LED, a transistor, an IC, a resistor and a capacitor from a
mixed collection of such items.

Apparatus and material Apparatus: Multimeter.

Material: Above mixed collection of items.

Theory: For identification, appearance and working of each item will have to be
considered.
1. A diode is a two-terminal device. It conducts when forward biased and does not
conduct when reverse biased. It does not emit light while conducting. Hence, it does
not glow.
2. A LED (light emitting diode) is also a two-terminal device. It also conducts when
forward biased and does not conduct when reverse biased. It emits light while
conducting. Hence, it glows.
3. A transistor is a three-terminal device. The terminals represent emitter (E), base (B)
and collector (C).
4. An IC (integrated circuit) is a multi-terminal device in form of a chip. [See figure
(UM 3482 IC Tone Generator)]
5. A resistor is a two-terminal device. It conducts when either forward biased or
reverse biased. (In fact, there is no forward or reverse bias for a resistor). It conducts
even when operated with A.C. voltage.
6. A capacitor is also a two-terminal device. It does not conduct when either forward
biased or reverse biased. When a capacitor is connected to a D.C. source, then
multimeter shows full scale current initially but it decays to zero quickly. It is because
that initially a capacitor draws a charge.

Procedure
1. If the item has four or more terminals and has form of a chip, it is an IC (integrated
circuit).
2. If the item has three terminals, it is a transistor.
3. If the item has two terminals, it may be diode, a LED, a resistor or a capacitor. To
differentiate proceed as ahead.
4. Put the selector on resistance R of multimeter for checking the continuity. The
probe metal ends are inserted in terminal marked on the multimeter as common and P
(or + ve).
 Activity – 5
Aim
To observe refraction and lateral deviation of a beam of light incident obliquely on a
glass slab.

Apparatus
Glass slab, drawing board, white paper sheet, drawing pins, office pins, protractor.

Theory
When a ray of light (PQ) incident on the face AB of glass slab, then it bends towards
the normal since refraction takes place from rarer to denser medium. The refracted ray
(QR) travel along straight line and incident on face DC of slab and bends away from
the normal since refraction takes place from denser to rarer medium. The ray (RS) out
through face DC is called emergent ray.
From the following diagram

1. The incident ray is parallel to the emergent ray i.e., i = e.

2. The emergent ray is laterally deviated from its original path (incident ray) by
a distance d = t sec r sin (i – r).

Procedure
Fix a white paper sheet by drawing pins on a drawing board.
Take a glass slab and put it symmetrically in the middle of the paper and mark its
boundary ABCD.
Draw a normal at point Q on face AB and draw a line PQ making an angle i with the
normal. PQ will represent an incident ray.
Fix two pins at points 1 and 2 on the line PQ at distances 1 cm or more between
themselves.
See images of these pins through face DC and fix two more pins at points 3 and 4 (1
cm or more apart) such that these two pins cover the images of first two pins, all
being along a straight line.
Remove the glass slab. Draw straight line RS through points 3 and 4 to represent
emergent ray. Join QR to represent refracted ray.
Draw normal at point R on face DC and measure angle e. It comes to be equal to
angle i. Produce PQ forward to cut DC at T. Draw TU perpendicular to RS. TU
measures lateral displacement d.
Now take another set for different angle of incident and measure the lateral
displacement.

Measuring the angle of incidence i, angle of emergence e and lateral

deviation d.

S.No. Angle of Incidence Angle of Emergence Lateral deviation

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Conclusions

1. Angle of incidence (i) = Angle of emergence (e).

2. The lateral displacement increases with the increase in the thickness of the
slab.
3. The lateral displacement increases with the angle of incidence (i).
 Activity – 6
Aim
To observe diffraction of light due to a thin slit.

Apparatus & Material required

Two razor blades, one adhesive tape/cello-tape, source of light (electric bulb/ laser
pencil), a piece of black paper, two glass plates.

Principle
When a beam of light passes through a fine opening (aperture) or around a sharp
obstacle, it bends around corners of the obstacle/aperture. The light beam spreads
and penetrates into the geometrical shadow of the obstacle. This phenomenon of
bending of light around fine openings/obstacles is called diffraction and is one of the
evidences in favor of wave nature of light. It arises because of the interference of light
waves from different points of the same wave front. Two razor blades with their sharp
edges held parallel, quite close to each other (separation being of the order of
wavelength of light λ) form a fine single slit. The diffraction pattern due to a single slit
consists of a central bright band, surrounded on both sides by colored bands (with
electric bulb) and alternate dark and bright bands (with laser pencil) of decreasing
intensity and fringe width.

Procedure
1.Make a fine, single slit using razor blades. For this purpose, take a glass plate and fix
a black paper on top of it. Cut out a narrow slit in the central part of the black paper.
Place two razor blades, side by side, quite close to each other over this slit as shown in
Fig.

2. Place a glowing clear electric lamp preferably with a straight filament (or a laser
pencil) at sufficient distance (about 4 to 8m) behind the fine slit between the two
sharp edges of the razor blades. Observe the lamp through the slit.

3. Alternatively, place the slit about 0.5m from the wall and the source of light at a
distance of about 15-20 cm behind the slit. Observe the light falling on the wall. 4.
Repeat the observations of steps 2 and 3 with a laser pencil. Note the changes you
observe.

Result
Light waves incident on very fine apertures (openings) bend around corners and
exhibit phenomenon of diffraction.

Discussion
1. The sharpness of diffraction fringes depends mainly on the extreme fineness of the
slit, made using razor blades, keeping them quite close to each other.
2. Monochromatic light from a laser pencil is preferred over ordinary electric bulb for
obtaining better effect on the screen. With ordinary light (an electric bulb) not many
fringes are observed clearly, while with a monochromatic source (laser pencil) a large
number of distinct bright and dark fringes are observed for a reasonable width of the
slit.