THE NAZARETH ACADEMY

SENIOR SECONDARY CBSE SCHOOL.

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

2024 - 2025

CONCEPT OF
WHEATSTONE BRIDGE
Submitted by
M ASIF IQBAL - XII A

The Nazareth Academy

Kovilpathagai Main road,
Avadi, chennai-62
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

REGISTER NUMBER

This is to certify that this Physics Investigatory Project on the

Topic “Concept of Wheatstone bridge”, has been
successfully completed by Asif Iqbal M of Class XII-A
under the guidance of Ms. Merlin dayana (PGT-Physics) in
particular fulfilment of the curriculum of Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE), leading to the award of
Annual Examination of the year 2024 – 2025.

Submitted for All India senior secondary school

certificate for practical examination held on ………..

Internal Examiner External

Examiner
Signature of principal
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project work entitled “Concept of

Wheatstone Bridge”, submitted to Department of Physics,
The Nazareth Academy .

Name: Asif Iqbal M Register no:

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have taken efforts in this project however it would not have been

possible without the kind support and help of many individuals.

I would like to thank my Principal and School for providing me

with the facilities required to do my project.

I am highly indebted to Ms.A.MERLIN DAYANA, PGT- Physics

for her invaluable guidance which has sustained my efforts in all the

stages of this project work.

A special thanks to Ms.K.HILDA JOY for supporting me in the

completion of this project. I am grateful for the efforts she has made

to clarify my doubts.

I wish to acknowledge the constant encouragement of my family

and my friends who have always been my moral support and source

of felicity.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S.No Content Page No.

Introduction
1. 1

Construction of Wheatstone
2. Bridge 2

Application of the
3. Wheatstone Bridge 6

Modifications of the basic

4. bridge 8

5. Conclusion 9

6. Bibliography 10
 INTRODUCTION

Scientists use many skills to investigate the world around them. They make
observations and gather information from their senses. Some observations are as
simple as figuring out the texture and colour of an object. However, scientists
may need to take measurements if they want to know more about a substance.
Measurement is one of the important aspects of science. It is difficult to conduct
experiments and form theories without the ability to measure. Thus, to measure
unknown resistance in a circuit, Samuel Hunter Christie invented the Wheatstone
bridge in 1833, which Sir Charles Wheatstone later popularised in 1843.

A Wheatstone Bridge is an electrical circuit used to measure an unknown

electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a bridge circuit. The Wheatstone
Bridge is a precise method for measuring resistance, widely used in laboratory
settings and in sensors like strain gauges. Wheatstone bridge, also known as the
resistance bridge, calculates the unknown resistance by balancing two legs of the
bridge circuit. One leg includes the component of unknown resistance. The
Wheatstone Bridge Circuit comprises two known resistors, one unknown resistor
and one variable resistor connected in the form of a bridge. This bridge is very
reliable as it gives accurate measurements. The Wheatstone Bridge is an
important tool for precise electrical measurements and is widely used in various
fields of engineering and physics.

1
The Wheatstone Bridge illustrates the concept of a difference measurement,
which can be extremely accurate. Variations on the Wheatstone bridge can be
used to measure capacitance, inductance, impedance and other quantities, such as
the number of combustible gases in a sample, with an explosimeter. The Kelvin
bridge was specially adapted from the Wheatstone bridge for measuring very low
resistances. In many cases, the significance of measuring the unknown resistance
is related to measuring the impact of some physical phenomenon (such as force,
temperature, pressure, etc.) which thereby allows the use of Wheatstone bridge in
measuring those elements indirectly. The Wheatstone bridge is used for the
precise measurement of low resistance. Wheatstone bridge and an operational
amplifier are used to measure physical parameters such as temperature, light, and
strain. Quantities such as impedance, inductance, and capacitance can be
measured using variations on the Wheatstone bridge.

CONSTRUCTION OF WHEATSTONE BRIDGE

The Wheatstone bridge works on the principle of null deflection, i.e. the ratio of
their resistances is equal, and no current flows through the circuit. Under normal
conditions, the bridge is in an unbalanced condition where current flows through
the galvanometer. The bridge is said to be balanced when no current flows
through the galvanometer. This condition can be achieved by adjusting the
known resistance and variable resistance.

2
 A Wheatstone bridge circuit consists of four arms, of which two arms consist of
known resistances while the other two arms consist of an unknown resistance
and a variable resistance. The circuit also consists of a galvanometer and
an electromotive force source. The emf source is attached between
points a and b while the galvanometer is connected between points c and d. The
current that flows through the galvanometer depends on its potential difference.

STRUCTURE OF A WHEATSTONE BRIDGE:

The Wheatstone Bridge consists of four resistors arranged in a diamond shape,
with a power supply and a galvanometer (a device for detecting small currents)
connected in the following way:

1. Four resistors:
o R1=R2 are known resistances.
o R3 is an adjustable resistor (or known resistor).
o R4 is the unknown resistance that you want to measure.

2. Power Supply: Provides a constant voltage across the circuit.

3. Galvanometer: Detects the current or lack thereof, which is used to balance

the bridge.

4. Adjustable Resistance: R3 can be adjusted to balance the bridge.

Operation:
The resistors R1, R2, and R3 are known or adjustable, and R 4 is the
unknown resistance.

3
 When the bridge is balanced (no current flows through the galvanometer),
the ratio of resistances in one leg of the bridge equals the ratio in the other
leg.

The condition for the bridge to be balanced is:

R1 R3
=
R2 R4

This can be rearranged to solve for the unknown resistance R4:

R4=R
R2* R3
1

Wheatstone Bridge Derivation:

The current enters the galvanometer and divides into two equal magnitude
currents as I1 and I2. The following condition exists when the current through a
galvanometer is zero,
I1P=I2R

The currents in the bridge, in a balanced condition, are expressed as follows:

E
I1=I3= P+ Q

E
I2=I4= R +S

P(R+S)=R(P+Q)

PR+PS=RP+RQ
PS=RQ, the balanced condition of the bridge

4
 P
R= Q *S, while it determines the value of the unknown resistance.

In the figure, R is the unknown resistance, S is the standard arm of the bridge and
P and Q are the ratio arm of the bridge.

Wheatstone Bridge Formula

Following is the formula used for the Wheatstone bridge:

PS
R=
Q

Where,
R is the unknown resistance
S is the standard arm of the bridge
P and Q is the ratio of the arm of the bridge

5
 ADVANTAGES AND LIMITATIONS,
OF THE WHEATSTONE BRIDGE

Advantages of the Wheatstone Bridge:

 High accuracy: Provides very accurate measurements of resistance,
particularly when the bridge is carefully balanced.

 Sensitive to Small Changes: The Wheatstone Bridge can detect very small
variations in resistance, making it suitable for applications that require
precise measurements.

 Simple to Use: The basic design is easy to understand and implement in

both laboratory and field settings.

Limitations:
 For low resistance measurement, the resistance of the leads and contacts
becomes significant and introduces an error.

 For high resistance measurement, the measurement presented by the bridge

is so large that the galvanometer is insensitive to imbalance.

 The other drawback is the resistance change due to the current’s heating
effect through the resistance. Excessive current may even cause a
permanent change in the value of resistance.

 It is only accurate for measurements of low resistance. If the unknown

resistance has a huge value, then the galvanometer becomes difficult to
balance.

6
 When the resistance draws a huge current from the circuit, it displays
heating effect (heat dissipated in a resistor This
leads to an inaccurate reading.

APPLICATIONS

 Measuring Unknown Resistance: This is the most common use of the

Wheatstone Bridge. It allows precise determination of an unknown
resistance by balancing the circuit.

 Strain Gauges: The Wheatstone Bridge is widely used in strain gauge

applications, where it helps in measuring small changes in resistance
caused by mechanical deformation.

 Temperature Measurement: The Wheatstone Bridge is used in temperature

sensors, where temperature changes cause a change in resistance (e.g., in
thermistors).

 Calibration: It is used to calibrate other measurement devices or sensors

with known standards.

 It is used to give a precise value of the resistance to be measured.

 Parameters like impedance, inductance, capacitance can be measured.

7
Modifications of the basic bridge:
The Wheatstone bridge is the fundamental bridge, but there are other
modifications that can be made to measure various kinds of resistances when
the fundamental Wheatstone bridge is not suitable. Some of the modifications
are:
 Carey Foster bridge, for measuring small resistances

 Kelvin bridge, for measuring small four-terminal resistances

8
 Maxwell bridge, and Wien bridge for measuring reactive components

 Anderson's bridge, for measuring the self-inductance of the circuit, an

advanced form of Maxwell's bridge

CONCLUSION

 The Wheatstone Bridge is a versatile and reliable method for measuring

resistance, enabling precise measurements in various scientific,
engineering, and industrial applications.

 Whether used in basic resistance measurement or in more complex sensor

systems like strain gauges, its principle of balancing ratios of resistances
remains fundamental in electrical measurement techniques.

 When the bridge is balanced (i.e., the galvanometer shows no current), the
ratio of resistances in the two legs are equal, allowing for precise
measurement of R4.

 The Wheatstone Bridge is particularly useful for measuring very small

resistances accurately. It is used in strain gauges, temperature sensors, and
other precision measurement instruments.

9
 BIBILIOGRAPHY

1) Comprehensive physics reader

2) NCERT physics reader

10