Meter Bridge Experiment: Circuit Diagram, Setup, Numericals, and Balanced Conditions

What is Meter bridge?

Meter bridge is also called as slide wire bridge and is an instrument that works on the principle of Wheatstone bridge.A meter bridge is used to find the unknown resistance of a wire as that of in a Wheatstone bridge.It can also used to find the resistivity of the material of a wire and the effective series and parallel equivalent combination of resistors.

Meter bridge:Circuit diagram and construction

Meter bridge :Circuit Diagram

<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Circuit diagram of the meter bridge showing the proper circuit connections to perform the experiment">
Meter bridge-Circuit diagram

Meter bridge:Construction

The meter bridge consists of a one meter long wire of uniform cross sectional area and it has two different sections,which is left and right sections, fixed on a wooden block.One meter long scale is attached to the wooden block. Two L shaped copper strips and an another copper strip are also fixed on that wooden block.

The copper strips are fixed in such a way that they form two gaps in order to make the Wheatstone bridge.The terminal B between the gaps is used to connect a galvanometer and a pencil jockey.The jockey which detects the balancing point

Meter bridge:Experimental setup

<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Diagram showing the class 12 physics practical meter bridge circuit diagram and experimental setup">
Meter Bridge: Known resistance (Left gap) and unknown resistance (Right gap)
<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Diagram showing the class 12 physics practical meter bridge , circuit diagram and experimental setup">
Meter Bridge: Known reistance (Right gap) and unknown resistance (left gap

 

Balanced condition of Wheatstone bridge

<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Diagram showing the formula for the class 12 experiment  meter bridge">
         Meter Bridge – Formula

Meter Bridge Numericals

NUMERICAL -1

<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Diagram showing the  numerical on meter brige with formula and solution">
Meter bridge:Numerical

Meter bridge :Known and unknown resistances are interchanged

<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Diagram showing the class 12 experiment  meter bridge">
Meter Bridge: Known reistance (Right gap) and unknown resistance (left gap
<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Image showing the balanced condition of Wheatstone bridge">
Balanced condition of Wheatstone bridge

NUMERICAL-2

<img src="meter-bridge.jpg" alt="Image showing the numerical ith solution on meter bridge">
Meter bridge -numerical

Frequently Asked Questions on Meter bridge

What is a meter bridge used for?

A meter bridge is primarily used to measure the resistance of an unknown resistor accurately. It operates based on the principle of the Wheatstone bridge, allowing for precise determination of resistance values by balancing known and unknown resistances.

Which principle does the meter bridge follow?

The meter bridge operates on the principle of the Wheatstone bridge. This principle states that if four resistances are arranged in a specific configuration and there is no deflection in the galvanometer, the bridge is considered balanced, allowing for calculations of unknown resistances

What materials are used for the wire in a meter bridge?

The wire in a meter bridge is typically made from materials like nichrome, constantan, or manganin. These materials are chosen due to their high resistance values and low temperature coefficients, which help maintain accuracy during measurements.

How does the sensitivity of a meter bridge change?

The sensitivity of a meter bridge increases when all four resistors in the circuit have equal resistance values. In such cases, even small changes in resistance can lead to noticeable deflections in the galvanometer, making it easier to find the null point.

What role does the jockey play in a meterbridge?

The jockey is a movable contact that is used to tap along the wire of the meter bridge. It helps in locating the null point where the galvanometer shows no deflection, indicating that the bridge is balanced.

Can a meter bridge be used for AC circuits?

No, a meter bridge is designed for DC circuits. It is not suitable for alternating current (AC) applications due to its reliance on steady-state conditions for accurate measurements.

Links to this topic

Resistivity of the material of a wire

Meter bridge experiment grade 12


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