PHYSICS

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT
TOPIC- VARIATION OF CURRENT IN A CERCUIT
CONTAINING LIGHT DEPENDENT RESISTOR

SUBMITTED BY-
KOMAL
CLASS-12B
ROLL NO.- 1
AKNOWLEDGMEN
T
I would like to thank my Physics teacher Mrs.
Bakshish Kaur for giving me this golden
opportunity to make this project on the topic
“Variation of current in a circuit containing
LDR”, which also helped me in doing a lot of
research and I came to know about so many
new things. Without her constant support
and guidance, I wouldn’t be able to complete
this project.
I would also like to thank my family and
friends who helped me in completing this
project in the given time frame.
 Komal
Guru Harkrishan Public School

Certificate
Name-komal
Class- 12B
Year- 2022-23
CBSE Roll no.-

This is to certify that ‘Komal’ student of class

12B, Guru Harkrishan Public School Nanak
Piao has successfully completed the physics
investigatory project on the topic ‘variation of
current flowing in a circuit containing LDR’,
under the guidance of Mrs. Bakshish Kaur.This
project is up to the guidelines set by CBSE in
the academic year 2022-23.
 INDEX
S NO. TOPIC PG NO.

1 INTRODUCTION 1

2 LDR SYMBOL 2

3 APPLICATIONS 3

4 AIM AND APPPARATUS 4

5 THEORY 5

6 CHARACTERISTICS OF LDR 6,7

7 PROCEDURE 8

8 OBSERVATIONS 9,10

9 CONCLUSION, SOURCE OF 11
ERROR
10 BIBLIOGRAPHY 12
 INTRODUCTION
A photoresistor or light dependent resistor is a component that is sensitive to
light. When light falls upon it then the resistance changes. Values of the
resistance of the LDR may change over many orders of magnitude the value of
the resistance falling as the level of light increases. It is not uncommon for the
values of resistance of an LDR or photoresistor to be several megohms in
darkness and then to fall to a few hundred ohms in bright light. With such a
wide variation in resistance, LDRs are easy to use and there are many LDR
circuits available. The sensitivity of light dependent resistors or photoresistors
also varies with the wavelength of the incident light. LDRs are made from
semiconductor materials to enable them to have their light sensitive
properties. Many materials can be used, but one popular material for these
photoresistors is cadmium sulphide, CdS.
Types of photoresistor Light dependent resistors, LDRs or photoresistors fall
into one of two types or categories:
 Intrinsic photoresistors: Intrinsic photoresistors use un-doped
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 photoresistors: Extrinsic photoresistors are manufactured from

semiconductor of materials doped with impurities. These impurities or dopants
create a new energy band above the existing valence band. As a result,
electrons need less energy to transfer to the conduction band because of the
smaller energy gap. Regardless of the type of light dependent resistor or
photoresistor, both types exhibit an increase in conductivity or fall in
resistance with increasing levels of incident light.
 LDR SYMBOL-
The LDR symbol used in circuits is based around the resistor circuit
symbol, but shows the light, in the form of arrows shining on it. In
this way it follows the same convention used for photodiode and
phototransistor circuit symbols where arrows are used to show the
light falling on these components.

Circuit symbols used for the light dependent resistor / photoresistor

The light dependent resistor / photoresistor circuit symbols are
shown for both the newer style resistor symbol, i.e. a rectagular box
and the older zig-zag line resistor circuit symbols.
 Applications
Lead sulfide (PbS) and indium antimonide (InSb) LDRs are used for the mid
infrared spectral region. GeCu photoconductors are among the best far-
infrared detectors available, and are used for infrared astronomy and infrared
spectroscopy.

Analog Applications:-
Camera Exposure Control
· Auto Slide Focus - dual cell
·Photocopy Machines - density of toner
· Colorimetric Test Equipment
·Densitometer
· Electronic Scales - dual cell
· Automatic Gain Control – modulated light source
· Automated Rear View Mirror

Digital Applications:-
· Automatic Headlight Dimmer
· Night Light Control
· Oil Burner Flame Out
· Street Light Control
· Position Sensor

*LDR has a disadvantage that when its temperature changes, its resistance
changes drastically for a particular light intensity.
 AIM AND APPARATUS
AIM: To study the variations, in current flowing in a circuit
containing a LDR, because of a variation:- (a) In the power of
the incandescent lamp, used to ‘illuminate’ the LDR. (Keeping
all the lamps at a fixed distance). (b) In the distance of a
incandescent lamp, (of fixed power), used to ‘illuminate’ the
LDR.
APPARATUS:
 Light Dependent Resistor (LDR)
 Connecting Wires
 Source of different power rating (bulbs)
 Bulb Holder
 Metre scale
 Multi Meter
 Battery
 THEORY
1.) LDR and its characteristics: When light is incident on it, a
photon is absorbed 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.

λ0 = threshold wavelength in meters

e = charge on one electron in Coulombs
Ew = work function of the metal used in 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. The
band gap energy of Cadmium Sulphide is 2.42eV and for
Cadmium Selenide it is1.74eV. 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.
 Characteristics of photoconductive cells
Now when the device is kept in darkness, its resistance is called as
dark resistance. This resistance is typically of the order of 1013 ohms.
When light falls on it, its resistance decreases up to several 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 4 interesting to note that the Cadmium Sulphide
cell has a peak response nearer or within the green color of the
spectrum within a range of 520nm. Thus it can be used nearer to the
infra-red 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 infra-red region up to about
970nm.

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

 Choose a specific position for the source and mount it using a

holder, make sure it is stable.
 Select the bulb with the lowest power rating and connect it to the
holder as shown in the figure.
 Connect the LDR, battery(6V) and the multimeter in series. Set the
multimeter to ohm section and select suitable range and measure
the resistance with a bulb on.
 Similarly switch to current section and move to micro ampere in
the multimeter. This gives the value of the current.
 Repeat these steps with different power sources at different
distances and note down observations.
 OBSERVATONS
This experiment has been conducted by using various sources
with different power ratings. voltage of the battery=6 volt
 15 watts (yellow) (wavelength = 570nm)
Serial DISTANCE FROM RESISTANCE CURRENT
No. SOURCE[cm] [KILO OHM] [MICRO AMPERE]
1
2
3
4

15 watts (incandescent) (mean wavelength = 610nm

Serial DISTANCE FROM RESISTANCE CURRENT
No. SOURCE
1
2
3
4

40 watts (incandescent) (mean wavelength = 610nm)

SERIAL DISTANCE FROM RESISTANCE CURRENT
NO. SOURCE
1
2
3
4
 20 watts (CFL) (white light)

SERIAL DISTANCE FROM RESISTANCE CURRENT

NO. SOURCE
1
2
3
4
 CONCLUSION AND RESULT
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 the current as the distance
from the source decreases.
o The intensity decreases as the distance from the
source increases.

SOURCE OF ERROR
o The LDR may not be perpendicular to the source. o
Connections may be faulty.
o The experiment should be conducted in a dark room.
o Measurements should be taken accurately.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
 NCERT Physics
 www.technologystudent.com/elec1/ldr1.htm
 www.electrical4u.com/light-dependent-resistor-
ldr-working-principle-of-ldr/
 https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/
electronic_components/resistors/lightdependent-
resistor-ldr.php