Taibah University, Engineering Collage

Electrical Engineering department

Instrumentation and Measurements, EE303

Wheatstone Bridge
Lab Assignment 6

Instructor: Engr. Abdulrahman Faqih

EE303, Laboratory
7/11

Worked on by Group (A):

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 Table of Contents
1. Introduction and Background: .............................................................................................................. 3
2. Objective: .............................................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 Parts and Equipment:.................................................................................................................... 4
3. Method and Procedure: ........................................................................................................................ 5
4. Results: .................................................................................................................................................. 5
5. Conclusion: ............................................................................................................................................ 6
6. Reference: ............................................................................................................................................. 6

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1. Introduction and Background:
In this report, the main objective is to design an Ohmmeter, which is a measurement instrument
used to measure the value of the resistance between two points. Utilizing the Balanced
Wheatstone Bridge main propriety, which is the current passing through the bridge is zero if the
resistors are in ratio:

𝑅1 𝑅3
𝑉𝑑 = 𝑉𝑏, 𝐼𝑔 = 0𝐴, 𝑖𝑓 =
𝑅2 𝑅x (1)

using the Galvanometer, we can know when the current passing through the bridge is 0 A and
hence the Wheatstone Bridge is balanced and using basic circuit analysis (2) we can calculate the
difference in voltage between D and B (3):
𝑛 𝑛
𝑅𝑔
𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅, ∑ 𝐼𝑘 = 0 , ∑ 𝑉𝑘 = 0 , 𝑉𝑔 = 𝑉𝑡
𝑅𝑔 + 𝑅𝑠 (2)
𝑘=1 𝑘=1
𝑉𝑑𝑏 = 𝑉𝑑 − 𝑉𝑏 = 0, 𝑉𝑑 = 𝑉𝑏
𝑅2 𝑅𝑥 𝑅2 𝑅𝑥 (2)
𝑉𝑑𝑏 = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( ) − 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( ) = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( − )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅3 + 𝑅𝑥 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅3 + 𝑅𝑥

From equation (3), we can derive an equation for Rx based solely on the resistors (R1, R2, R3):
𝑅2 𝑅𝑥
𝑉𝑑 = 𝑉𝑏, 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( ) = 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅3 + 𝑅𝑥

𝑅2 𝑅𝑥 𝑅2
( )=( ), 𝑅𝑥 = (𝑅3 + 𝑅𝑥)
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅3 + 𝑅𝑥 𝑅1 + 𝑅2
−1
𝑅2 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅2 𝑅1 + 𝑅2
𝑅𝑥 (1 − )= , (1 − ) =
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅1

𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅2𝑅3
𝑅𝑥 = =
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅1 𝑅1
(4)
𝑅2𝑅3
𝑅𝑥 =
𝑅1
As we can see from equation (4), we can calculate the value of Rx with three known resistors.

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2. Objective:
- Learn about the benefit of Wheatstone bridge.
- Design and build a Wheatstone bridge.
- Learn how to find the value of an unknown resistor (Rx) using a Wheatstone bridge.
- Learn how to use a potentiometer (Variable Resistor)

2.1 Parts and Equipment:

Following are the material and equipment that were used while performing this lab:
- Power Source (DC).
- Multimeter.
- Breadboard.
- Resistors (R3= 2.17 kΩ, R1, Rx= 0.99 kΩ) and a potentiometer.
- Galvanometer.
- Wires.

Figure 2: Multimeter. [1]

Figure 3: Breadboard. [1] Figure 4: Potentiometer. [1]

Figure 5: Galvanometer. [1] Figure 6: Wires. [1]

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3. Method and Procedure:

Figure 7: Basic Ohmmeter Design.

In this experiment, we will use a potentiometer as R2 for a faster and easier procedure. We chose
the resistors as follow:
• R1 = 0.99 kΩ.
• R2 = potentiometer (0 to 1 kΩ).
• R3 = 2.17 kΩ.
• Rx = 0.99 kΩ.
After building the circuit we need to change the potentiometer till the galvanometer reading
indicted 0A.

❖ NOTE: the direction of the current in the bridge indicates what change should happen to
R2.
When the galvanometer points to the left (to D), then:
𝑅2 𝑅𝑥
𝑉𝑑 < 𝑉𝑏, 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( ) < 𝑉𝑑𝑐 ( )
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑅3 + 𝑅𝑥 (5)

Since R2 is the potentiometer, we can increase it which in return will increase the value
of Vd, and the reverse is also true.

4. Results:
After building the circuit, we changed R2 till the galvanometer reading was about 1G to the
right, due to the high sensitivity of the potentiometer that was as close as possible. Then we used
the multimeter to measure the R2 (R2 = 0.466 kΩ), and R1 and R3 already known (R1 = 0.99
kΩ, R3 = 2.17 kΩ).
Using equation (4):
𝑅2𝑅3
𝑅𝑥 = = 1021.43 Ω
𝑅1 (6)

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5. Conclusion:
From our result (Rx = 1021.43 Ω, (eq. 6)), we had a relative error of 3.18% from the true value
of the resistor (990 Ω), if we adjusted R2 by -15 Ω based on the direction of the current (eq. 5),
our result will be
𝑅2𝑅3
𝑅𝑥 = = 986.36 Ω
𝑅1 (7)

Which has a relative error of -0.37%.

Which will give us Rx = 1011.5 Ω, with a relative error of 2.56%.

6. Reference:
[1] Laboratory of Taibah University, Engineering College, Electrical Engineering department