Bridge Measurement
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Poornima KandaswamyBridge Measurement
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Poornima KandaswamyWheatstone Bridge Diagram
The Wheatstone Bridge consists of a network of four resistance arms forming a
closed circuit.
A DC source of current is applied to two opposite junctions in the circuit.
A current detector (usually a galvanometer) is connected to the other two
junctions.
This setup allows measurement of unknown resistance by adjusting the known
resistances until the bridge is balanced.
Balance condition:
R1/R2=R3/Rx
R1,R2,R3 = Known resistances
Rx = Unknown resistance
Wheatstone Bridge is widely used to measure components such as resistance (R),
inductance (L), and capacitance (C).
The bridge circuit compares the value of an unknown component with an accurately
known component (a standard).
The measurement accuracy of the Wheatstone Bridge is very high because:
It is based on the null indication when the bridge is balanced.
The accuracy is independent of the characteristics of the null detector.
The accuracy of the measurement is directly related to the precision of the bridge
components, not the null indicator.
The basic DC bridge is used specifically for accurate resistance measurement and is
known as Wheatstone’s bridge.
Wheatstone’s Bridge is the most accurate method for measuring resistances and is
widely used in laboratories.
The typical Wheatstone Bridge circuit diagram consists of:
o Source of emf and switch connected to points A and B.
o A galvanometer (a sensitive current-indicating meter) connected to points C
and D.
The galvanometer is a microammeter with a zero-centre scale:
o Zero reading when no current flows, indicating the bridge is balanced.
o The pointer deflects to one side when current flows in one direction and to
the other side when current flows in the opposite direction.
Current Flow:
o When SW1 is closed, the current divides into two arms at point A into I₁ and
I₂.
The bridge is balanced when:
o No current flows through the galvanometer.
o The potential difference between points C and D is zero (i.e., the potential
across the galvanometer is zero).
Applications of Wheatstone’s Bridge:
Wheatstone Bridge is used to measure DC resistance of various types of wires,
including:
o Motor windings
o Transformers
o Solenoids
o Relay coils
It is used for quality control of wire or assemblies where the wire is used.
Wheatstone Bridge is also widely used by telephone companies and other industries
to locate cable faults, such as:
o Two lines shorted together
o Single line shorted to ground
Limitations of Wheatstone’s Bridge:
Low resistance measurement:
o The resistance of leads and contacts becomes significant and introduces
errors.
o This can be resolved using Kelvin’s Double Bridge.
High resistance measurement:
o For high resistance, the bridge impedance becomes so large that the
galvanometer is insensitive to imbalance.
o In this case, a power supply and a DC VTVM (vacuum tube voltmeter)
must replace the battery and galvanometer.
o The Wheatstone Bridge cannot be used for measurements in megaohms.
Heating effect of current:
o Resistance change in the bridge arms due to the heating effect of current
flowing through the resistance.
o Temperature rise changes the resistance value, and excessive current can
cause a permanent change in resistance.
KELVIN’S BRIDGE AND KELVIN’S DOUBLE BRIDGE:
Kelvin’s Bridge is a modified form of Wheatstone’s Bridge, used to measure low
resistance values (below 1 Ω).
It is employed when the resistance to be measured is of the same order of magnitude
as the bridge contact and lead resistance.
Kelvin’s Bridge is used to avoid the effect of lead resistance on the measurement in
low resistance measurements.
In low resistance measurement, the resistance of the leads connecting the unknown
resistance to the bridge circuit can affect the accuracy of the measurement.
Circuit Description:
o Ry represents the resistance of the connecting leads from R₃ to Rₓ (unknown
resistance).
Galvanometer Connections:
o When the galvanometer is connected to point a:
Ry (resistance of connecting leads) is added to Rₓ (unknown
resistance).
This results in an overestimate of Rₓ (too high indication).
o When the galvanometer is connected to point c:
Ry is added to R₃ (bridge arm resistance).
The measurement of Rₓ becomes lower than the actual value, as R₃
becomes higher than its nominal value by the value of Ry.
o When the galvanometer is connected to point b (between points c and a):
The ratio of the resistances from c to b and from a to b must be equal
to the ratio of resistances R₁ and R₂.
This connection helps balance the bridge and eliminates errors caused
by the lead resistance.
and the usual balance equations for the bridge give the relationship
Therefore
Substituting for Rab and Rcb in Eq. (11.7), we have
Hence
