Narayana E-techno

Academic Year 2024-2025

PHYSICS INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

CONVERSION OF GALVANOMETER
TO AMMETER

SUBMITTED BY :
Student Name: Shruti Shettigar
Grade: XII Science
Board Seat No:
 NARAYANA E-TECHNO
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Shruti Shettigar of standard XII has
completed the Physics Investigatory Project in partial
fulfillment of the curriculum of ALL INDIA SENIOR
SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (AISSCE). This
project was carried out at NARAYANA E TECHNO
SCHOOL laboratory during the academic year 2024-
2025.

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

School Stamp Principle’s Signature

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
During the process of preparation of this project, I have
got immense help from various people, without which it
would not have been possible to achieve the goal.

First of all I wish to express my deep gratitude and

sincere thanks to respected Principal, Mrs. Madhuri
Ayyella and Mr. Ravi Swarnkar, Mumbai, for her
encouragement and in providing us fully equipped
laboratory.

I extend my thanks to Ms. Neenu Varghese, the Physics

teacher, who has rendered all support and guidance
which has sustained my efforts at all stages of this
project work.

I am equally thankful to my parents for giving us moral

support and ideas to carve out this project.

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 INDEX
TOPIC PAGE NO
Circuit Diagram 4
Aim 5
Apparatus 6
Theory 7
Derivation 10
Procedure 12
Observations 14
Observation Table 15
Calculations 16
Results 18
Bibliography 19

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Circuit Diagram

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 Aim
To convert galvanometer to an ammeter

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 Apparatus
• Galvanometer
• Cell (Battery Eliminator ) Rheostat (0-100 ohms)
• Milliammeter of the desired range (0-500 mA)
• Resistance wire (Manganin)
• Key
• Screw Gauge

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 THEORY
Principle:
A current carrying coil placed in a magnetic field
experiences a current dependent torque which tends to
rotate the coil, and thus produces an angular deflection.

Construction:
A Weston (pivoted-type) galvanometer consists of a
rectangular coil of insulated copper wire wound on a light
non-magnetic metallic (Aluminum) frame. This frame has
got an axle. Both the ends of this axle are pivoted by
jeweled bearings. The motion of the coil is controlled by a
pain of springs of phosphor-bronze on both ends which
provide the restoring torque for the coil. These springs
also act as current leads. A light aluminum pointer is also
attached to the coil which helps to measure the deflection
of the coil on the measuring scale. The coil is
symmetrically placed between two cylindrical horse-shoe
magnets or pole pieces of a strong permanent horse-shoe
magnet. A cylindrical soft iron-core is also mounted.
Since it has been mounted symmetrically between the
concave cylindrical poles, the magnetic lines of force are
allowed to act along the radius of the iron core. Thus, we

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get a radical magnetic field. The soft iron core due to its
high permeability intensifies the magnetic field. This
increases the sensitivity of the galvanometer

Principle of Ammeter:
The main principle of ammeter is that it must have a very
low resistance and also inductive reactance. The
ammeter must also have very low impedance and the very
low voltage drop across it. It must be connected in a series
connection because the current is the same in series
circuit. Also due to low impedance, the power loss will be
low and if it is connected in parallel it becomes a short
circuited path and the ammeter may burn due high
current flowing through it. An ideal ammeter must have
zero impedance and zero voltage drop across it to ensure
zero impedance and zero voltage drop across it to ensure
zero power loss. But this is not achievable practically.

Conversion of Galvanometer to Ammeter:

To convert a galvanometer into an ammeter the following
steps have to be performed:
1. The series resistance of the galvanometer winding
has to be determined.

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 2. A parallel low resistance resistor is placed across the
galvanometer winding. The value of this resistor has
to be calculated so that the meter hits the full
deflection with required maximum current for the
ammeter. Normally, most of the current will go
through the shunt resistor with the galvanometer
winding varying only the current it needs to produce
the required deflection.
3. A scale of the galvanometer will need calibrating to
show the intermediate current values so that the
meter reports correctly.
Shunt resistance:
In electronics, a shunt is a device which creates a low
resistance path to allow electric current to pass around
another point in the circuit.

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 DERIVATION
Let resistance of the galvanometer= Rg and it gives full
scale deflection when current Ig is passed through it.
Then,
Vg = Ig Rg
Let a shunt resistance (Rs) is connected parallel to the
galvanometer. If the total current through the circuit is I

The current through shunt:

Ig = (I – Is)

Potential difference across shunt:

Vs = Is × Rs
OR
Vs = (I – Is) × Rs
But,
V s = Vg
(I – Is) R= Ig Rg

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The shunt resistance required to convert the
galvanometer into an ammeter of range I is calculated
using the formula

G – Resistance of galvanometer
I – Range of desired ammeter

The current required for full scale deflection in the

galvanometer where,
n-Total number of divisions in the galvanometer
K-The figure of merit of the galvanometer

Then, the length of the wire required for shunt can be

calculated using the formula,
I= πr²S
ρ
where,
ρ- Resistivity of the material of wire
r- Radius of wire which can be managed using screw
gauge
S-Value of shunt resistance

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 PROCEDURE
1. Cut the resistance wire at a length of (l + 2)cm.
2. Make two marks near the ends of the wire so that the
distance between the mark is exactly 1 cm.
3. The wire is now connected to the terminals of the
galvanometer so that the marks are just outside the
terminals of the galvanometer.
4. The galvanometer with the shunt connected across
its terminals is the converted ammeter of the
desired range.
5. Connections are made as shown in the circuit
diagram.

6. The galvanometer with shunt resistance is

connected in series to a battery through the
ammeter, key and rheostat.
7. Insert the key.

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8. Adjust the rheostat and set the current reading I
of the given ammeter at a particular value.
9. The reading of the galvanometer l’ g is noted. Now,
the current through the converted ammeter is
calculated using the relation.
10. The error of the converted ammeter is calculated
as l’ – l.
11. Repeat the experiment by changing the
rheostat resistance.
12. Thus, the converted ammeter is verified with
an ammeter of the same range.

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 OBSERVATIONS
Shunt resistance,

Ig = nk, where ‘n’ is the number of divisions and

k= 1.78 × 10^-5 is the figure of merit

Resistance of the galvanometer (G)= 117 ohms

Current for full scale deflection(Ig)= 0.53mA=30K
Shunt Resistance (S)= 0.693 ohms
Least count of Designed Ammeter= 90=3mA
30

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 OBSERVATION TABLE

Current reading
Divisions in Prepared (I) Standard (I') % error I' -
Sr No. Galvanometer Ammeter Ammeter I/F 100
1 3 9 9.9 9.70%
2 6 18 18.3 1.63%
3 9 27 27.3 4.50%
4 12 36 36.3 0.82%
5 15 45 45.9 1.90%
6 18 54 54.3 0.50%/

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 CALCULATIONS
I=Kθ
I: Current flowing through the galvanometer
K: Figure of merit
θ :Deflection of galvanometer

Shunt resistance,
S=

S= 0.53 × 117
90-0.53
S= 0.693Ω

Length of the wire required for shunt can be

calculated using the formula,
I= πr²S
ρ

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I= 3.14× 0.693× 3.1× 3.1× 10-8
44.5 × 4 × 10-8

I= 11.69 cm

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 RESULTS

The given galvanometer is converted into a

ammeter of range 0 to 90mA by connecting a shunt
resistance of 0.693 Ω.

Conversion is verified due to small margin of error.

This error arises because the shunt is highly
sensitive due to low resistance. It is thus very
difficult to find a 100% accurate shunt.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. [Link]
working-construction-its-applications/
2. [Link]
3. Conversion of galvanometer to ammeter (Theory)
Clas 12:Physics:Amrita Online Lab
4. To Determine The Figure of Merit of a galvanometer-
ResearchGate
5. Conversion of galvanometer into ammeter (Video) I
Khan Academy
6. Current resistance, and resistivity review (article) I
Khan Academy

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