BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
Certified to be Bonafide work done by
Mr. Alwin Sijo of class XI-D in the during the academic
year 2025-2026
UNITED INDIAN SCHOOL
Abbasiya - Kuwait
Submitted for SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CERTIFICATE
PRACTICAL Examination held in Physics Lab at UNITED
INDIAN SCHOOL,
Abbasiya, Kuwait
Examiner
Date: 27/08/2025
Seal
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Acknowledgement
I would like to express my deep gratitude to my
Physics teacher, Mrs. Jeena for their valuable
guidance, support, and encouragement throughout the
completion of this investigatory project titled
“Wheatstone Bridge” Their expert advice and
constant supervision have been of great help in
carrying out this work successfully.
I am also thankful to our Principal Radhakrishnan, and
my school, United Indian School for providing me
with the necessary facilities and environment to
complete the project.
I sincerely thank my parents and friends for their
cooperation, motivation, and assistance in completing
this project.
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Index
Aim………………………………………………………………4
Introduction………………………………………………5
Components of Wheatstone Bridge……6
Circuit construction………………………………7
Working of Wheatstone bridge…………8
Example circuit………………………………………10
Applications……………………………………………13
Limitations………………………………………………14
Conclusion……………………………………………….15
Precaution………………………………………………16
Bibliography……………………………………………17
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Aim
To study the construction and
application of Wheatstone bridge.
4
Introduction
Samuel Hunter Christie
invented the Wheatstone
bridge in the year 1833, which
became popular with the works
of Sir Charles Wheatstone in
1843.
An electrical circuit that is set up to measure
the unknown value of a resistor and creates a
balance between the two legs of the bridge
circuit is called a Wheatstone bridge. As shown
in the figure below, three resistances are known
and the fourth one has to be found out.
Compared to the other measuring instruments
such as voltage divider, the concept of
Wheatstone bridge is widely used because of
the accuracy in its measurement of resistance.
5
Components of Wheatstone Bridge
A resistor with an unknown resistance
value.
Two resistors (with known resistance
value)
Variable resistor (a device like Rheostat
could work)
Voltage/DC source
Galvanometer (or any device which
indicates the voltage difference or the
flow of current)
Connecting wires
Switch(on/off)
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Circuit Construction
A Wheatstone bridge is a bridge type structure
having four resistors, three of known and one
of unknown value.
Here R1, R2, and R3 have known values among
which R2 is adjustable and finally Rx is the value
to be measured. Along with these resistances, a
galvanometer (Vg) is there between B and D,
and a DC supply between A and C.
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Working Principle of Wheatstone
Bridge
Now according to the Wheatstone bridge
principle if the ratio of the two resistances
(R1/R2) on one edge is equal to the ratio of
the two resistances (R3/Rx) on another
edge then there will be no flow of current
between the midpoints of the two edges of
resistance. This condition of the bridge is
known as the Balanced Bridge Condition.
In the Balanced Bridge condition, the
current through the galvanometer is zero
and also the voltage difference between
the points B and D becomes zero, i.e., at
both points voltage level would be the same.
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Writing equations for the balanced bridge
condition would look like:
R1/R2 = R3/Rx (or) R1 x Rx = R2 x R3
Thus, Rx = R3 x (R2/R1)
This detection of zero current
galvanometer is of high precision, thus
depending on the level of precision of
known values, the unknown resistance can
be found with the highest rate of accuracy
and precision.
In the Wheatstone bridge experiment one
resistor should always be variable in order
to obtain a balanced condition. The Circuit
performs at its best when the regulated
voltage source is used instead of the
current with repelling characteristics.
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Example Circuit
Let us consider the below circuit where
the bridge is an unbalanced condition
and we need to calculate the voltage
difference between Q1 and Q2, i.e., Volt
and hence the value of R4 needed to
make the bridge balanced.
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Example of Wheatstone Bridge As per the
voltage division law,
𝑅3
Vq1 = ( ) x Vs, where Vs = 100volts
𝑅3 +𝑅1
(Voltage source)
Putting values of R3 = 40 ohms, R1= 50ohms, and
Vs = 100 volts, we get
Vq1 = 44.4 volts
𝑅4
Similarly, Vq2 = ( ) x Vs
𝑅4 +𝑅2
Putting the values, R4 = 50 ohms, R2 = 100 ohms,
and Vs = 100 volts, we get
Vq2 = 33.3 volts
Thus, Volt can be found as,
Volt = Vq1 – Vq2
So, Volt = 44.4 – 33.3 = 11.1 volts
Now to make the bridge balanced, we can find a
suitable value for R4 as done below:
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𝑅
R4 = R2 x ( 3)
𝑅1
Putting the values of R1, R2, and R3, we have
40
R4 = 100 x = 80 ohms
50
Therefore, R4 = 80 volts is the value of resistor
which should be used to make the bridge in a
balanced condition.
12
Applications of Wheatstone Bridge
Used in Light detecting Devices
For measuring the changes in the
pressure
For measuring the changes in the strain
of the circuit.
Used for the Sensing of Mechanical and
electrical quantities.
Also, photo resistive devices use this
circuit.
Thermometers also use Wheatstone
bridges for the temperature
measurements which need to be
accurate.
Values like capacitance, inductance,
impedance, etc. can be measured with
some variations in the Wheatstone
bridge circuit.
13
Limitations of Wheatstone Bridge
Along with all these advantages, there are a
few limitations of the Wheatstone bridge
as well, such as:
The Wheatstone Bridge has certain limitations.
Its accuracy can be affected by temperature
variations, as changes in resistance due to heat
may lead to incorrect readings. It is also not
ideal for measuring very low resistances
because contact and lead resistances can cause
errors. The circuit requires a stable and
regulated power supply, since voltage
fluctuations can disturb the balance condition.
Additionally, the bridge needs manual
adjustment of the variable resistor to achieve
balance, which can be time-consuming. Finally,
the Wheatstone Bridge is mainly suitable for
DC or low-frequency AC measurements and is
not effective for high-frequency applications
without modification.
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Conclusion
The Wheatstone Bridge is an effective and
reliable method for accurately measuring
unknown electrical resistance. The
experiment successfully demonstrated the
principle that when the ratio of resistances
in the two arms is equal, the bridge reaches
a balanced state and no current flows
through the galvanometer.
This condition allows for precise calculation
of an unknown resistor using the known
values. The model also highlights the
practical application of Kirchhoff’s Laws and
forms the basis of various electrical
measuring instruments used in laboratories
and industries.
Overall, the Wheatstone Bridge remains a
fundamental tool in both educational and
professional electrical measurements.
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Precautions
• Ensure all electrical connections are tight
and secure to avoid loose contacts.
• Use resistors with accurate and known
resistance values.
• Adjust the variable resistor slowly and
carefully to find the exact balance point.
• Use a stable and regulated power supply to
prevent voltage fluctuations.
• Handle the galvanometer gently to avoid
damage.
• Avoid powering the circuit for too long to
prevent overheating of components.
• Minimize temperature changes during the
experiment to reduce measurement errors.
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Bibliography
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
-Alwin Sijo
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