Mayo College, Ajmer.
Physics Investigatory Project Report
Submitted For
AISSCE 2026
On
To study various factors on which the internal resistance
and EMF of a cell depend.
Submitted to- Submitted by-
Sir Nishant Bist Shaurya Chaudhary
Physics Department 12-A
Mayo College Scholar number 3280
Ajmer Colvin House
1
Acknowledgement
This page is to express my regards and thanks to all the people
that have helped me in my efforts to complete my project.
I would start off by thanking my Physics teacher Mr. Nishant Bist
who has taught me everything I know regarding this topic and
have been an overall help in the subject.
I would also like to thank our Principal, Mr. Saurav Sinha for
encouraging me from time to time and for providing me with all
the facilities and resources needed to carry out my project.
In the end, I would like to thank my parents, teacher and batch
mates who have supported and helped in pushing me through this
project and without whom, I would not have achieved the level of
perfection I aspired to have in this project.
2
Certificate
This is to certify that Shaurya Chaudhary of Class XII-A, Mayo College, Ajmer, has
successfully completed his Physics Investigatory Project under my supervision.
He has carried out the experimental work sincerely and has followed all
laboratory precautions.
The project is in accordance with the guidelines issued by C.B.S.E.
(Physics Teacher) Date:
(External Examiner)
3
Index
S. NO CONTENT PAGE NO.
I. Objective 5
II. Introduction 6
III. Theory 7
IV. Apparatus Required 8
V. Procedure 9-10
VI. Observations 11
VII. Calculations 12
VIII. Conclusions 13
IX. Precautions 14
X. Bibliography 15
4
Objective
To study the internal resistance and electromotive force (EMF) of
a given cell and to investigate how internal resistance depends on
various physical factors.
5
Introduction
An electric cell is a source of electrical energy that converts
chemical energy into electrical energy. Every practical cell is
characterised by two important quantities: electromotive force
(EMF) and internal resistance.
The EMF of a cell is defined as the potential difference between its
terminals when no current is drawn from it. However, when the cell
is connected in a circuit and current flows, the observed terminal
voltage is less than the EMF. This reduction occurs due to the
internal resistance offered by the electrolyte and electrodes inside
the cell.
Understanding internal resistance is important because it directly
affects the efficiency, power output, and practical performance of
electrical cells and batteries used in daily life.
6
Theory
When a cell of EMF E and internal resistance r is connected to an external circuit
carrying current I, the terminal voltage V is given by:
V=E-Ir
Rearranging the equation:
r = (E - V)/I
From this relation, internal resistance can be calculated by measuring the
current and terminal voltage.
Factors affecting internal resistance:
1. Distance between electrodes
Increasing the distance between the electrodes increases the length of the
electrolyte path, thereby increasing internal resistance.
2. Area of cross-section of electrodes
A larger electrode area allows more ions to move simultaneously, reducing
internal resistance.
3. Concentration of electrolyte
Higher concentration increases the number of ions available for conduction,
resulting in lower internal resistance.
4. Temperature of electrolyte
An increase in temperature enhances ion mobility, leading to a decrease in
internal resistance.
7
Apparatus Required
Electric cell
Ammeter (0–1 A)
Voltmeter (0–3 V)
Rheostat
Plug key
Resistance box
Connecting wires
8
Procedure
[Link] circuit is assembled using the given cell, rheostat,
ammeter, and resistance box in series, with a voltmeter
connected across the cell.
[Link] key is kept open initially and all connections are checked
for correctness.
[Link] key is closed and the rheostat is adjusted to allow a small
current to flow.
[Link] corresponding readings of current from the ammeter and
terminal voltage from the voltmeter are noted.
[Link] current is varied by adjusting the rheostat, and multiple
sets of readings are recorded.
[Link] EMF of the cell is noted when the current is very small.
[Link] the recorded values, internal resistance is calculated
for each observation.
9
Circuit Diagram
The circuit consists of a primary cell connected in series with a
plug key, a rheostat, and an ammeter. The rheostat is used to vary
the current flowing through the circuit. An external resistance wire
is included to provide a load.
A voltmeter is connected in parallel across the external resistance
to measure the terminal voltage of the cell corresponding to
different values of current. The ammeter records the current
flowing through the circuit. By adjusting the rheostat, different
combinations of current and terminal voltage are obtained for
analysis.
This arrangement helps in plotting a graph between terminal
voltage (V) and current (I), from which the internal resistance of
the cell is calculated using the relation:
V = E - I*r
Observations
Internal
S. Current I in Terminal
EMF E in v Resistance r in
No. A Voltage V in v
Ohm
1 0.1 1.36 1.50 1.40
2 0.2 1.22 1.50 1.40
3 0.3 1.08 1.50 1.40
4 0.4 0.94 1.50 1.40
5 0.5 0.80 1.50 1.40
11
Calculations
Using the formula:
r = (E - V)/ I
Sample calculation (Observation 1):
r = (1.50 - 1.36)/ 0.10 =1.4 Ohm
Similar calculations are performed for other readings.
Average internal resistance of the cell:
r(average) = (1.4 + 1.4 + 1.4 + 1.4 + 1.4)/ 5 =1.4
13
Conclusion
From the experiment, it is concluded that:
[Link] internal resistance of the given cell is approximately 1.4
Ω.
2. The terminal voltage of a cell decreases linearly with an
increase in current.
[Link] resistance is not a fixed quantity and depends on
factors such as electrode separation, electrode area,
electrolyte concentration, and temperature.
17
Precautions
[Link] electrical connections should be tight and clean.
[Link] key should not be kept closed for a long time to prevent
heating of the cell.
[Link] and voltmeter should be connected with correct
polarity.
[Link] should be taken carefully to avoid parallax error.
[Link] rheostat should be adjusted slowly to prevent sudden
changes in current.
Bibliography
[Link] Physics Class XII – Current Electricity
[Link] Official Website – [Link]
[Link] Academy – Internal Resistance of a Cell
4. Byju’s – Determination of Internal Resistance Experiment
[Link] Galaxy – Practical Physics Experiments
18