A Wheatstone bridge is a circuit used to measure an unknown electrical resistance or potential difference. It is made up of four resistors arranged in a diamond shape, with a voltage source connected across one pair of opposing corners, and a galvanometer (a sensitive instrument for measuring electrical current) connected across the other pair of opposing corners.
To construct a Wheatstone bridge, four resistors are chosen with a known resistance value. The resistance of one of the resistors is replaced by an unknown resistor and the circuit is adjusted until the galvanometer reads zero. At this point, the values of the known resistors and the voltage source can be used to calculate the resistance of the unknown resistor.
The working of the Wheatstone bridge circuit is based on the principle of balancing two legs of a bridge-like structure with each other. When all resistors are equal, the potential difference across the bridge is zero, and no current flows through the galvanometer. Any deviation from this balance results in a non-zero potential difference and current flow through the galvanometer.
The significance of the Wheatstone bridge lies in its ability to accurately measure unknown resistances with a high degree of precision. It is used in numerous applications, such as strain gauges, thermistors, and load cells to name a few, to measure electrical signals with high accuracy and sensitivity.
A Wheatstone bridge is a circuit used to measure unknown resistance values by comparing them with known resistance values in a balanced bridge circuit. The circuit consists of four resistors arranged in a diamond shape with the unknown resistance connected in parallel to one of the resistors. The bridge is typically powered by a DC voltage source, and a voltmeter is used to measure the voltage difference between two opposite corners of the diamond shape.
The working of the Wheatstone bridge is based on the principle of balancing two opposing branches of the bridge circuit to obtain a null voltage output. When the circuit is balanced, the voltage difference between the two opposite corners of the diamond shape is zero, and the ratio of the known resistors is equal to the ratio of the unknown resistor and the fourth resistor. Mathematically, this can be expressed as R1/R2 = R3/Rx, where R1, R2, R3 are the known resistors, Rx is the unknown resistor, and "=" indicates that the circuit is balanced.
The significance of the Wheatstone bridge lies in its ability to accurately measure the resistance of an unknown component, even if the component is not easily accessible for direct measurement. The bridge provides a highly precise method for measuring resistance, making it a valuable tool in many fields, including electronics, physics, and materials science.
In addition to measuring resistance, the Wheatstone bridge can also be used to measure other physical quantities, such as temperature, strain, and pressure, by using specialized sensors that change resistance in response to these variables. Overall, the Wheatstone bridge is a versatile and widely used circuit for accurate resistance measurements and other applications in engineering and science.
Answers & Comments
Explanation:
A Wheatstone bridge is a circuit used to measure an unknown electrical resistance or potential difference. It is made up of four resistors arranged in a diamond shape, with a voltage source connected across one pair of opposing corners, and a galvanometer (a sensitive instrument for measuring electrical current) connected across the other pair of opposing corners.
To construct a Wheatstone bridge, four resistors are chosen with a known resistance value. The resistance of one of the resistors is replaced by an unknown resistor and the circuit is adjusted until the galvanometer reads zero. At this point, the values of the known resistors and the voltage source can be used to calculate the resistance of the unknown resistor.
The working of the Wheatstone bridge circuit is based on the principle of balancing two legs of a bridge-like structure with each other. When all resistors are equal, the potential difference across the bridge is zero, and no current flows through the galvanometer. Any deviation from this balance results in a non-zero potential difference and current flow through the galvanometer.
The significance of the Wheatstone bridge lies in its ability to accurately measure unknown resistances with a high degree of precision. It is used in numerous applications, such as strain gauges, thermistors, and load cells to name a few, to measure electrical signals with high accuracy and sensitivity.
Answer:
A Wheatstone bridge is a circuit used to measure unknown resistance values by comparing them with known resistance values in a balanced bridge circuit. The circuit consists of four resistors arranged in a diamond shape with the unknown resistance connected in parallel to one of the resistors. The bridge is typically powered by a DC voltage source, and a voltmeter is used to measure the voltage difference between two opposite corners of the diamond shape.
The working of the Wheatstone bridge is based on the principle of balancing two opposing branches of the bridge circuit to obtain a null voltage output. When the circuit is balanced, the voltage difference between the two opposite corners of the diamond shape is zero, and the ratio of the known resistors is equal to the ratio of the unknown resistor and the fourth resistor. Mathematically, this can be expressed as R1/R2 = R3/Rx, where R1, R2, R3 are the known resistors, Rx is the unknown resistor, and "=" indicates that the circuit is balanced.
The significance of the Wheatstone bridge lies in its ability to accurately measure the resistance of an unknown component, even if the component is not easily accessible for direct measurement. The bridge provides a highly precise method for measuring resistance, making it a valuable tool in many fields, including electronics, physics, and materials science.
In addition to measuring resistance, the Wheatstone bridge can also be used to measure other physical quantities, such as temperature, strain, and pressure, by using specialized sensors that change resistance in response to these variables. Overall, the Wheatstone bridge is a versatile and widely used circuit for accurate resistance measurements and other applications in engineering and science.