Homemade Galvanometer, 12 V car battery

 

Code Number: 5H50.10

Demo Title: Homemade Galvanometer

Condition: Excellent

Principle: Torques on a Coil

Area of Study: Electricity & Magnetism

Equipment: 

Homemade Galvanometer, 12 V car battery.

Procedure:

Connect the battery to the Galvanometer and press down on the switch.  Hold the switch down for no more than 10 seconds as damage to the small gauge wire that make up the Galvanometer will result.  The direction the Galvanometer points may be reversed using the knife switch on the apparatus.

References:

  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "Galvanometers", TPT, Vol. 35, # 7, p. 423- 426, Oct. 1997.
  • Tom Kobilarcik, Ed McNeil, Chris Chiaverina,   "Doing Physics",  TPT, Vol. 25, # 4, p. 248, April 1987.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "Daniel Davis, Jr., and His Manual of Magnetism", AJP, Vol. 93, #6, June 2025, p. 477.
  • Ej - 2:  Freier and Anderson,  A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.
  • A. D. Bulman, "Current Measures", Model-Making for Physics, p. 106.
  • George M. Hopkins', "The Construction of a Voltmeter and Ammeter suitable for a Small Switchboard", Experimental Science, Volume Two, p. 482.
  • George M. Hopkins', Experimental Science, Volume Two, p. 114.
  • Rev. J, Lukin, The Boy Engineers, 1901, p. 320.
  • David Kutliroff, "98, A Demonstration Tangent Galvanometer", 101 Classroom Demonstrations and Experiment For Teaching Physics, p. 215.
  • Borislaw Bilash II, David Maiullo, "Torque On A Current Loop", A Demo a Day: A Year of Physics Demonstrations, p. 299.
  • Janice VanCleave, "Galvanometer", 201 Awesome, Magical, Bizarre, & Incredible Experiments, p. 109.
  • Ron Hipschman, "Giant Meter", Exploratorium Cookbook III, p. 144.1 - 144.4.
  • "Ammeters and Voltmeters", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.
  • "The Construction of Voltmeters and Ammeters", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.
  • "Current Sensitivity of a Galvanometer", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.
  • "Calibration of a Galvanometer", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.
  • "Galvanometers", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.
  • "Charge Sensitivity of a Ballistic Galvanometer", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1942.
  • Rudolf F. Graf, "How to Make a Current Detector (Galvanoscope)", Safe and Simple Electrical Experiments, p. 75.
  • Joseph Frick, "# 304 & 305 & 306 - The Galvanometer & Wrapping the Wire & The Wire-Wrapping Machine ", Physical Technics: Or Practical Instructions for Making Experiments in Physics and the Construction of Physical Apparatus with the Most Limmited Means, p. 351.
5H50.10 - Homemade Galvanometer