5F20.40 - Wheatstone Bridge

Code Number:
5F20.40
Demo Title:
Wheatstone Bridge
Condition:
Excellent
Principle:
Determination of Unknown Resistance
Area of Study:
Electricity & Magnetism
Equipment:
Wheatstone Bridge Demo Unit, Lecture Bench Galvanometer.
Procedure:

Plug in the power supply that is mounted on the demo unit. Choose one of the unknown resistances and put it into the circuit. By adjusting the resistor box to the proper values and finding the place on the slide wire where the galvanometer read no deflection the exact resistance of the unknown or approximate resistor may be determined.

References:
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "A Different Sort of Wheatstone Bridge Experiment", TPT, Vol. 52, # 6, Sept. 2014, p. 326.
  • Erich Landstrom, "The Proof is in the Picture", TPT, Vol. 48, # 5, May 2010, p. 278.
  • "Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 48, # 3, Mar. 2010.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "Wheatstone's Bridge", TPT, Vol. 43, # 1, Jan. 2005, p. 18.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr. "The Hydraulic Analogy for Electric Current", TPT, Vol. 41, # 8,  Nov. 2003, p. 464.
  • Benjamin J. Pernick, "Optimum Setting of a Slide Wire Wheatstone Bridge", TPT, Vol. 29, # 1, Jan. 1991, p. 35.
  • Buford M. Guy, "Using an Oscilloscope with the Wheatstone Bridge", TPT, Vol. 11, # 1, Jan. 1973, p. 52.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "The Scientific Legacy of Charles Wheatstone", TPT, Vol. 55, #2, February 2017, p. 80-82.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "Photo - Kohlrausch Slide Wire", AJP, Vol. 77, # 1, Jan. 2009, p. 47.
  • Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr., "Slide Wire Wheatstone Bridge (photo)", AJP, Vol. 76, # 4 & # 5, April/May 2008, p. 437.
  • Eg-6:  Freier and Anderson,  A Demonstration Handbook for Physics.
  • George M. Hopkins, "Dynamic Electricity", Experimental Science, p. 442.
  • Walter C. Michels,  "3.2, The Wheatstone Bridge",  Electrical Measurements and Their Applications, p. 56 - 64.
  • Neil A. Downie, "Six-Wire Telegraph",  Ink Sandwiches, Electric Worms and 37 Other Experiments for Saturday Science, p. 264.
  • W. Bolton, "1. Wheatstone Bridge", Book 4 - Electricity, Physics Experiments and Projects, 1968, p. 3 - 4.
  • D. Colson, C. J. Lapp, J. A. Eldridge, "Experiment LXII", 1936 Univ. of Iowa Physics Laboratory Manual, p. 62.
  • Forrest M. Mims III, "Wheatstone Bridge", Vol. IV - Electronic Formulas, Symbols & Circuits, p. 103.

Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.