NEW DIGAMBER PUBLIC SCHOOL

Session :- 2012-13 subject :Factors affecting internal resistance of a cell Made

by :- Saurabh godha (xii - B) submitted to :Mr. Harshad shevgaonkar

Certificate
NAME : Saurabh Godha ROLL NO. : 19 INSTITUTION : New Digamber Public School CLAS
S : XII - B
This is certified to be the bonafide work of the student in the PHYSICS INVESTIG
ATORY PROJECT during the year 2012 / 2013 .
................................ ( Teacher In-Charge )
............................ ( Examiner )
.............................. ( Principal )

acknowledge-ment
I , Saurabh Godha of class XII B express my gratitude to my school authorities f
or allowing me to undertake the project entitled
' factors affecting internal resistance of a cell '
I naturally could not have done justice to my delicate assignment , had i not be
en privileged to get the animate guidance from Mr. Harshad Shevgaonkar , Physics
teacher for higher Secondary Classes of New Digamber Public School. I also expr
ess sincere thanks to my family who extended helping hand in completing this pro
ject. - Saurabh Godha

Introduction
There is a great need of batteries in our daily use electronic appliances and th
e use is increasing every day. Thus , the batteries need to be made more powerfu
l so that their potential can be increased greatly . Thus , this project report
is based on practical analysis for the factors affecting the internal resistance
of a cell. When the internal resistance of the cell is decreased we can increas
e the potential difference across it , and hence make it more reliable.

OBJECTIVE :To study the various factors on which the internal resistance of a ce
ll depends.
Apparatus :A Potentiometer , a battery (battery eliminator) , two way keys , a r
heostat of low resistance , a galvanometer , a high resistance , an ammeter , a
cell , a Jockey , a set square , connecting wires , water bath , thermometer(0-1
00C) , burner , tripod stand , wire gauge .
theory :The internal resistance of a cell is the resistance offered by its elect
rolyte to the flow of ions . The internal resistance of a cell
is directly propo
rtional to the distance between the electrodes.
is inversely proportional to fac
ing surface area of the electrodes in electrolyte. decreases with increase in te
mperature of electrolyte.
is inversely proportional to concentration of electrol
yte. The internal resistance of a cell is given by
r=(
)R
where , are the balancing lengths without resistance and with resistance (shunt)
, respectively and R is the shunt resistance in parallel with the given cell.

procedure :Step 1 1. 2. 3. 4. Draw the circuit diagram showing the scheme of con
nections. Clean the ends of the connecting wires with sand paper and make tight
connections according to the circuit diagrams. Tight the plugs of the resistance
box. Check the e.m.f. of the battery and cell and see that e.m.f. and see that
e.m.f. of the battery is more than that of given cell ,otherwise null or balance
point will not be obtained (E' >E). Take maximum current from the battery , mak
ing rheostat resistance small. To test the corrections of the connections.(inser
t the plug in the key and note the ammeter reading .Take out 2000 ohm resistance
plug from resistance box. Place the jokey first at the end P of the wire and th
en at the end Q. If the galvanometer shows deflection in opposite direction in t
he two cases the connections are correct). Without inserting the plug in the key
adjust the rheostat so that a null point is obtained on the 4th wire of potenti
ometer. Insert the 2000 ohm plug back in the position in resistance box and by s
lightly adjusting the jockey near the previous obtained position of null point,
obtain null point position accurately, using a set square. Measure the balancing
length between the point and the end P of the wire. Take out the 2000 ohm plug
again from the resistance box R.B. introduce plugs in the key ,as well as in key
. Take out small resistance (1-5 ) from the resistance box R connected in parall
el with the cell. Slide the jockey along the potentiometer wire and obtain null
point. Insert 2000 ohms plug back in its position in R.B. and if necessary make
further adjustment for sharp null point. Measure the balancing length from end P
. Remove the plug keys at and . ait for some time and for the same value of curr
ent (as shown by ammeter) repeat the steps 7 to 13. Repeat the observations for
diffrent values of R repeating each observation twice.
5. 6.
7. 8.
9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

16. Calculate the internal resistance of cell by using the above relation for r.
Step 2 To see the effect of distance between the electrodes on internal resistan
ces keeping the other factors constant ,vary separation between electrodes and m
easure internal resistance in each case. Step 3 To see the effect of the tempera
ture of electrolyte on internal resistance by keeping other factors constant. Ke
ep primary cells in water bath to heat the electrolyte. Determine the internal r
esistance at various temperatures. Step 4 To see the effect of concentration (na
ture) of electrolyte on internal resistance by :Keeping the other factors consta
nt , decrease concentration of electrolyte by adding the distilled water and det
ermine internal resistance of cell in each case .

observations :S.No.
Ammeter Reading (A) 0.3 0.3 0.3
1. 2. 3.
Pos. of null point ( cm ) ith R (l1 ithout ) R ( l2 ) 660.5 35.5 660.5 77.2 66
0.5 108.3
Shunt Resistance R() 1 2 3
r=( 0.94 1.77 2.51
)R
Table for effect of separation between electrodes :S.No. )R Separation Balancing
Balancing r=( between length length Electrodes-d (cm) (cm) ( l1 ) (cm) (l2) () 1
.2 326.6 276.9 0.456 2.5 320.7 219.1 0.95 3.7 660.5 350.9 1.406 r/d
1. 2. 3.
0.38 0.38 0.38
table for effect of temperature :S.No. Temperature (T) C 40 32 27 l1 (cm) 325 552
660.5 l2 (cm) 12 23.6 35.5 Resistan ce R () 1 1 1 r=( () 0.96 0.95 0.94 )R Tr (K)
301.44 291.96 283.87
1. 2. 3.

Conclusions :1. The Electromotive Force of the cell is constant and is equal to
E = 0.98 Volt 2. The internal resistance of a cell is directly proportional to t
he separation between the electrodes. 3. The internal resistance of a cell is in
versely proportional to the area of the electrodes dipped in electrolyte. 4. The
internal resistance of a cell is inversely proportional to the temperature of e
lectrolytes. 5. The internal resistance of a cell is inversely proportional to t
he concentration of the electrolyte.
Precautions :1. The connections should be neat , clean and tight. 2. The plugs s
hould be introduced in the keys only when the observations are to be taken. 3. T
he positive polls of the battery E and cells E1 and E2 should , all be connected
to the terminal at the zero of the wires. 4. The jockey key should not be rubbe
d along the wire. It should touch the wire gently. 5. The ammeter reading should
remain constant for a particular set of observation. If necessary , adjust the
rheostat for this purpose. 6. The e.m.f. of the battery should be greater than t
he e.m.f.'s of the either of the two cells.

7. Some high resistance plug should always be taken out from resistance box befo
re the jockey is moved along the wire. 8. The e.m.f. of the battery should be gr
eater than that of the cell. 9. For one set of observation the ammeter reading s
hould remain constant. 10. Current should be passed for short time only , while
finding the null point. 11. Rheostat should be adjusted so that initial null poi
nt lies on last wire of the potentiometer. 12. Cell should not be disturbed duri
ng experiment. 13. Jockey should not be rubbed against the potentiometer wire.
sources of error :1. The auxiliary battery may not be fully charged. 2. The pote
ntiometer wire may not be of uniform cross-section and material density througho
ut its length. 3. End resistances may not be zero.