PHYSICS

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT

2016-17
PHYSICS PROJECT ON:-

2017-18
NAME :Ashish Kumar

CLASS :XII Sci-A

ROLL NO :

SCHOOL :St. Vishna R.R.N School

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that Ashish kumar of class XII-Sci-A
has completed the physics project entitled: ‘Study on
moving coil Galvanometer', himself and under the
guidance of Mr. Kapil Dewedi
All the work related to the this is had been done by the
candidate himself. The approach was sincere and
scientific.

Mr. Kapil Dewedi Examiner

(Subject teacher)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I am grateful to the Almighty to give me strength to
successfully complete my project.

This project wouldn’t have been feasible without the

proper and rigorous guidance of my Physics teacher Mr.
Kapil Dewedi who guided me throughout this project
in every possible way.

I am deeply indebted to my school for providing the

best of facilities and environment to bring out our
innovation and spirit of inquiry through this venture.
This report is being submitted as a part of practical
examination conducted as per the guidelines issued by
CBSE.
INDEX
SL.NO TOPIC PAGE NO.
1. Introduction
2. Aim
 3. Apparatus
4. Theory
5. Procedure
6. Observations
7. Calculations
8. Results
9. Precautions
10. Sources of Error

11. Bibliography

INTRODUCTION

Moving coil galvanometer is a device used for

measuring the. current in a circuit. The
Principle of moving coil galvanometer is, that
a current carrying coil placed in a magnetic
field experiences a torque. It consists of a
rectangular coil of a large number of turns of
thin.

Principle:

When a current carrying coil is suspended in a uniform magnetic field it is acted

upon by a torque. Under the action of this torque, the coil rotates and the
deflection in the coil in a moving coil galvanometer is directly proportional to the
current flowing through the coil.
Construction of Suspended Type Moving Coil Galvanometer:

The suspended type consists of a rectangular coil of thin insulated copper wires
having a large number of turns.
The coil is suspended between the poles of a powerful horseshoe magnet by a
suspension fibre of phosphor-bronze. A spring is attached to the other end of the
coil. The current enters the coil through the fibre and leaves the coil through the
spring.
The upper end of the suspension fibre is connected to a rotating screw head so that
the plane of the coil can be adjusted in any desired position.
The horseshoe magnet has cylindrically concave pole-pieces. Due to this shape, the
magnet produces radial magnetic field so that when coil rotates in any position its
plane is always parallel to the direction of magnetic field. When current flows
through the coil it gets deflected.
Moving Coil Galvanometer 02

A soft iron cylinder is fixed inside the coil such that the coil can rotate freely
between the poles and around the cylinder. Due to the high permittivity, the soft
iron core increases the strength of the radial magnetic field.
A small plane mirror M is fixed to the suspension fibre. This along with lamp and
scale arrangement is used to measure the deflection of the coil.
Moving Coil Galvanometer 03

Theory:

Consider a rectangular coil PQRS of single turn having length ‘l’ and breadth ‘b’
suspended in a uniform magnetic field of induction B such that the plane of the
coil is parallel to the magnetic field. Let ‘I’ be the current through the coil.
Moving Coil Galvanometer 05

The sides PS and QR being parallel to the magnetic field do not experience any
force, but the sides PQ and RS being perpendicular to the magnetic field experience
force. The force experienced by each side is given by
F=BIl
By Fleming’s left-hand rule these forces are opposite in direction. As these two
forces are equal and opposite they form what is called as a couple and due to which
a torque acts on the coil which tries to deflect the coil. The deflection torque is
given by,
Torque = Force x Perpendicular distance between the forces.

τ= F x b

∴ τ = B Il×b

But l τ b = A, the area of the coil

∴ τ= B IA

If the coil has ‘n’ turns, then the deflecting torque is given by

∴ τ = n BIA

Under the action of this torque, the plane of the coil rotates through an angle θ
before coming to rest. Due to the radial magnetic field, the plane of the coil is
always parallel to the direction of magnetic field. Thus at any position, the
deflecting torque has constant magnitude. The rotation of the coil produces a twist
in the fibre which produces a restoring torque which is directly proportional to the
angle of deflection θ.
τ ∝ θ

∴ τ =k θ

Where k is the torque per unit twist (or torsional constant) of the suspension fibre.

When the coil comes to rest i.e. when it attains equilibrium, the restoring torque
will balance the deflecting torque. So in equilibrium position of the coil,
Deflecting torque = Restoring torque.

nBIA =kθ

Moving Coil Galvanometer 06

The quantities in bracket are constant, therefore

∴ I∝ q

Thus in a moving coil galvanometer current in the coil is directly proportional to

the angle of deflection of the coil.
Advantages of Moving Coil Galvanometers:

They are not affected by strong magnetic field.

They have the high torque to weight ratio.
They are very accurate and reliable.
Their scales are uniform.
Disadvantages of Moving Coil Galvanometers:

The change in temperature causes a change in restoring torque.

Restoring torque cannot be easily changed.
There is a possibility of damage to the phosphor bronze fibre or helical restoring
spring due to severe stresses.
Such instruments can only be used for measurement of direct current quantities and
can not be used for measurement of alternating current quantities.
Pivoted Type Moving Coil Galvanometer:

Construction :

Moving Coil Galvanometer 07

The rectangular coil of thin insulated copper wires having a large number of turns
is pivoted between the poles of a powerful horseshoe magnet. The coil is mounted
on a pivot between two supports. The supports are bearings with almost no
friction.
Two hairsprings are attached one above the coil and other below the coil which
controls the rotation of the coil. The two coils are spiraled in opposite directions.
Current enters through one coil and leaves through other.
A long pointer is attached to the coil which directly moves over a graduated scale.
The whole assembly is fitted in a box with a window through which deflection can
be observed.
Note:

The principle, working and theory of pivoted type moving coil galvanometer is the
same as suspended type moving coil galvanometer.
Sensitivity of Moving Coil Galvanometer:

The sensitivity of moving coil galvanometer is defined as the ratio of the change in
deflection of the galvanometer to the change in the current.
Sensitivity = dθ / di

A galvanometer is said to be sensitive if it gives larger deflection for a small

current.
The current in moving coil galvanometer is given by
Moving Coil Galvanometer 08

Thus the sensitivity of moving coil galvanometer can be increased by

Increasing the number turns (n) of the coil,
Increasing the area (A) of the coil,
increasing the magnetic induction (B) and
Decreasing the couple per unit twist (k) of the suspension fibre.
Limitations to Increase in Sensitivity of Moving Coil Galvanometer:

If the turns of the coil are increased the length of wire and hence the resistance of
the coil increases.
Increasing the area of the coil beyond limit makes the instrument bulky.
Increase in the number of turns and area of the coil increases the load on
suspension fibre. Hence spring higher value of k should be used which decreases the
sensitivity of the galvanometer.
Increasing the strength of magnetic induction leads to increase in the weight of the
apparatus.
Decreasing the couple per unit twist of the spring leads to decrease in the strength
of the spring.
Accuracy of Moving Coil Galvanometer:

The relative error in the measurement of current is given by di/i

For moving coil galvanometer, the current through it is given by
Moving Coil Galvanometer 09

Thus the error in the measurement of current depends only on the measurement of
the deflection in the galvanometer dθ.
For greater accuracy of the galvanometer, the ratio di / i should be small. It is small
when the deflection is large. Thus for greater accuracy, the deflection in the
galvanometer should be large for small current in it.
As the expression of accuracy does not contain the terms n, A, B and k the accuracy
is independent of the number of turns of the coil, the area of the coil, the magnetic
induction and constant for the spring.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 NCERT Physics Text Book for Class XII

 Comprehensive Physics Practical Book
 www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galvanometer
 www.icbse.com
 www.cbse.nic.in