Answer Key

Class: 12 Worksheet Number: 12/Phy/02/QB2

Subject: Physics Chapter: 3– Current Electricity
(Potentiometer & Wheatstone’s Bridge)

1. A potentiometer does not draw any current from the battery at the null point. Any practical voltmeter
will draw current from the battery while measuring emf as they don’t have infinite resistance, thus
giving a value of voltage less than the actual emf. Hence a potentiometer is used in place of a
voltmeter.

2. The basic principle of a potentiometer is that when a constant current flows through a wire of uniform
cross sectional area and composition, the potential drop across any length of the wire is directly
proportions to that length.

3. Null deflection method.

4. Meter Bridge works on the principle of Wheatstone’s bridge.

(i) The emf of the cell connected in main circuit may not be more than the e.m.f of the primary
5.
cells whose emfs are to be compared.
(ii) The positive ends of all cells are not connected to the same end of the wire.
6. The equivalent resistance of the external network is
R 1R 2 13  13
R eq    6.5 
R1  R 2 13  13
Er  Er
Equivalent emf = = E = 1.5 V
rr
[cells are identical their internal resistance would be the same]
 Eeq  V  1.5  1.4 
r  R eq    6.5     0.464 
 V   1.4 
7. E = 4V, r = 0.5  , R1 = 7.5 
Total resistance = R + r = 8
E 4
I1    0.5 A
Rr 8

V1 = IR = 0.5  7.5 = 3.75 V

R2 = 11.5 
E 4 1
I2    A
R  r 11.5  0.5 3

1
V2 = I2R2 =  11.5 = 3.83 V
3
E  V1 0.25
(i)    1.47
E  V2 0.17

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 Answer Key
1
I1 3
(ii) and  2   1.5
I2 1 2
3
8 l1 = 55 cm, l2 = 50 cm
l   55 
r   1  1 R    1 10  1
 l2   50 
 r=1
9. Given : length of the wire l = 10 m
RAB = 20 , E = 5V, Rs = 480 
Current through the wire is
E 5 5
I  
R AB  R 480  20 500

 I = 0.01 A
Potential difference across the length of the wire is
V = IRAB = 0.01  20 = 0.2 V
V 0.2
i) Potential gradient, k =   0.02 V / m
l 10
ii) An unknown emf is balanced at length l = 6.0 m
E = k l V = 0.02  6.0 = 0.12 V
 unknown emf E = 0.12 V
10 i) l = 39.5 cm ; (100 – l) = 60.5 cm
X l
 
Y 100  l

39.5
 X=  12.5
60.5
 X = 8.16 
ii) Thick copper wire is used as they have large
cross sectional thereby less resistance which minimize the effect of the resistance of wire, which
we don’t consider while formulating resistance relevant in meter bridge.
iii) No, the galvanometer will show zero deflection.
11. Given : l = 100 cm, R = 10 , R = 5 , E = 3V
V = 1.2 V
To find : balancing length L
Current through the wire

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 Answer Key
E 3 3
I   = 0.2 A
R  R 10  5 15
'

Voltage across the length of wire

V = IR = 0.2  10  = 2V
V 2
 Potential gradient K =  = 0.02 V/cm
l 100
The voltage source is balanced against length l.
 V = kl
1.2 = 0.02 l
1.2
l= = 60 cm.
0.02
12 Sensitivity of a potentiometer is the value of smallest potential difference that it can measure
accurately.
i) If AC=60 cm wire is balanced against a potential difference of 1.5 V then AB=100 cm (total
length of wire) is balanced for
For potentiometer at null point, E / V = l1/ l2where E= 1.5 V, l1= 60 cm , l2= 100 cm
1.5
 100 = 2.5 V, VAB = 2.5 V
60
13 E = 5V, l = 500 m
E 5
K=  = 0.01 V/m (V=E since cell has negligible
l 500
internal resistance also no resistance is connected in series
with the cell)
We have,
(Emfs connected in the same polarity in series are additive)
(Two emfs connected in the opposite polarity in series have
a total emf equal to the difference between them)
E1 + E2 = K x350 = 0.01  350 = 3.5
E1– E2 = K x 50 = 0.01  350 = 0.5
 E1 + E2 = 3.5, E1– E2 = 0.5,
2E1 = 4 E1 = 2V
E2 = 1.5 V
14. l1 = 600 cm, I = 40 mA, E2 = 2V, r = 10, l2 = 500 cm (null point)
E 2 l2 l 600
i)  E1 = E2 1 = 2  = 2.4 V
E1 l1 l2 500

V 2.4
 Resistance of the wire =  = 60 
I 40  103

2
ii) Reading of voltmeter = Kl =  490 = 1.96 V
500
V 2  1.96
iii) Resistance of voltmeter : Current drawn by voltmeter I'    4 mA
R 10

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 Answer Key
1.96
RV = 3
= 0.49  103 = 490 
4  10

15. When null point is obtained at point D, L1 =40 cm and L2= 100-40 = 60 cm
𝑅1 𝐿1
Therefore, 𝑅2 = 𝐿2

R1/R2 = 40/60 =>2/3 -------(1)

When 10 ohm resistance is connected in series with the R1, net resistance is R1+ 10 and ythe null
point which is obtained is at 60 cm hence the other length 100-60 = 40 cm
𝑅1+10 60
= 40 -------(2)
𝑅2

Dividing eqtn 1 and 2

R1/(R1+10) = 4/9
9R1 =4R1+40
5R1=40
R1= 8 ohm
R2 = 12 ohm
16.

17. The basic principle of a potentiometer is that when constant current flows through a wire of uniform
cross-sectional area and composition, the potential drop across any length of the wire is directly
proportional to that length.

4
 Answer Key
E 2 l2

E1 l1

l2
 E2 = E1
l1

Sensitivity of a potentiometer can be increased by reducing the

potential gradient which can be done by either increasing the length of the wire or reducing the
current in the circuit the help of a rheostat.
(i) If resistance R is increased the balance point will shift towards point B.(Because increasing the
resistance decreases the potential gradient which increases the length if wire)
(ii) If resistance S is increased there won’t be any shift in the balance point because at balance point
current drawn from the source Q is zero.

18. Fall of potential per unit length of the wire is known as the potential gradient.
The basic principle of potentiometer is V α l
When key a is closed E1 is introduce in the circuit null
point is obtained at point J1 which corresponds to length l1
Therefore, E1 α l1 ----------(1)
Now when key a is open and key b is closed E2 is
introduced in the circuit null point is obtained at J2 which
corresponds to l2, similarly,
E2 α l2 ---------(2)
From 1 and 2
E1/E2 = l1/l2
19 After taking out a suitable resistance R from the resistance
box, the jockey is moved along the wire AC till there is no
deflection in the galvanometer. This is balanced condition
of the Wheatstone bridge. It P and Q are the resistance of
the parts AB and BC of the wire, then for the balanced
condition of the bridge, we have
P R

Q S
Resistance of wire  length of wire
P reis tan ce of AB 6l l
  
Q reis tan ce of BC 6 (100  l ) 100  l

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 Answer Key
R l R (100  l )
 S
S 100  l l
If the resistance measured to be very low, then we can have the resistance of the low resistor lower
or comparable to the resistance of the connecting wires of the bridge. This would make the meter
bridge very unstable for measuring the low value of resistances.
20 The basic principle of a potentiometer is that when a
constant current flows through a wire of uniform
crosssectional are and composition, the potential drop
across any length of the wire is directly proportional to that
length.
E 2 l2

E1 l1

l2
 E2 = E1
l1

Sensitivity of a potentiometer can be increased by reducing the potential gradient which can be done
by either increasing the length of the wire or reducing the current in the circuit the help of a rheostat.
21 R l1
 ----(1)
S 100  l
When X is connected in parallel to S, the balancing
relation becomes.
R l2 R (X  S) l2
   ---2)
XS 100  l2 XS 100  l2
XS

(2)  (1)
R (X  S) S l2 X  S l2 l2
.   
XS R 100  l2  X l1 100  l2

S l2  100  l1 
I   
X l1  100  l2 

S l (100  l1 ) l1 (100  l2 )  l2 (100  l1 )

 1  2 
X l1 (100  l2 ) l1 (100  l1 )

S
= l1 100 – l2l1 – l2 100
X
S  l1 (100  l2 ) 
X S  
l2 (100  l1 )  (100 (l2  l1 ) 
1
l1 (100  l2 )

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 Answer Key
After taking out a suitable resistance R from the resistance
22.
box, the jockey is moved along the wire AC till there is no
deflection in the galvanometer. This is balanced condition of
the Wheatstone bridge. It P and Q are the resistance of the
parts AB and BC of the wire, then for the balanced condition
of the bridge, we have
P R

Q S
Resistance of wire  length of wire
P reis tan ce of AB 6l l
  
Q reis tan ce of BC 6 (100  l ) 100  l

R l R (100  l )
 S
S 100  l l
In a meter bridge thick copper wire are used to increase the area of cross section that would reduce
the resistance of the wire as, the wire’s resistance is not taken into consideration while desiring the
reaction, using thick wires minimizes error because of that.
There would not be any shift in the balance point if R and S are interchanged with each other.
23. V = Ro I
E E
I 
Ro  Rp  RS 
Ro   
 R  S
Potential drop per unit length of potential wire i.e.
V E Ro  E (R  S)  Ro
K   
L  RS  L  RS  R o (R  S)  L
Ro   
 R  S

 E (R  S)  Ro
K 
 RS  R o (R  S)  L

The test cell should have max emf less than emf of driving cell. The positive terminal of both the

cells should be connected together.