PHYSICS PROJECT

ON
MOVING COIL GALVANOMETER

PROJECT PREPARED BY:

RISHIK SETH
XII
SESSION:2019-2020
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the project titled “moving

coil galvanometer” has been completed
sincerely and satisfactorily by Rishik Seth,
student of Class 12th (Science - PCM) of Delhi
Public School Kalyanpur, for the academic year
2019-20 as per the guidelines prescribed by CBSE,
New Delhi.

Teacher’s signature
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It would be my utmost pleasure to express my

sincere thanks to Mr. Rajesh Pal and Mr. Vijay
Srivastav in providing a helping hand in the
project. Their valuable guidance, support and
supervision all through this project titled moving
coil galvanometer are responsible for attaining
its present form.

Rishik Seth
XII
 OBJECTIVE

To study the basic schematic structure of

a moving coil galvanometer and the basic
process underlying the conversion of a
moving coil galvanometer into an
ammeter and a voltmeter.
 CONTENTS

1.Principle
2.Construction
3.Working
4.Sensitivity
5.Conversion of Galvanometer into Voltmeter
6.Conversion of Galvanometer into Ammeter
7.Advantages
8.Disadvantages
 PRINCIPLE

The principle behind moving coil

galvanometer is that when current carrying
coil is suspended in a uniform magnetic field it
is acted by the torque. So it can be said that
the deflection in the coil in a moving coil
galvanometer is directly proportional to the
current flowing through the coil.
 CONSTRUCTION

It consists of a rectangular coil of thin insulated copper

wires having a large number of turns. 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. 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.
 WORKING
When the current to be calculated is passed through the coil, the coil
experiences a deflecting torque resulting in turning of the coil. The
coil turns, the wire gets twisted such that restoring couple develops
in the wire in opposite direction.
Let n be the number of turns of the coil, A to the area of the coil, B is
the magnetic induction field, and I is the current through the coil.
The coil experiences a constant and maximum deflecting torque as
the plane of the coil is parallel to the magnetic field.

τd = nIAB

Where C is the restoring couple per twist and θ is the deflection of

the coil, then restoring torque is given as
τr =Cθ
The deflecting torque is equal to the restoring torque when it is in
equilibrium position.
I=kθ
Where k= CnAB
∴I∝θ
Thus, a galvanometer is capable of indicating even small values of
current in the circuit because of which it is also used to detect if any
amount of current is flowing in the circuit or not. Here, when no
current is flowing through the circuit, the pointer remains
undeflected, that is, at the mean position and depending upon the
direction of the current in the circuit, the pointer deflects to the right
or to the left.
 SENSITIVITY
The current sensitivity of a galvanometer is defined as the
deflection produced when unit current passes through the
galvanometer. A galvanometer is said to be sensitive if it
produces large deflection for a small current.
∴ 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝜑 𝑖 = 𝑁𝐵𝐴

There are two types of sensitivity:

 Current sensitivity
 Voltage sensitivity
How to increase Sensitivity of Moving Coil
Galvanometer?
Following are the parameters which help in
increasing sensitivity of moving coil galvanometer
depends on:
 Number of turns (n) of the coil
 Area of the coil (A)
 Magnetic induction (B)
 Couple per unit twist of the suspension fibre
(k)
Conversion of Galvanometer
into Voltmeter

Voltmeter is an instrument used to measure potential

difference between the two ends of a current carrying
conductor. A galvanometer can be converted into a
voltmeter by connecting a high resistance in series with
it. The scale is calibrated in volt. The value of the
resistance connected in series decides the range of the
voltmeter.

Galvanometer resistance = G

The current required to produce full scale deflection in

the galvanometer = Ig
Range of voltmeter = V

Resistance to be connected in series = R

Since R is connected in series with the galvanometer,

the current through the galvanometer,

From the equation the resistance to be connected in

series with the galvanometer is calculated.

The effective resistance of the voltmeter is

Rv is very large, and hence a voltmeter is connected in

parallel in a circuit as it draws the least current from
the circuit. In other words, the resistance of the
voltmeter should be very large compared to the
resistance across which the voltmeter is connected to
measure the potential difference.
Conversion of Galvanometer
into Ammeter

A galvanometer is a device used to detect the flow of

current in an electrical circuit. Even though the
deflection is directly proportional to the current, the
galvanometer scale is not marked in ampere. Being a
very sensitive instrument, a large current cannot be
passed through the galvanometer, as it may damage the
coil. However, a galvanometer is converted into an
ammeter by connecting a low resistance in parallel with
it. As a result, when large current flows in a circuit,
only a small fraction of the current passes through the
galvanometer and the remaining larger portion of the
current passes through the low resistance. The low
resistance connected in parallel with the galvanometer
is called shunt resistance.
The value of shunt resistance depends on the fraction
of the total current required to be passed through the
galvanometer. Let Ig be the maximum current that can
be passed through the galvanometer. The current
Ig will give full scale deflection in the galvanometer.

Since the galvanometer and shunt resistance are

parallel, potential is common.

The effective resistance of the ammeter Ra is (G in

parallel with S)

Ra is very low and this explains why an ammeter should

be connected in series. When connected in series, the
ammeter does not appreciably change the resistance
and current in the circuit.
 Advantages of
Moving Coil Galvanometer

 Strong magnetic field cannot affect the

moving coil galvanometer.
 The ratio of torque to weight is high.
 The scales used are uniform.
 The results obtained are reliable and
accurate.
 Disadvantages of
Moving Coil Galvanometer

 Change in restoring torque is a result of

change in temperature.
 It is not easy to change restoring torque.
 Helical restoring spring might get damaged
due to severe stress.
 Moving coil galvanometer can be used only
for the measurement of direct current.
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
BOOKS-

CLASS 12 PHYSICS NCERT

WEBSITES-

https://www.byjus.com/physics/moving-coil-
galvanometer/
https://selfstudypoint.in/moving-coil-
galvanometer/
https://selfstudypoint.in/moving-coil-
galvanometer/
TEACHER’S REMARKS