Contents:-

 Basics about magnetic effects of current and magnetism

 Torque on a current carrying coil placed in a magnetic field
 Brief introduction into the different types of Galvanometers along
with brief description
 General structure of a moving coil galvanometer
 Conversion of a Galvanometer into an Ammeter
 Conversion of a Galvanometer into a Voltmeter

Page 1
Moving Coil Galvanometer:-
 Introduction:-

A galvanometer is an electromechanical instrument for detecting and indicating electric

current. A galvanometer works as an actuator, by producing a rotary deflection (of a
"pointer"), in response to electric current flowing through a coil in a constant magnetic
field. Galvanometers developed from the observation that the needle of a magnetic
compass is deflected near a wire that has electric current flowing through it, first
described by Hans Oersted in 1820. They were the first instruments used to detect and
measure small amounts of electric currents. Sensitive galvanometers have been essential
for the development of science and technology in many fields. Galvanometers also had
widespread use as the visualising part in other kinds of analog meters, for example in
light meters, VU meters, etc., where they were used to measure and display the output of
other sensors.

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.

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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.
Schematic Diagram of a Moving Coil Galvanometer

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Working:-
When a current flows through the coil, a torque acts on it. This torque is given
by the equation
𝜏 = 𝑁𝑖𝐴𝐵 where the symbols have their usual meaning. Since the field is radial
by design, we have taken sin 𝜃 = 1 in the above expression for the torque. The
magnetic torque 𝜏 = 𝑁𝑖𝐴𝐵 tends to rotate the coil. A spring Sp provides a
counter torque 𝜏 = 𝐾𝜑 that balances the magnetic torque 𝜏 = 𝑁𝑖𝐴𝐵; resulting
in a steady angular deflection 𝜑.
In equilibrium, 𝐾𝜑 = 𝑁𝑖𝐴𝐵 where 𝐾 is the torsional constant of the spring; i.e.
the restoring torque per unit twist. The deflection 𝜑 is indicated on the scale by
a pointer attached to the
𝑁𝐴𝐵

spring. We have K 𝜑 = NIBA

The quantity given in brackets is a constant for the galvanometer. Hence,

Galvanometer Constant G can be expressed as:-

𝑁𝐴𝐵
𝐺=
𝐾

∴ 𝜑 = 𝐺𝑖

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 ∴𝑖 ∝ 𝜑

So, the current through the coil varies linearly with the deflection and so, the
current flowing through the coil can be known by measuring the deflection.

The galvanometer can be used as a detector to check if a current is flowing in

the circuit (this configuration is used in the Wheatstone’s bridge arrangement).
In this usage the

neutral position of the pointer (when no current is flowing through the

galvanometer) is in the middle of the scale and not at the left end. Depending
on the direction of the current, the pointer deflection is either to the right or the
left.

Quick Fact: Greek scientist, Archimedes was the first person to have made use of magnets. The
story goes that he enabled enemy ships to sink by using lodestone to pull out the iron nails used
in the ship's body.

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Current Sensitivity of Galvanometer:-

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.

𝜑
∴ 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 I = K𝜑

NBA

 Factors increasing Current Sensitivity:-

𝑖
Increasing the magnetic field B by using strong permanent horse shoe
shaped magnet.
Increasing the number of turns N. But number of turns of the coil cannot be
increased beyond a certain limit. This is because the resistance of the
galvanometer will increase subsequently and hence the galvanometer becomes
less sensitivity.
Increasing the area of the coil A. But it will make the galvanometer bulky
and ultimately less sensitive.
Decreasing the value of restoring force constant k by using a flat strip of
phosphor
– bronze instead of circular wire of phosphor – bronze. Quartz fibers can also
be used for suspension of the coil because they have large tensile strength and
very low value of K.

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 Voltage Sensitivity of Galvanometer:-

The voltage sensitivity of a galvanometer is defined as the deflection per unit

voltage.

∴ 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑆𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝜑= 𝑁𝐵𝐴 where G = Galvanometer

Resistance
𝑉 𝐼𝐺 𝐾𝐺

An interesting point to note is that, increasing the current sensitivity does

not necessarily, increase the voltage sensitivity. When the number of turns (n)
is doubled, current sensitivity is also doubled (equation 1). But increasing the
number of turns correspondingly increases the resistance (G). Hence voltage
sensitivity remains unchanged.

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 Factors increasing Voltage Sensitivity:-
 Increasing number of turns of the coil (N)

Increasing magnetic field intensity (B)

Increasing area of the coil (A)
Decreasing restoring torque per unit twist of the suspension (k)
Decreasing resistance (G)

 Advantages of a Moving Coil Galvanometer:-

 The sensitivity of the galvanometer can be increased by increasing N, B and
A while decreasing the value of k.
The instrument has a linear scale.
Since the instrument uses high value of B, the deflection is undisturbed by
the earth’s magnetic field.
As the coil is wound on a nonmagnetic metallic frame, damping is produced
by eddy currents. As a result the coil quickly assumes the final position.

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 Conversion of a Galvanometer
to an Ammeter and a Voltmeter:-
 Conversion of a Galvanometer into an Ammeter:-

The galvanometer cannot as such be used as an ammeter to measure the value

of the current in a given circuit. This is for two reasons: (i) Galvanometer is a
very sensitive device, it gives a full-scale deflection for a current of the order
of µA. (ii) For measuring currents, the galvanometer has to be connected in
series, and as it has a large resistance, this will change the value of the current
in the circuit. To overcome these difficulties, one attaches a small resistance S,
called shunt resistance, in parallel with the galvanometer coil; so that most of
the current passes through the shunt.

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 I g will give
full scale deflection in the galvanometer.

Galvanometer Resistance = G Shunt Resistance = S

Current in the circuit = I

∴ 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑟𝑜𝑢𝑔ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝐼𝑠 = 𝐼 − 𝐼𝑔

Since the galvanometer and the shunt resistance are connected in parallel, the
potential difference across both of them is same.

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 ∴ 𝐼𝑔 . 𝐺 = 𝐼 − 𝐼𝑔 . 𝑆

𝐼𝑔
∴ 𝑆 = 𝐺.
𝐼 − 𝐼𝑔

The shunt resistance is very small because Ig is only a fraction of I.

The effective resistance of the ammeter Ra is (G in parallel with S):-

𝐺. 𝑆
𝑅𝑎 =

𝐺+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. Hence an ideal ammeter is one which has
zero resistance.

Conversion of a Galvanometer into a 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.

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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,

𝑉
∴ 𝐼𝑔 =
𝑅+𝐺

𝑉–G
∴𝑅 =
Ig

From the equation the resistance to be connected in series with the

galvanometer is calculated. The effective resistance of the
voltmeter is:-

∴ 𝑅𝑣 = 𝑅 + 𝐺

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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. Otherwise, the
voltmeter will draw a large current from the circuit and hence the current
through the remaining part of the circuit decreases. In such a case the potential
difference measured by the voltmeter is very much less than the actual
potential difference. The error is eliminated only when the voltmeter has a
high resistance. An ideal voltmeter is one which has infinite resistance.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY:

 www.google.co.in
 Reference books NCERT, Pradeep
 Slideshare.com
 Academics.com

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