Skip to content
Question of 42

Q.State Wheatstone bridge principle. Use Kirchhoff's Laws to obtain the relation between the resistance in four arms of the Wheatstone bridge by drawing circuit diagram.

Punjab PsebPSEB Punjab Class 12 Board 2019Subjective· 4mImportance★★★★★
0% · 0/42 Questions
🔒 Locked · start free trial →

You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.

Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →
Figure — Stem asks to derive the balance relation 'by drawing circuit diagram'; NCERT fig 3.18 'The Wheatstone bridge c
Figure — Stem asks to derive the balance relation 'by drawing circuit diagram'; NCERT fig 3.18 'The Wheatstone bridge c

A Wheatstone bridge balances when the ratio of resistances in one pair of arms equals the ratio in the other pair, giving zero galvanometer deflection — derived directly from Kirchhoff's two laws.

Wheatstone bridge principle: it is a four-arm resistance network (arms P, Q, R, S) with a galvanometer connected between the midpoints of two opposite arms, and a battery across the other diagonal. The bridge is said to be balanced when no current flows through the galvanometer.

Circuit: Let the four arms be P (A to B), Q (B to C), R (A to D), S (D to C), with the battery connected between A and C, and the galvanometer (with resistance G) between B and D. Current I1I_1 flows through P and Q, and I2I_2 through R and S; at balance, the galvanometer current Ig=0I_g = 0.

Using Kirchhoff's laws:

  1. Junction rule at B: current entering B (I1I_1, through P) splits into the galvanometer branch (IgI_g) and Q. At balance Ig=0I_g = 0, so the same current I1I_1 continues through both P and Q. Similarly at D, the same current I2I_2 continues through both R and S. …

Unlock everything free for 14 days

  • Full step-by-step solutions
  • Concept-first explanations
  • Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
  • PYQ mapping + timed mock tests

Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.