If the resistance R2 in a Wheatstone bridge is halved, what effect does it have
Practice Questions
Q1
If the resistance R2 in a Wheatstone bridge is halved, what effect does it have on the balance condition?
The bridge remains balanced
The bridge becomes unbalanced
The bridge becomes balanced again
The current through the galvanometer decreases
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
If the resistance R2 in a Wheatstone bridge is halved, what effect does it have on the balance condition?
Step 1: Understand what a Wheatstone bridge is. It is a circuit used to measure unknown resistances by balancing two legs of a bridge circuit.
Step 2: Identify the components of the Wheatstone bridge. It has four resistors: R1, R2, R3, and R4, and a voltage source.
Step 3: Know the balance condition. The bridge is balanced when the ratio of the resistances in one leg equals the ratio in the other leg: (R1/R2) = (R3/R4).
Step 4: Consider what happens when R2 is halved. If R2 becomes R2/2, the ratio (R1/R2) changes because R2 is now smaller.
Step 5: Analyze the new balance condition. The new ratio becomes (R1/(R2/2)) = (2*R1/R2). This means the left side of the equation increases.
Step 6: Conclude that since the left side of the balance condition increases, it will no longer equal the right side (R3/R4), making the bridge unbalanced.
Wheatstone Bridge Balance Condition – The balance condition of a Wheatstone bridge is determined by the ratio of the resistances in the two branches. If one resistance is changed, it can disturb the balance.
