Lab-4 Kelvin bridge

Objective:
R2
Design a Kelvin bridge and measure the unkown
resistance.

Requirements :

 Multisim11.0 or higher

 Breadboard

 Oscilloscope
Fig.1.
 Potentiometer R2=100Ω
Fig.1
 Resistances Ra=1kΩ, Rb=1Ω ,and R1=470Ω, R3=1mΩ

 Unknown resistance

 Connecting leads, wires etc.

Theory :

Definition: The Kelvin bridge or Thompson bridge is used for measuring the unknown
resistances having a value less than 1Ω. It is the modified form of the Wheatstone Bridge

What is the need of Kelvin Bridge?

Wheatstone bridge use for measuring the resistance from a few ohms to several kilo-ohms. But
error occurs in the result when it is used for measuring the low resistance. This is the reason
because of which the Wheatstone bridge is modified, and the Kelvin bridge obtains. The Kelvin
bridge is suitable for measuring the low resistance.

Modification of Wheatstone Bridge

In Wheatstone Bridge, while measuring the low-value resistance, the resistance of their lead
and contacts increases the resistance of their total measured value. This can easily be
understood with the help of the circuit diagram

Procedure :

 Construct the circuit as shown in Fig1.

 Balance bridge so that the voltage across the voltmeter is 0v.
 Building the circuit for balance that mean we chose values for Ra,Rb,R3 and R1
resisters where are in :
Rb /Ra=R3/R1
Where the balance condition :
Rb /Ra=R3/R1=Rx/R2 ---------------- *
 The R2 pot is changed for achieve the balance (0A cross ammeter ) .
 calculate the Rx when balance is happen from balance condition.

1
 o What is the actual value of the Rx to be measured?

RR1= Ω
x= kΩ

o What is the value set for the R2 when the voltage across the
voltmeter of the bridge reaches a minimum on the oscilloscope?

R2=
R2
C1= Ω
nF

o What is the value of the Rx? Appling the relation *

RR1=
x= Ω
kΩ

Bridge circuit details:

Kelvin bridge is a modified version of the
Wheatstone bridge.

The purpose of the modification is to eliminate the

effects of contact and lead resistance when
measuring unknown low resistances.

The measurement with a high degree of accuracy

can be done using the Kelvin bridge for resistors in
the range of 1 Ω to approximately 1 µΩ.

Fig.2: Basic Kelvin Bridge

showing a second set of ratio
arms

 The resistor Rlc represents the lead and contact resistance present in the Wheatstone
bridge.

 The second set of ratio arms (Ra and Rb in figure) compensates for this relatively low
lead-contact resistance.

2
 When a null exists, the value for Rx is the same as that for the Wheatstone bridge, which is

R2 R3 Rx R3
Rx  or 
R1 R2 R1
At balance the ratio of Rb to Ra must be equal to the ratio of R3 to R1. Therefore,

Rx R3 Rb
 
R2 R1 Ra

Questions
What are the application of Kelvin bridge?