EXPERIMENT NO, 4

OBJECT:

To calibrate a Light Dependent Resister (LDR) and to measure a liner

displacement with the help of the LDR.

APPARATUS USED:

LDR with Instrumentation Tutor, Linear scale, Vernier Caliper, Wooden

Blocks.

THEORY:

ALight Dependent Resister (LDR), also known as photo resistor, photocell,

or photo conductor is a type of resistor whose resistance depends on the
amount of light falling on itssurface. The LDR set-up consists of two co
axially fitted cylinders as shown in Figure 1. The outer cylinder contains an
LDR at the closed end; and is firmly fixed to the base.

Resistance
decreasingwith
light intersity
Resistance

Light intensitly

Figue Figune 2
Cent..
 The inner cylinder moves back and forth inside of the outer cylinder; and
contains source of light at the closed end. The resistance of the LDR
decreases with increase in liqht intensíty falling on it and increases witn
decrease in light intensity falling on it. Therefore, change in position of the
light source is proportional to the change in resistance of the LDR. Variation
of the resistance of the LDR with the light intensity falling on it
is shown in
Figure 2.

PROCEDURE:
1 Check for smoothness in movement of the inner cylinder of the
LDR.
2 Connect leads of the LDR to the proper port in the
Instrumentation
tutor.

3. Switch on the power supply of the Instrumentation tutor.

4. Check for proper connectivity of the LDR to the Instrumentation tutor
by moving the inner cylinder back and forth. If the
output-indicating
device on the tutor is not responding properly to the inner cylinder
movement, then recheck the electrical connections and repeat step 1
to4.
5. Set the span of the output-indicating device with the help of span knob
on the tutor.

6. Bring inner cylinder of the LDR tonull position of the output-indicating

device.

7. Move the inner cylinder back and forth from the null position, in step.
Note down the linear displacements of the inner cylinder and the
corresponding output.
 8 Plot a curve between the output and the linear displacements for the
LDR and obtain the best fitting straight line using the method of
least
square.
9.
Move inner cylinder from null position toa
distance and note down the
reading of the output-indicating device.
10. Note down the displacement of the
inner cylinder for the current
position of the inner cylinder.
11.
Corresponding to this reading of the output-indicating device, find out
the displacement of the inner
cylinder from the calibration curve
obtained in step 8.
12. Find out the percentage error in the
measurement of displacement
obtained in step 11 w.rt. the
displacement obtained in step 10.
OBSERVATIONS:
(A)
1. Least count of linear scale
2. Least count of output device

(B) Observation Table:

Sr.
Displacement of the inner cylinder
No. Forward Backward
Displacement, x Output, eo Displacement, x Output, eo

Kentd.
 (C)

() Output corresponding to displacement of the inner cylinder

(Step 9) e':
(i) Displacement of the inner cylinder (Step 9) measured by the
linear scale x' =

CALCULATIONS:

For a given set of data point (Xi, y)(say n datapoints), the equation of best
fitting line using method of least squares is given by the following
expression:
y= a4x +ao . (1)
where,
.. (2)
nx-(2x)2
and

a =
n2xyi-2x y ..(3)
nx-2x)²
The value of the displacement of the inner cylinder from the calibration
curve i.e. from equation (1) is given by,
(4)

Thus,the percentage error in the measurement of displacement

% Error : X 100 .. (5)

RESULTS:

The displacement (unknown input) is found to be The

percentage error present in the measurement of this displacement by the

LDR is found to be
Contd..
PRECAUTIONS:
1, There should not be any physical defect in the
2.
measuring instruments.
The linear scale should be parallel to the axis of
the LDR.
3. The outer cylinder of the LDR and the linear scale
should be firmly
fixed to the base.
4. Movement of the inner cylinder should be smooth enough to ensure a
frictionless motion.
5, In collection of data points for calibration of LDR, the linear
displacement of the inner cylinder should be evenly distributed over its
range in one direction.
6. Remove parallax error, if any, in the output device.
7. Take steady state output values.

SOURCES OF ERRORS:

Give a scientific justification of your result point wise. (Hint: Identify the
modifying and the interfering inputs that are sources of errors in the
results).

EXPERIMENT LEVEL OUTCOME:

After performing thisexperiment, students will be able to calibrate an LDR

for measurement of a displacement in static as wellas indynamic conditions
as per the scientific standards.