VYDEHI SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE

Affiliated to CBSE, Delhi

Vydehi campus, Whitefield, Bengaluru
Karnataka

PHYSICS (042)
Project on:
Variations in current flowing in a circuit
containing LDR because of variations.
Year: 2024-25

Submitted to Submitted by – Anshika Prasad

Ms. Namita Sahu Class – XII A

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 VYDEHI SCHOOL OF EXCELLENCE
DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that ANSHIKA PRASAD of class XII-A has

successfully completed the project on TO STUDY THE
VARIATIONS IN CURRENT FLOWING IN A CIRCUIT
CONTAING A LDR BECAUSE OF VARIATIONS under the
guidance of MS. NAMITA during the academic year 2024-25 in
partial fulfillment of PHYSICS practical examination conducted by
AISSCE, New Delhi.

Signature of the Principal Signature of the teacher in charge

of the batch

Signature of the external examiner Signature of the

internal examiner

External examiner no:

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I want to express my most sincere thanks and gratitude to Ms.

Namita, my physics teacher, who's valuable feedback and
guidance in this project was a major contribution. Her constant
motivation and advice were the foundation to this project.

Next, I'd like to thank Ms. Sinia, our principal ma'am, for
extending support and co-ordination whenever possible which
aided in the productive and successful completion of this
project.

Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who helped me directly, or

indirectly in the completion of this project

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 CONTENTS

1. Certificate ……….………………………………………………. 2
2. Acknowledgement ………………………………………………. 3
3. Introduction ……………………………………………………... 5
4. Experiment - …..…………………………………………………. 7
a. Aim
b. Requirements
5. Theory……………………………………………………………. 7
6. Circuit Diagram………………………………………………..…10
7. Procedure...…………………………………………………….....11
8. Observations ……………………………………………..………12
9. Conclusion ………………………………………………..…… 13
10. Bibliography …………………………………………………...14

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INTRODUCTION:-
The general-purpose photoconductive cell is also known as LDR –
light dependent resistor. It is a type of semiconductor and its
conductivity changes with proportional change in the intensity of
light. There are two common types of materials used to manufacture
the photoconductive cells. They are Cadmium Sulphide (CdS) and
Cadmium Selenide (CdSe). Extrinsic devices have impurities added,
which have a ground state energy closer to the conduction band -
since the electrons don't have as far to jump, lower energy photons

(i.e. longer wavelengths and lower frequencies) are sufficient to

trigger the device. Two of its earliest applications were as part of
smoke and fire detection systems and camera light meters. The
structure is covered with glass sheet to protect it from moisture and
dust and allows only light to fall on it.

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APPLICATIONS:-
 The photoresistor is generally used in detecting the presence and
intensity of light
 Used in automatic lights that switch on and off according to
light
 Simple Smoke Detector Alarm, Clock with automatic light
 Optical circuit design
 Photo proximity switch
 Clock radios
 Can be used in Dynamic Compressors, some compressors use
LDR and LED connected to the signal source to create changes
in signal gain.

LIMITATIONS :-
 LDRs require a few milliseconds or more to respond fully to the
changes in light intensity, i.e. they require a few seconds to
return to their normal resistance once the light source is
removed.
 The sensitivity of a Light-dependent resistor varies with the
light wavelength. If the wavelength is outside a certain range, it
will not affect the resistance at all.
 Light-dependent resistors have lower sensitivity than
photodiodes and phototransistors.
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AIM :- To study the variations in current flowing in a circuit flowing
in a circuit containing a LDR because of a variation:
(a) In the power of the incandescent lamp, used to ‘illuminate’ the
LDR. (Keeping all the lamps at a fixed distance).
(b) In the distance of an incandescent lamp, (of fixed power), used to
‘illuminate’ the LDR.

APPARATUS :-
1. A light dependent resistor
2. A battery of 6V
3. A source of light(as lamps 25W, 40W, 60W, 100W and
200W)
4. A Multimeter (Micro Ammeter)

THEORY :-
Light dependent resistor is a resistor whose resistance changes with
the intensity of light incident on it.
It is made of cadmium sulphide. The resistance of LDR is 10mΩ (in
full dark) and to about 10−4 MΩ (in day light). The resistance of LDR
decreases with increase in in the intensity of light.

1.) LDR and its characteristics

When light is incident on it, a photon is absorbed and thereby it
excites an electron from valence band into conduction band.
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 Due to such new electrons coming up in conduction band area,
the electrical resistance of the device decreases. Thus the LDR
or photoconductive transducer has the resistance which is the
inverse function of radiation intensity.

λ0 = Threshold wavelength in meters

e = charge on one electron, in Coulombs
Eω = work function of the metal used, in Ev
Here we must note that any radiation with wavelength greater
than the value obtained in
above equation CANNOT PRODUCE any change in the resistance of
this device.
The band gap energy of Cadmium Sulphide is 2.42eV and for
Cadmium Selenide it is1.74eV. Due to such large energy gaps, both
the materials have extremely high resistivity at room temperature.

Characteristics of photoconductive cells

Now when the device is kept in darkness, its resistance is called
as dark resistance. This resistance is typically of the order of
1013 ohms. When light falls on it, its resistance decreases up to
several kilo ohms or even hundreds of ohms, depending on the
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 intensity of light, falling on it. The spectral response
characteristics of two commercial cells were compared in our
laboratory. And we found that there is almost no response to the
radiation of a wavelength which was shorter than 300nm. It was
very interesting to note that the Cadmium Sulphide cell has a
peak response nearer or within the green colour of the spectrum
within a range of 520nm. Thus, it can be used nearer to the
infra-red region up to 750nm. It was found that the maximum
response of Cadmium Sulphoselenide is in the yellow-orange
range at 615nm and also it can be used in the infra-red region up
to about 970nm

Sensitivity
The sensitivity of a photo detector is the relationship between
the light falling on the device and the resulting output signal. In
the case of a photocell, one is dealing with the relationship
between the incident light and the corresponding resistance of
the cell.

Spectral Response
Like the human eye, the relative sensitivity of a
photoconductive cell is dependent on the wavelength (color) of
the incident light. Each photoconductor material type has its
own unique spectral response curve or plot of the relative
response of the photocell versus wavelength of light.

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CIRCUIT DIAGRAM :-

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PROCEDURE:-
1. Arrange the apparatus as shown in in circuit diagram.
2. Now set the knob of multimeter on the point marked current.
3. Place a thick piece of black paper on the LDR, so that no light
falls on LDR. Record the current in multimeter.
4. Remove the black paper from the LDR. Record the current in
multimeter in presence of normal light in the laboratory and
determine the resistance of LDR by using, R = V/I
5. Now measure the resistances LDR by placing a lamp of 25W
over it.
6. Now measure the resistances for all lamps say 40W, 60W, 100W
and 200W by replacing 25W lamp one by one.
7. Now, select any one lamp (say 60W) and move it towards the
LDR for a distance 10cm and note the electric current in the
multimeter.
8. Move the same lamp towards the LDR to a distance of 8 cm and
again record the current.
9. Similarly, record the current in the multimeter for the distance
6cm, 4cm and 2cm.

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OBSERVATIONS:-
1. The EMF of the battery –
2. Range of Multimeter –
3. LC of Multimeter –
4. Zero error multimeter –
5. The distance of all lamps from LDR =
Table 1 for different power lamps
S. Mode of Incident Electric Current(I) Resistance
No Light (mA) R = V/I
1. With black paper
2. Lamp of 25W
3. Lamp of 40W
4. Lamp of 60W
5. Lamp of 100W
6. Lamp of 200W

Table 2 for a lamp placed at different distances

S. Distance between Current I (mA) Resistance
No source and LDR R= V/I
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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 6. Power of Lamp = ……….W

CONCLUSIONS:-
1. From table 1, it is concluded that electric current flowing
through a circuit containing LDR increases with the increase in
the power (Intensity) of the lamps. Hence the resistance of LDR
decreases.
2. From table 2, it is concluded that the electric current flowing in
a circuit containing LDR increases with decrease in the distance
between source of fixed power and LDR. Hence, as the distance
between light source and LDR increases the resistance of the
LDR decreases and vice-versa.

PRECAUTIONS:-
1. The source of light must be adjusted so that light falls normally
on the LDR.
2. Select suitable range of current in multimeter.
3. Source of light must radiate light continuously.
4. Connect LDR carefully to the voltage source.
5. The distance between source and LDR measured accurately.

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 BIBLIOGRPAHY:-
https://www.electronicsforu.com/technology-trends/learn-electronics/
ldr-light-dependent-resistors-basics#:~:text=Q%3A%20What%20are
%20the%20applications,cells%2C%20and%20automatic%20lighting
%20systems
NCERT Physics
Comprehensive Practical Physics

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