THERMAL PHYSICS

PLATINUM RESISTOR THERMOMETER

PRT

By
20/6689 PRAMOD MOURYA
 AIM
To determine the temperature coefficient of
resistance for platinum using a Carey foster
bridge and a platinum resistance
thermometer
 APPRATUS
• Platinum resistance thermometer
• Carey foster bridge
• Galvanometer
• Two resistance boxes, fractional resistance box
• Thermometer
• Battery
• Water heater
• One way key
 THEORY
• Platinum resistance thermometer is based in the principle that the
resistance of pure platinum wire increase with its temperature
according to the formula
RT=R0[1+αT+βt2]

R0 – Resistance at 0
RT – Resistance at T
α – temperature coeffi. Of resistance
β – Van Dusen correction factor
DESCRIPTION OF THE APPRATUS
• A short length ABC of platinum wire is doubled and wound on a mica frame
and placed at the bottom of a thin porcelain tube M. its end A and C are
soldered to long copper lead wires. The two wires are taken through holes
in mica discs marked D and attached at the top to the terminals marked PP.

• Two additional identical copper wires joined at the bottom are placed by
the side of PP. they are marked CC and are called compensating wires as
these wires are connected to compensate for the resistance of the other
leads connected to the platinum wire.
 Internal view

Platinum resistance thermometer

 PRT for higher temperature

PRT for lower temperature

Temperature Coefficient of Resistance (α):
Temperature Coefficient of Resistance for a material can be define as the increase
in the resistance of a wire of that material per unit resistance per degree rise in
temperature
If r1and r2 represent the resistance of the PRT at t1 and t2 respectively, than
R1=R0[1+αT1]
R2=R0[1+αT2]

Simplify for α
CIRCUIT USED
 PROCEDURE
• Make the proper circuit. Keep the PRT in a beaker. Connect the leads PP in the outer gap 1 of the Carey
foster bridge and the compensating leads in gap 4 with series connection the fractional resistance box r.
connect two equal resistance R and S in the inner gaps. Galvanometer is connected as usual with the
jockey.
• Put some crushed ice in the beaker and note down the temperature(t1).
• Introduce a suitable resistance r in the fractional resistance box and obtain the null point near the middle
of the bridge wire. Let its distance from the end A be l1.
• Note l2 from the same end by interchanging the resistances in the outer gaps.
• Now remove ice from beaker and keep the PRT in a water at room temperature(t2). Note down the
temperature t2 and again determine the length l1 and l2 (by interchanging outer gap resistances.
• Now let the water boil for some time so that the PRT acquires a constant temperature(t3).and again
determine the length l1 and l2 with respect to t3
• Repeat the all procedure for different values of fractional resistance r.
• Plot the graph between (l1-l2)and fractional resistance r.
• Extend the graph plot and read off the resistance r at (l1-l2)=0. it will be the resistance R of the PRT at
that curve temperature.
• Calculate aifa for the three pairs of observations and find the mean value of alfa.
S.N. Fractional
OBSERVATIONS
ICE WATER[T1](CM) NORMAL WATER[T2](CM) BOILING WATER[T3](CM)
resistance
L1 L2 L2-L1 L1 L2 L2-L1 L1 L2 L2-L1

1. 1.0 15.0 64.9 49.6 16.1 78.5 62.4 02.2 96.6 94.4
2. 1.1 18.0 62.6 44.6 19.8 74.9 56.9 02.8 89. 86.2
3. 1.2 20.5 58.9 38.4 20.8 78.2 51.9 05.6 87.9 82.1
4. 1.3 25.3 57.6 32.3 23.0 69.5 46.5 08.1 85.5 77.4
5. 1.4 27.8 54.7 26.9 25.6 67.0 41.9 10.6 83. 72.4
6. 1.5 30.3 51.3 21.0 28.0 64.3 36.3 13.5 78.7 65.2
7. 1.6 33.5 51.7 18.2 30.3 61.9 31.0 17.5 77.3 59.8
8. 1.7 36.0 49.5 13.5 33.7 59.0 25.3 21.7 74.6 52.9
9. 1.8 38.2 47.1 89.0 36.2 56.4 20.2 23.6 72. 48.4
10 1.9 39.4 42.7 33.0 38.4 52.5 15.1 27.6 69.4 41.8
11 2.0 41.0 38.0 -3.0 40.6 49.8 09.2 29.7 66.2 36.5
GRAPH
 CALCULATIONS
• WITH THE HELP OF GRAPH WE GET;
R1=1.96 𝝮 T1=0°C
R2=2.17 𝝮 T2=26°C
R3=2.72 𝝮 T3=100°C
CALCULATIONS FOR TEMPERATURE COEFFICIENT OF RESISTANCE α
THE VALUE OF FOR THREE PAIRS– (R1,R2), (R2,R3), (R3,R1)

= 0.0042 °C-1

= 0.0038 °C-1

= 0.0039 °C-1

Mean value of α

= 0.0039667 °C-1
ERROR CALCULATIONS

Error= standard value – experimental value

=0.003923- 0.0039667
ERROR= ±0.0000437 °C-1

Percentage Error

PERCENTAGE ERROR = 1.114%

 RESULTS
Temperature coefficient of resistance for the platinum wire of PRT,
α= 0.0039667 °C-1

ERROR=±0.0000437
PERCENTAGE ERROR= 1.114 %
 PRECAUTIONS
• The balance null point should be determine only when the temperature
acquired by PRT is steady state.
• The balancing wire of the Carey Foster bridge should be large about 10 m to get
high accuracy.
• The inner resistance should be equal and in the order of resistance in outer gaps.
• The power supply should be constant and the current should be not high.
• The jockey should be touch gently and momentarily on balancing wire
• The connecting wires connect with PP and CC should be small or should be
equal.
• the temperature of PRT should be constant during the experiment. Means the ice
in beaker should not be melt and water should be boiling during observation.
 SOURCES OF ERROR
• Quality of PRT.
• Material of connecting wires.
• Balance wire length Carey foster bridge.
• kinks on balance wire.
• Rust on keys of resistance box.
• Least count of apparatus (thermometer).
• Sensitivity of galvanometer (sensitivity decrease with time).
 DISCUSSION
• The platinum resistance thermometer (PRT) is
named as a thermometer because of it is used to
measure the temperature in the form of resistance of
platinum wire of PRT
• It is used to measure very high temperature in the
order of 1000 °C with high accuracy. Where the
liquid and gaseous thermometer are fails in accuracy.
THANK YOU