27.12
Potenciómetro
Las mediciones de voltaje y corriente utilizando un voltímetro estándar y un amperímetro alteran el circuito que se está midiendo, ya sea mediante el…
Cuando un voltímetro está conectado a través de la batería, mide solo el voltaje del terminal.
Para mediciones precisas de fem, se debe conocer la resistencia interna de la batería, o la corriente suministrada por la batería debe ser cero. Sin embargo, los voltímetros consumen una pequeña corriente para funcionar.
Por lo tanto, los dispositivos de medición nulos, como los potenciómetros, son más precisos que los voltímetros, ya que equilibran el voltaje y no permiten el flujo de corriente a través del dispositivo de medición.
Consiste en una fuente de voltaje conectada a un cable resistivo largo y uniforme.
La fuente de voltaje mantiene un flujo de corriente constante y un gradiente de potencial uniforme a través del cable.
La fuente desconocida de fem está conectada con un galvanómetro y un jockey. El punto de contacto se ajusta de tal manera que la fem es igual a la caída potencial a través del segmento de alambre y el galvanómetro muestra cero deflexión.
Una fuente de fem estándar reemplaza la fuente desconocida y el punto de contacto se ajusta nuevamente para obtener una deflexión cero.
La relación de las dos relaciones da la expresión de fem desconocida en términos de resistencias, que es proporcional a las longitudes equilibradas obtenidas.
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Q1: Why is a potentiometer more accurate than a voltmeter for measuring emf?
A potentiometer is a null measurement device that balances voltages without allowing current to flow through the measuring device, eliminating circuit alterations. In contrast, voltmeters draw small currents to operate, which affects the circuit and introduces measurement errors. By achieving zero deflection on a galvanometer, the potentiometer measures the true electromotive force without distorting the circuit.
Q2: What components make up a potentiometer and what does each do?
A potentiometer consists of a voltage source connected to a long, uniform resistive wire of constantan or magnum, a rheostat to regulate current flow, a galvanometer to detect balance, and a jockey to adjust the contact point. The voltage source maintains a constant current and uniform potential gradient across the wire, while the galvanometer indicates when the unknown emf equals the potential drop.
Q3: How does the potentiometer achieve zero current flow during measurement?
The potentiometer balances the unknown emf against a known potential drop across a wire segment. When the contact point is adjusted so that these voltages are equal, the galvanometer shows zero deflection, indicating no current flows through the measuring circuit. This null measurement condition ensures the circuit remains unaltered during the measurement process.
Q4: What is the procedure for measuring an unknown emf with a potentiometer?
First, connect the unknown emf source with a galvanometer and jockey, then adjust the contact point until the galvanometer shows zero deflection and record this balanced length. Next, replace the unknown source with a standard emf source and adjust the contact point again for zero deflection. The ratio of the two balanced lengths gives the unknown emf in terms of the wire segment resistances.
Q5: Why must the potentiometer wire have a uniform potential gradient?
A uniform potential gradient ensures that the potential drop across any segment of wire is directly proportional to its length and resistance. This linear relationship allows the potentiometer to accurately calculate unknown emf values from the balanced lengths, making the measurement reliable and independent of absolute resistance values.
Q6: What measurements can a potentiometer perform beyond measuring unknown emf?
A potentiometer can measure the internal resistance of a cell by comparing the terminal voltage under load with the open-circuit emf. It can also compare the electromotive force of two voltage sources by balancing each against the same standard reference, providing accurate relative measurements without drawing significant current.
Q7: How does the potentiometer differ from standard voltmeters in handling internal resistance?
Standard voltmeters measure only terminal voltage and require knowledge of internal resistance for accurate emf determination. The potentiometer eliminates this requirement by achieving zero current flow, making the internal resistance irrelevant. This null measurement approach provides direct emf measurement without needing to account for voltage drops caused by the measuring device itself.