Tutorial Questions

Measurement and Electronic Instrumentation

Part: Electrical Measurement

General Instructions:
1. Make a small notebook for the tutorial problems.
2. Solve the problems in home by yourselves as the course progresses and as the topics
are covered. Leave the problems for which the topics are not yet covered aside
temporarily and wait (example ballistic Galvanometer or current transformer).
3. We shall have three tutorial sessions before the mid-sem exam. In this sessions, you
may get assistance for the most difficult problems only.
4. Do not try to solve all the problems in the tutorial sessions. Do not expect to have
assistance for all the problems in the tutorial sessions. So please solve as many as
possible problems before coming to the tutorials.
5. Should you have any difficulty, feel free to meet us outside the classes.
6. We shall collect the notebook on the last class before mid-sem and the notebook will
be graded. If you cannot come on that day arrange to submit it earlier or send that via
a friend. Absolutely no extension of deadline will be given.

​Errors and inaccuracies

1. A voltmeter with a range of 0 – 10 V reads a voltage 5.3 V. True value of this voltage
is 5.4 V. Determine the error in terms of reading and full-scale span. [​Ans​: 1.85%;
1%]

2. Voltage (V), current (I) and resistance (R) associated with a circuit element are
measured with an accuracy of 1 %. Calculate which of the expressions (I​2​R, VI, V​2
/R) is best for the calculation of power. [​Ans​ VI]

Classical Electromechanical Instruments

3. A PMMC instrument with a 300-turn coil has a magnetic flux density in its air gaps of
B = 200 mT. The coil dimensions are D = 2 cm and L = 1.5cm. Calculate the torque
produced on the coil for a current of 1 mA, and determine the controlling torque
constant if the 1 mA current produces 40º deflection. [​Ans​. 18 μNm; 0.45
μNm/degree]

4. An electrodynamic instrument displays a 90° deflection when I​f = I​m = 100 mA. The
controlling torque exercised by the spring is 0.067 μNm/degree. Calculate the increase
in the mutual inductance from I = 0. State and highlight any assumption made. [​Ans​.
947 μH]

5. The self-inductance of a moving-iron instrument increases by 2.23 mH when the

pointer deflects from zero to 80°. If the controlling springs produce a torque of 10
μNm/degree, calculate the coil current. State and highlight any assumption made.
[​Ans​. 1 A, we assume that dL/dTheta is a constant and doesn't vary with Theta]

6. A galvanometer has a 1 m light-beam pointer and a coil with N = 400, L = D = 2 cm.

The air-gap flux density is B = 300 mT, and the control constant is K = 0.03 μNm
 /degree. (a) Calculate the displacement constant, the coil current when the on-scale
deflection is 100 mm, and the current sensitivity. (b) If the galvanometer is found to
require a 620 Ω resistor (R​d​) for critical damping, and the coil resistance (R​c​) is 60 Ω.
Determine the critical damping constant and the moment of inertia of the moving
system. [​Ans​.]

7. Determine the input charge applied to a ballistic galvanometer to produce a 120 mm

ballistic throw with a 5 s time period. The galvanometer has a 1m light beam and a
150 mm/μA direct current sensitivity. [​Ans​.]

Ammeter-Voltmeter-Ohmmeter

8. An ammeter has a PMMC instrument with a coil resistance of R​m = 99 Ω and FSD
current of 0.1 mA. The shunt resistance is R​s = 1 Ω. Determine the total current
passing through the ammeter at (a) FSD, (b) 0.5 FSD, and (c) 0.25 FSD. [​Ans. ​10
mA; 5 mA ; 2.5 m.]

9. A PMMC instrument with 100 μA FSD and a 1 kΩ coil resistance is to be used in an

ammeter. Calculate the required shunt resistance for (a) FSD = 100 mA, and (b) FSD
= 1A. Discuss why simple shunt-resistors are not convenient for range extension.
[​Ans​. 1.001; 0.10001]

10. A PMMC instrument has a three-resistor Ayrton shunt connected in parallel with it to
make an ammeter. The resistance values are: R​1 = 0.05 Ω, R​2 = 0.45 Ω, R​3 = 4.5 Ω.
The meter has coil resistance R​m = 1 kΩ and FSD = 50 μA. Calculate the three ranges
of the ammeter. [​Ans​. 10 mA; 100 mA; 1 A]

11. A PMMC instrument with R​m = 1.3 kΩ and FSD = 500 μA is used in a multirange dc
voltmeter. The series-connected multiplier resistors are R​1 = 38.7 kΩ, R​2 = 40 kΩ and
R​3 = 40 kΩ. Calculate the three voltage ranges and the voltmeter sensitivity. [​Ans​. 20
V ; 40 V ; 60 V ; 2 kΩ/V]

12. A PMMC instrument with FSD = 100 μA and meter coil resistance R​m = 1 kΩ is to be
employed as an AC voltmeter. FSD is to be 100 V (rms), and silicon diodes (V​F = 0.7
V) are to be used. (a) Calculate the required multiplier resistance value. (b) Calculate
the pointer indications for the voltmeter when the rms input voltage is (i) 75 V and (ii)
50 V. (c) Calculate the sensitivity of the voltmeter. Clearly draw the V-I characteristic
of the diodes that you have assumed to solve this problem. Also draw (clearly
zooming in the interesting regions) the rectified waveform according to your assumed
V-I characteristic. [​Ans​.]

13. The four-diode (V​F = 0.7 V) full-wave rectifier ammeter with associated series
multiplier resistor (R​S = 20 kΩ) is measuring current from a secondary terminal of a
current transformer (CT) shunted by resistor R​L​. The meter is to give FSD for a 250
mA CT primary current. The PMMC has FSD = 1 mA and R​m = 1700 Ω. The CT has
N​P : N​S = 4 : 500. Calculate required resistance R​L​. Clearly draw the V-I characteristic
of the diodes that you have assumed to solve this problem. Also draw (clearly
zooming in the interesting regions) the rectified waveform according to your assumed
V-I characteristic. [​Ans​.]
 14. A series ohmmeter is made up of a 1.5 V battery, a 100 μA meter, and a series
precision resistance R​1 such that (R​1 + R​m​) = 15 kΩ. (a) Determine the instrument
indication when R​x = 0. (b) Determine how the resistance scale should be marked at
0.25 FSD, 0.5 FSD and 0.75 FSD. (c) Discuss on the result and meter scale
distribution. [​Ans​. (a) 100 μA (FSD) ; (b) 45 k, 15 k, 5 k]

15. A series ohmmeter circuit with zero-adjustment provision has E​B = 1.5 V, R​1 = 15 kΩ,
R​m = 50 Ω, R​2 = 50 Ω, and meter FSD = 50 μA. (a) Determine the ohmmeter scale
reading at 0.5 FSD. (b) Determine the new adjusted value of R​2 when E​B falls to 1.3V.
(c) Also recalculate the value of R​x at 0.5 FSD when E​B = 1.3 V. [​Ans​. (a) 14975
Ohm ; (b) 68.49 ; (c) 15.03 k ]

(Warning: This question can convey a wrong message. Note Rm||R2 is much smaller than R1.
Thus the answers can be computed quite fast by assuming the total internal resistance is
equal to R1 and R2 only changes the effective full scale range of the meter. If we do so we
won’t lose any significant accuracy. However, with such approximation, we can readily tell
that the answer of the part (c) would be 15K. Therefore, we need not perform any
computation for part (c). But, I encourage you to solve the circuit without any approximation.
Then you will see that the effect of voltage change of the battery is not nullified (made to
zero) by the zero adjustment, but is made very very small.

Many problems in our textbook (including those with rectifier circuits) are solved with
approximations to show that some statement holds true approximately. But to check whether
a proposition holds approximately true we need to solve it exactly and check whether the
result is close to the approximation. We cannot a priori assume that the approximation is
valid to show that the approximation is indeed valid)

16. Analyze the accuracy of a series ohmmeter when the pointer is at 0.5 FSD if the meter
used has 1% accuracy with respect to the full scale range. Assume that the source
voltage and the internal resistance of the system are known perfectly and the R​m <<
R​1​. [​Ans​.. ± 4% ]

(​Warning: This question only demonstrate how the inaccuracy of the meter leads to
inaccuracy of the measured resistance. Inaccuracies of the source voltage, meter
 resistance can further contribute to the inaccuracy of the measurement. This is only a
textbook problem and not the complete/true picture of the real life.)

Measurement of medium, low and high value resistance

17. In Fig. below, Ammeter A (0-10 mA, 100 Ω) and Voltmeter V (0-10V, 100 kΩ)
arrangement is used to measure the value of an unknown resistance Rx. Find the
position at which switch needs to be placed to get minimal error when (a) Rx < 100
Ω, (b) Rx > 100 kΩ. Justify your answers. [​Ans​.]

18. A resistance is being measured by the ammeter and voltmeter method, with 10 Ω
ammeter coil resistance and voltmeter has 10 kΩ/V sensitivity on a 1000 V range. (a)
With ammeter in series with the unknown resistor, ammeter read 0.5 A, and voltmeter
reads 500 V. Calculate the unknown resistance R​X​. (b) Now with voltmeter in parallel
with R​X​, what will the ammeter and voltmeter read? (c) Find and discuss which of
these two connections is more accurate. [​Ans​.]

19. A Wheatstone bridge has P = 3.5 kΩ, Q = 7 kΩ, S = 4 kΩ and R = 2 kΩ. The supply
voltage E​B = 10 V, and the galvanometer has a current sensitivity of 1 μA/mm and a
resistance r​G = 2.5 kΩ. Calculate the minimum change in R which is detectable by the
bridge. [​Ans​.]

20. A Kelvin bridge has P = R = A = B = 1.2 kΩ, and Q = 0.001 Ω at balance. The dc
supply EB = 100 V with a 10 Ω source resistance (R​B​), and the galvanometer has a
400 Ω coil resistance (rG). Determine (a) the measured resistance S, (b) test current
through S, and (c) galvanometer current if the resistance of S changes by 1% from its
balanced value. [​Ans​. 0.001 Ohm, ]

(​Note that this is a bad question to ask. To see why， solve the problem twice: once
assume that the contact resistance between Q and S, i.e. gamma = 0, once assume it to be
.001 ohm and see the difference. Also do not forget to incorporate the contribution of A||B
resistance in the path of galvanometer current while computing the Thevenin equivalent
resistance. But this is not a very bad question, since we learn here that although the balance
condition is independent of the contact resistance, but the bridge sensitivity is heavily
dependent on the contact resistance ​ Looks like the solution doesn't depend on gamma much)

21. The insulation resistance of a metal-sheathed electric cable is measured using guard
wire. The supply voltage is 15 kV, and the measured current is 3.5 μA without the
guard wire, and 2 μA with the guard wire. Calculate the volume resistance and the
surface leakage resistance of the cable insulation. [​Ans​. 7.5 GOhm, 10GOhm ?]

Inductance and Capacitance measurement: AC Bridges

(You need not memorize the names of the bridges for the exam. For this tutorial, if a
bridge is referred by its name please consult the book to get the circuit diagram. I am lazy
to draw them ☺)

22. For parallel (R​P​, X​P​) and series (R​S​, X​S​) equivalent circuits of an inductor coil and a
capacitor, derive the expression (R​P​, X​P​) in terms of (R​S​, X​S​), and vice versa. [​Ans​.
Refer text book]

23. Derive the balance equations of a parallel resistance capacitance bridge. If such a
bridge has a standard component values of C​1 = 0.1 μF, R​3 = 10 kΩ, and balance is
achieved with a 100 Hz supply frequency when R​1 = 375 kΩ and R​4 = 14.7 kΩ.
Calculate the resistive and capacitive components and the dissipation factor for the
measured capacitor. [​Ans​.]

24. A high-voltage capacitor is being investigated using a Schering bridge, with supply
voltage 1000 V, 400 Hz, and bridge components at balanced condition are: C​1 = 0.1
μF, C​3 = 1200 pF, R​3 = 1 kΩ, R​4 = 10 kΩ. Draw the complete labeled circuit diagram
with necessary screening explicitly shown. (a) Determine the measured capacitance
(C​X​), its leakage resistance (R​X​) and dissipation factor (D). (c) Determine the
approximate magnitude of voltage drop across the bridge arms Z​2 and Z​4​, and discuss
its advantage. [​Ans​.]

25. Draw a typical Wein bridge circuit and derive its balance equations. Discuss its key
applications. A Wien bridge circuit has the following components: C​1 = 0.2 µF, C​2 =
0.4 µF, R​1 = R​2 = 820 Ω, R​3 = 1.5 kΩ. Calculate the bridge balance frequency, the
required resistance R​4​ to achieve this balance. [​Ans​.]

26. (a) Derive the balanced equations in a Hay bridge when the inductance and resistance
of the measured coil represented as parallel (L​P​, R​P​) and series equivalent RL circuits
(L​S​, R​S​). (b) A Hay bridge operating at a supply frequency of 100 Hz is balanced
when the components are R​1 = 1.26 kΩ, C​3 = 0.1 µF, R​3 = 75 Ω, and R​4 = 500 Ω.
Unknown inductor coil is in the 2​nd arm of the bridge. Calculate (L​P​, R​P​) (L​S​, R​S​) and
the Q-factor of the coil. (c) If the same unknown coil was measured with Maxwell’s
bridge with these determined (L​S​, R​S​) and with C​3 and R​4 unchanged, determine the
 required values of R​1 and R​3 at balanced condition. (c) Discuss the results from (a)
and (b). [​Ans​.]

27. Draw a classical Anderson AC bridge for inductance measurement and derive its
balance equations. Discuss typical bridge balancing steps. [​Ans​. Refer the book]

28. A balanced Carey-Foster bridge with following components have been used to
measure an unknown capacitance: self-inductance (L) = 5 mH, mutual inductance (M)
= 2.5 mH, two resistors 1.8 kΩ (in series with L) and 1 kΩ. (a) Draw the bridge
circuit. (b) Derive the balancing equations. (c) Calculate the unknown capacitance and
its series resistive component. [​Ans​.1.39nano F, 1k ohm ?]

Power and energy measurement

29. An uncompensated electrodynamic wattmeter measures the load power as 150 W

when its voltage coil is connected in parallel with the load. If the source voltage is
115 V, and wattmeter voltage coil has a 3 kΩ resistance (R​v​), calculate the %-age
measurement error. Neglect current coil resistance. [​Ans​. 3.02%]

30. The measurements made a three-ammeter method of power measurement are as

follows: load current = 5 A, current through resistor R = 2.2 A, supply current = 6.5
A, supply voltage = 80 V. Calculate the load power and power factor. [​Ans​. 225.6 W ;
0.564]

31. A balanced delta-connected load has its power measured by the two-wattmeter
method. The circuit quantities are as follows: V​L = 200 V, I​p = 1 A, I​L = 1.73 A and Φ​p
= 80.4º. Calculate the total load power and the power indicated by each wattmeter.
[​Ans. ​100 W ; 220.5 W , - 120.6 W]

32. The power supplied to a balanced Y-connected load is measured by the two wattmeter
method. Determine the power reading for each meter if each load is 47 Ω with power
factor angle +45º, and the line voltage is 122 V. [​Ans​. 47.4 W ; 176.8 W]

33. The disc in a single-phase energy meter rotates 1584 times when monitoring a 110 V,
3A load at unity power factor over a period of 8 hours. Calculate the meter constant.
If the meter disc makes 673 revolutions when measuring the energy supplied to a 110
V, 4A load for 3 hours, determine the load power factor. [​Ans​. 600 rev/kWh ; 0.85 ]

Potentiometer

34. A dc potentiometer has a 100 Ω slide wire (R​13​), and resistors R​6 through
​ R​12 are each
exactly 100 Ω. Voltage divider resistors R​3 = 509.5 Ω and R​4 = 290.5 Ω. Draw the
complete labeled circuit. If the standard cell voltage is 1.0190 V, (a) determine the
maximum voltage that may be measured by the potentiometer. (b) If the slide wire is
100 cm in length and the sliding contact position can be read within ± 1 mm, calculate
the resolution of the dc potentiometer. [Ans. 1.6V; 0.2mV]
35. A basic slide-wire dc potentiometer has the following components: a 3V supply
battery (B​1​), a 150 Ω slide-wire of length 1.5 m, a standard cell with a voltage (B​2​) of
1.0195 V, variable resistors R​1 and R​2 in series with B​1 and B​2 respectively. Draw the
labelled circuit diagram. (a) Calculate the slide-wire current and the value of R1 when
the potentiometer is standardized to measure 1.5 V maximum. (b) Calculate resistance
R​2 if current drawn from standard cell B​2 should be limited to 20 µA. (c) Find the
measured voltage Vx when null is obtained at 72.5 cm. [Ans. (a) 0.01A; 150Ohm (b)
50.95Kohm (c) 0.725V]

36. Draw and explain the operation of a standard Kelvin-Varley voltage divider circuit
when input voltage is 10 V, required output voltage is 2.527 V.

37. A polar ac potentiometer measures the voltage drops across a coil and a
series-connected 1 Ω precision resistor as V​R = 1.1 V ∠-20° and V​L = 0.72 V ∠39°
where last value is taken from the output of a 50:1 volts box. The supply frequency is
60 Hz. Determine the coil resistance and inductance. [Ans. 16.86Ohm; 74.4mH ?]