
Some significant characteristics of Potentiometer are as follows:
- As the potentiometers work on the comparative method rather than the deflection method for determining the unknown voltages, these are very accurate.
- Potentiometers measure null or balance point that doesn't require the power for measurement
- As no current flows through pots when they are balanced, their working is free from the source resistance.
What is the use of the principle of a potentiometer?
The three main applications of a potentiometer are:
- Comparing the emf of a battery cell with a standard cell
- Measuring the internal resistance of a battery cell
- Measuring the voltage across a branch of a circuit
What's the difference between a potentiometer and a rheostat?
Difference Between Potentiometer and Rheostat
- A potentiometer is a three terminal variable resistor, but a rheostat is a two terminal variable resistor.
- A potentiometer can be used as a rheostat but a rheostat cannot be used as a potentiometer.
- Potentiometers are often used to vary voltage and rheostats are used to vary current.
How to connect a potentiometer to a circuit?
Potentiometer – Working, Circuit Diagram, Construction & Types
- Potentiometer (pot) The potentiometers or the “pots”, as it is commonly known in the electric circles, is a three terminal variable resistor.
- Construction of a Potentiometer. ...
- Characteristics of Potentiometers. ...
What is the difference between potentiometer and thermistor?
Potentiometer uses 3 terminals while rheostat uses only 1 terminal. Rheostat is a variable resistance that is used to control power to a load but a potentiometer enables a voltage to be tapped off. If a device is connected as rheostat the wiper resistance must be small but for a potentiometer the wiper resistances are not taken into consideration.

What is potentiometer and its principle?
The potentiometer is an instrument used for measuring the unknown voltage by comparing it with the known voltage. It can be used to determine the emf and internal resistance of the given cell and also used to compare the emf of different cells. The comparative method is used by the potentiometer.
What is potentiometer?
They are used to accurately measure voltage and help achieve a variable voltage from a fixed-voltage source. They are passive devices which means they do not need power supply or additional circuits to function.
What is a potentiometer Class 12?
A potentiometer is a device used to measure the potential difference in a circuit. As we know that potential difference is the amount of work done in bringing a charge from one point to another. When there is potential difference in a circuit, the current flows through the circuit.
What is potentiometer Mcq?
Potentiometer: It is a three-terminal device used for measuring the unknown voltage by comparing it with the known voltage. The known voltage is drawn from an external source of battery.
Why potentiometer is used?
A potentiometer is a type of position sensor. They are used to measure displacement in any direction. Linear potentiometers linearly measure displacement and rotary potentiometers measure rotational displacement.
What is potentiometer 2nd PUC?
Answer: A potentiometer is a long wire of uniform thickness across which a standard cell is connected and is used as a device to measure emfs and internal resistance of the given cells.
What is potentiometer class 12 topper?
Potentiometer is a device used to compare the emfs of two cells. (or) to find the emf of a cell (or) to find the internal resistance of a cell (or) to measure potential difference.
What is potentiometer according to Ncert?
Potentiometer consists of long wire with uniform cross-section. Instead of long wire small pieces of wire is taken and each of those pieces are fixed parallel to each other on a platform. Wires are connected by a copper strip. As there are 6 pieces of wire therefore the length of the wire =6m.
What is the other end of a galvanometer?
The other end of the galvanometer is in contact with the resistor via a sliding contact as shown in the figure above. By adjusting this sliding end, a point like B is found where there is no current through the galvanometer, hence no deflection in the galvanometer.
How are potentiometers and rheostats different?
A potentiometer gives variable voltage. A rheostat gives variable resistance. The potentiometer is a three terminal device whereas a rheostat is a two terminal device. Construction wise both of the devices look similar but their principle of operation is entirely different. In potentiometer two end terminals of the uniform resistance are connected to the source circuit. In rheostat, only one terminal of the uniform resistance is connected to the circuit and the other end of the resistance is kept open. In both potentiometer and rheostat, there is a sliding contact on the resistance.
How to measure voltage across a circuit?
The principle of measuring voltage across a branch of a circuit with help of a potentiometer is also simple. Here first we have to adjust the rheostat to adjust the current through the resistor so that it causes a specific voltage drop per unit length of the resistor. Now we have to connect one end of the branch to the beginning of the resistor and other end is connected to the sliding contact of the resistor through a galvanometer. Now we have to slide the sliding contact on the resistor until the galvanometer shows zero deflection. When the galvanometer comes to its null condition we have to take the reading of the position of the sliding contact tip on the resistor scale and accordingly we can find out the voltage across the branch of the circuit since we have already adjusted the voltage per unit length of the resistor.
How to compare EMF of a battery cell?
One of the main uses of a potentiometer is to compare the emf of one battery cell with a standard battery cell. Let’s take a cell whose emf is to be compared with a standard cell. The positive terminal of the cell and the same of the standard cell are joined together with the fixed end of the potentiometer resistor. The negative terminal of both cells is joined with the galvanometer in turn through a two-way switch. The other end of the galvanometer is connected to a sliding contact on the resistor. Now by adjusting sliding contact on the resistor, it is found that the null deflection of galvanometer comes for the first cell at a length of L on the scale. After positioning the two-way switch to the second cell and then by adjusting the sliding contact, it is found that the null deflection of galvanometer comes for that cell at a length of L 1 on the scale. The first cell is a standard cell and its emf is E. The second cell is an unknown cell whose emf is E 1. Now as per above explanation, we can write
How does a linear potentiometer work?
The linear potentiometer is basically the same but the only difference is that here instead of rotary movement the sliding contact gets moved on the resistor linearly. Here two ends of a straight resistor are connected across the source voltage. A sliding contact can be slide on the resistor through a track attached along with the resistor. The terminal connected to the sliding is connected to one end of the output circuit and one of the terminals of the resistor is connected to the other end of the output circuit.
What is a potentiometer used for?
This type of potentiometer is mainly used to measure the voltage across a branch of a circuit, for measuring the internal resistance of a battery cell, for comparing a battery cell with a standard cell and in our daily life, it is commonly used in the equalizer of music and sound mixing systems.
What are the advantages of digital potentiometers?
The advantages of digital potentiometers are: 1 Higher reliability 2 Increased accuracy 3 Small size, multiple potentiometers can be packed on a single chip 4 Negligible resistance drift 5 Unaffected by environmental conditions like vibrations, humidity, shocks and wiper contamination 6 No moving part 7 Tolerance up to ±1% 8 Very low power dissipation, up to tens of milliwatts
How does a potentiometer work?
Potentiometer working can be explained when the potentiometer is understood. It is defined as a three-terminal resistor having either sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider. In order to use the potentiometer as a rheostat or variable resistor, it should have only two terminals with one end and the wiper.
What is the name of the potentiometer that moves the wiper?
Following is the table when the wiper is moving in a circular path which is known as rotary potentiometers.
How to find unknown EMF?
Unknown EMF can be found by knowing x and K. Since the EMF has two cells, let L1 be the null point length of the first cell with EMF E1 and L2 be the null point length of the second cell with EMF E2.
What is the application of potentiometers?
Application of Potentiometer. Audio control: Both linear, and rotary potentiometers, are used to control audio equipment for changing the loudness and other audio related signals. Television: They are used to control the picture brightness, colour response and contrast.
What is a spindle used for?
A spindle is used for the construction of this kind of potentiometer. Used where high precision and resolutions are required. Slide pot. High-quality faders are constructed using conductive plastic. Used for the measurement of distance.
What is a single turn pot?
Found in old car radios that were used to control volume and tone. Single-turn pot. Approximate rotation is 270 degrees in a single rotation. Used where a single turn is enough to control the resolution.
Is a primary circuit a secondary circuit?
One end of the primary circuit is connected to the cell whose EMF E is to be measured and the other end is connected to galvanometer G. This circuit is assumed to be a secondary circuit. The working principle depends on the potential across any portion of the wire which is directly proportional to the length of the wire ...
What is a servo pot?
Servo Pot: This is a motorized pot and used to adjust or control a servo motor automatically. 2. Linear Potentiometer: Also known as slider, fader, or slide pot, these are potentiometers in which the wiper slides on a straight resistive strip. These can further be classified in the following categories:
What are the characteristics of a potentiometer?
Some significant characteristics of Potentiometer are as follows: 1 As the potentiometers work on the comparative method rather than the deflection method for determining the unknown voltages, these are very accurate. 2 Potentiometers measure null or balance point that doesn't require the power for measurement 3 As no current flows through pots when they are balanced, their working is free from the source resistance.
What are the two types of potentiometers?
Based on the concept of the resistive strip, the potentiometers are of two types: Rotary and Linear. 1. Rotary Potentiometer: This sort of pot has a wiper that rotates across two terminals for varying the resistance of the potentiometer.
How many terminals does a potentiometer have?
As discussed above, a Potentiometer is a resistor with three terminals. Out of the three terminals - one is varying, whereas the rest two are fixed. It is an electric component used to measure the unknown voltage by comparing it with the known one, which can be drawn by cell or any of the other supply sources.
How many turns does a rotary wiper take?
Depending upon the number of times one can turn or rotate the wiper, rotary potentiometers can be classified in the below categories: Single Turn: The wiper takes only a single turn and often rotates just 3/4th of the complete turn. Multi Turn: These potentiometers can make multiple rotations such as 5, 10, or more.
What is a potentiometer?
Potentiometer or pot is a three-terminal variable resistor. Resistor, a bundle of resistance, is one of the commonly used components in an electric circuit. Often used to regulate the current flow either by adding or subtracting resistance from the circuit, resistors are available in several different shapes and sizes.
How accurate are potentiometers?
Characteristics of Potentiometer. As the potentiometers work on the comparative method rather than the deflection method for determining the unknown voltages, these are very accurate. Potentiometers measure null or balance point that doesn't require the power for measurement.
How are potentiometer pins connected?
Two of potentiometer pins are connected to the resistive element (in form of a tape) with a constant resistance (like in resistor). The resistance tape is commonly made from graphite. However, the third is wired to the contact sliding on the resistive element's surface. Such slider is attaching to the knob by its shaft.
What type of potentiometer is used for sliders?
It can be a button, switch or wheel. There are two types of potentiometers depending on the slider movement: Rotary. Linear. Rotary potentiometer has a sliding contact that moves in a circle. Its position is determined by the angle. In this way, the user adjusts position by changing its angular position.
What is the difference between a rheostat and a potentiometer?
However, difference between rheostat and potentiometer consists in the number of pins. While the rheostat has two connection points, the potentiometer has three.
What is the purpose of a potentiometer?
The main purpose of a potentiometer is often to adjust the voltage value. In this way, a user regulates parameters of the equipment (sound volume, power, output voltage, etc.). There are also different potentiometer knobs types. It can be a button, switch or wheel. There are two types of potentiometers depending on the slider movement: Rotary.
What is a thumb wheel pot?
Its difference with common types is in small thumbwheel usage instead of a knob. Digital potentiometer (digipot) is a special micro device that electronically simulating the same functions as mechanical pots.
Is a reverse log potentiometer the same as an exponential potentiometer?
Reverse-logarithmic (exponential) potentiometers have the same principle as the logarithmic ones. Nevertheless, they use its own formula for result calculation.
Can a rotary potentiometer be single turn?
Rotary potentiometers can be single turn or multiturn. In the first case, the device can measure the change only within one complete rotation of the knob, in the second it registers the result in several complete revolutions. Linear (slide) potentiometer has a sliding wiper that moves in a single straight line (along one axis).
Potentiometer Definition
A potentiometer (can be known as pot or pot-meter) is a three-terminal variable resistor in which two terminals are fixed and the remaining one is variable.The advantage of a potentiometer is that it doesn’t draw electric current from the voltage source, the resistance is manually structured to control the flow of electric current.
Working Principle of Potentiometer
The potentiometer contains a long resistive wire (L) and a battery with driver cell voltage (EMF V). Let’s assume a primary circuit arrangement connected with two ends of L to the battery terminals. One end of the primary circuit is connected with galvanometer G and the other end is connected with the cell whose EMF E is yet to be measured.
Types Of Potentiometer
Mainly, the potentiometer is of two types: Rotary potentiometer and Linear potentiometer that can be further classified according to the movement of the wiper.
Application Of Potentiometer
Potentiometers act as a voltage divider that is why it is used in different and a wide range of applications, some of the applications are listed below:
How does a galvanometer work?
The galvanometer forms a connection through an unknown voltage to a middle point with the help of jockey. This jockey is used to perform the change in positions of the point. As this point is nothing but the acts as that second point in between which potential difference is to be measured. So, let us proceed further to understand ...
What is the purpose of a potentiometer?
Definition : Potentiometer is an instrument that is used the determine the potential (voltage) between two points by performing a comparison with a known voltage. Basically, in order to do so, a manual variation in resistance is performed so as to control the current flow thereby determining the required voltage.
What is a preset pot?
Also, during the calibrations of a device, a preset pot is often mounted on the circuit board. f. Potentiometers as measuring devices: The most typical application of a potentiometer is as a voltage measuring device. The name itself has that implication. It was first manufactured to measure and control the voltage.
What is the resistance of a potentiometer wire?
The potentiometer wire generally has a high resistivity ( ρ) and uniform cross-sectional area. Let it be A. Thus, throughout the wire, the resistance would be uniform. This potentiometer terminal is connected to the cell of high EMF V (neglecting its internal resistance) called the driver cell or the voltage source.
What is a potentiometer?
The Potentiometer is an electric instrument used to measure the EMF (electromotive force) of a given cell and also the cell’s internal resistance. Furthermore, it is used to compare EMFs of different cells. It can also be used as a variable resistor in most applications. The potentiometer uses the comparative method, ...
How many degrees can a rotary potentiometer rotate?
The rotary potentiometer can further be classified based on the number of rotations of the wiper into: (i) Single-turn pot: The wiper can make a single rotation of approximately 270 degrees or 3 / 4 of a complete turn. (ii) Multi-turn pot: These can make multiple rotations (mostly 5, 10, or 20) for increased precision.
What is the instrument used to measure unknown voltage?
The instrument designed for measuring the unknown voltage by comparing it with the known voltage is known as the potentiometer . These are used for various purposes; the following are the most common uses of potentiometer: a.
What is the difference between a digital potentiometer and an analog potentiometer?
In a digital potentiometer, the resistance can be varied by digital communication. An analog pot is also known as a mechanical potentiometer, and the digital pot is known as an electronic potentiometer due to its construction. Q.5.
What is a three terminal resistor?
When there is a potential difference in a circuit, the current flows through the circuit. It is a three-terminal resistor that acts as a voltage divider, and if only two terminals are used, it functions like a variable resistor or a rheostat.

Potentiometer
- These potentiometers are widely employed in the production of electronics equipment that allows users to alter electrical circuits to achieve the desired outputs. Although its most obvious application must be for volume controls on radios and other audio-related electronic equipment…
Necessities For The Selection of Potentiometer
- Potentiometers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and their selection is based on specific requirements such as the ones listed below. 1. The Structure’s requirements 2. Resistance to Change Characteristics 3. Choose a potentiometer based on the needs of the application. 4. Choose the settings based on the circuit’s requirements.
Construction of A Potentiometer
- A potentiometer comprises a long wire with a uniform space of the cross area. Normally the wire is comprised of manganin or constantan. Sometimes the wire might be cut into certain pieces and each piece is associated toward the end focuses through a thick metallic strip. Typically it will be copper strips. Each piece of wire has a length of one meter. For the most part, there will be six bi…
Types of Potentiometers
- A potentiometer is additionally normally known as a pot. These potentiometers have three terminal associations. One terminal is associated with a sliding contact called a wiper and the other two terminals is associated with a decent obstruction track. The wiper can be moved along the resistive track either by utilization of a straight sliding control or a revolving “wiper” contact. …
Applications of Potentiometers
- Potentiometers are used in a variety of applications. 1. Potentiometer as a Voltage Divider: A set input voltage applied across the two ends of the potentiometer can be used as a voltage divider to create a manually adjustable output voltage at the slider. The load voltage across RL may now be calculated as follows: VL= R2RL. VS/(R1RL + R2RL + R1R2) 1. Audio Control: Audio control devic…
Sample Questions
- Question 1: What is the concept behind a potentiometer? Answer: Question 2: The resistivity of a potentiometer wire is given as 5 x 10-6 Ωm. The area of cross-sectionof the wire is given as 6 x 10-4 m2. Find the potential gradient if a current of 1 A is flowing through the wire. Answer: Question 3: What are the advantages of the Potentiometer? Answer: Question 4: What is Potenti…
How Does A Potentiometer Work?
Potentiometer Types
- There are two main types of potentiometers: 1. Rotary potentiometer 2. Linear potentiometer Although the basic constructional features of these potentiometers vary, the working principle of both of these types of potentiometers is the same. Note that these are types of DC potentiometers – the types of AC potentiometersare slightly different.
Digital Potentiometers
- Digital potentiometers are three-terminal devices, two fixed end terminals and one wiper terminal which is used to vary the output voltage. Digital potentiometers have various applications, including calibrating a system, adjusting offset voltage, tuning filters, controlling screen brightness, and controlling sound volume. However mechanical potentiometers suffer from som…
Applications of Potentiometer
- There are many different uses of a potentiometer. The three main applications of a potentiometer are: 1. Comparing the emf of a battery cell with a standard cell 2. Measuring the internal resistance of a battery cell 3. Measuring the voltage across a branch of a circuit
Rheostat vs Potentiometer
- A potentiometer gives variable voltage. A rheostat gives variable resistance. The potentiometer is a three terminal device whereas a rheostat is a two terminal device. Construction wise both of the devices look similar but their principle of operation is entirely different. In potentiometer two end terminals of the uniform resistance are connected to the source circuit. In rheostat, only one ter…
Potentiometer Driver Cell
- The potentiometer measures voltage by comparing the measuring voltage with voltage across the resistance of the potentiometer. So for operation of potentiometer there must be a source voltage connected across the potentiometer circuit. This cell to provide this source voltage to drive the potentiometer is called driver cell. The driver cell delivers the current through the resistance of p…
Potentiometer Sensitivity
- The sensitivity of a potentiometer implies what the small voltage difference can be measured by the potentiometer. For same driver voltage if we increase the length of the potentiometer resistance, length of the resistance per unit voltage gets increased. Hence the sensitivity of the potentiometer gets increased. So we can say sensitivity of a potentiometer is directly proportion…