Calculate Voltage Across an Unbalanced Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

Given the values of all four resistors and the battery voltage, calculate the voltage difference between the two sides of a Wheatstone bridge.

This problem comes up when discussing series and parallel circuit combinations and serves as a lead in to the loop rule and junction rule.

This problem is commonly found in AP Physics C E&M introductory college physics and appears on A-Level physics as well as the JEE.

[mtb_zen]

question: when we figure out the voltage across the unbalanced bridge can we place a resistor in place of the voltmeter and still have the same voltage across it?

[redbaron]

You say "voltmeter or galvanometer", but they have different resistances. The voltmeter resistance will be very high, but if you connect a galvanometer (= very sensitive ammeter), its resistance is very small, and the bridge potential will be forced to be (very close) to zero, with a finite current across it. (Your other bridge video on solving for currents would then be needed.)

[ace_of_cris_]

i had about 30 minutes to hand in a quiz for uni and this was one of the exercises. i was frantically searching for how to solve it and this video saved me! everything was fast and clear and i got a good grade because of it :) i found out later that you also have a video with the general formula, which would have been even faster, so i wrote it down for future use lol

[killerszkillersz]

Hello, I have a small suggestion for you...maybe you should change your channel name because When I search it on YouTube your channel doesn't show up . And I think this is a real problem

[placebo]

Thank you thank you thank you I was so stuck until I saw this

[flexibrush]

Have you done the video solving the bridge just using variables?Thanks

[jeffcarr]

your mathematic calculations are written in a way that is confusing. The 1/2.4 ohms is wrong. It should be 1 over ((1 over 4)plus (1 over 6)) im not being pedantic, as that implies the answer is 0.41666 recuring