Experiment 2
Experiment 2
Experiment 2
❖ Aim: Find the diameter of a wire using a micrometer screw gauge and determine percentage error in cross sectional
area
❖ Apparatus: Screw gauge, a thin wire, and a meter scale
❖ Theory:
pitch
Least count of the screw gauge =
Total number of circular scale division
• Determination of zero error:
When studs of a Screw Gauge are closed, zero of main scale must coincide with the zero of circular scale.
If they do not coincide then it is said that a zero error is present in the instrument. The zero error may be positive or
negative.
❖ Procedure:
• The pitch and least count of the given screw gauge is calculated.
• The zero error with its proper sign should be determined from the apparatus. Even if the zero error is nil, this fact too
should be recorded.
• The wire should now be inserted between the screw and the stud of the screw gauge. The screw should be moved
forward by rotating the ratchet till the wire is gently gripped between the screw and the stud.
• The readings of the main scale and the circular scale are recorded and the two readings are added. This gives the
observed diameter(D1 )
• Now the wire is released gently from the gap by loosening the screw and then rotated through 90⁰. The diameter (D2)
is again recorded in this position.
• The above 2 steps are repeated for four more different positions of the wire.
• The mean of these observed diameters (D0) is calculated.
• The zero correction is applied with its proper sign to the mean observed diameter and the correct diameter is found.
❖ Observations:
Number of complete rotations of the circular scale, y =……4………
Distance moved by the screw, x =………4…………mm
X
Pitch (p) = in mm.=1mm
Y
Total number of divisions on the circular scale, N= 100
p
Least count = ...............mm 0.01mm
N
Zero error (e) = ……………mm
Zero correction (-e) = ……………mm
Table for Measurement of Diameter of the specimen Wire
The diameter of the given wire as measured by using a screw gauge is ………… mm.
Cross-sectional Area = …………… m2
❖ Precautions:
• The working of the screw gauge should be checked to ensure free movement of the screw. Also functioning of the
ratchet should be checked before starting the experiment.
• Zero error should always be taken into account. If the screw gauge is free from zero error, this fact should be recorded
as nil.
• Using the ratchet, the screw should always be rotated in the same direction to avoid back-lash error.
• The readings of the diameter should be taken in two mutually perpendicular directions.