Commercial Potentiometer - Physics Demonstrations - Commercial Potentiometer | Physics Undergraduate Labs

These instruments may contain mercury standard cells if still original. Mercury is toxic. Do not open sealed compartments or attempt to service the instrument. If standard cells are present and intact, handle with care to avoid breaking glass components.

Purpose

Students examine commercial potentiometers to see how null-balance techniques enable precise voltage measurement without drawing current from the source. These instruments make voltage division and null detection tangible in a way that circuit diagrams alone cannot.

Honeywell portable potentiometer in a wooden case, showing rotary dials, decade selector knobs, and a center-zero galvanometer on the front panel

Figure 1:

Safety Warnings

Warning: Handling Antique Equipment

Purpose