Question:medium

Define current sensitivity of a galvanometer. “Increasing the current sensitivity may not necessarily increase the voltage sensitivity.” Give reason.

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Always remember: \[ \text{Voltage Sensitivity} = \frac{\text{Current Sensitivity}}{R} \] To improve voltage sensitivity, both current sensitivity should be high and resistance should be low.
Updated On: Jan 13, 2026
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Solution and Explanation

Current Sensitivity: Current sensitivity of a galvanometer quantifies the deflection produced per unit of current. Mathematically, it is expressed as:\[\text{Current Sensitivity} = \frac{\theta}{I} = \frac{n B A}{k}\]In this formula, \( \theta \) represents deflection, \( I \) represents current, \( n \) represents the number of turns, \( B \) represents the magnetic field strength, \( A \) represents the area of the coil, and \( k \) represents the torsional constant.Voltage Sensitivity: Voltage sensitivity is defined as the deflection observed per unit of applied voltage:\[\text{Voltage Sensitivity} = \frac{\theta}{V} = \frac{\theta}{IR} = \frac{1}{R} \cdot \frac{\theta}{I}\]\[\Rightarrow \text{Voltage Sensitivity} = \frac{1}{R} \cdot \text{Current Sensitivity}\]Here, \( R \) denotes the resistance of the galvanometer coil.Reasoning: An increase in current sensitivity does not guarantee an increase in voltage sensitivity if the galvanometer's resistance \( R \) also increases. For instance, augmenting the number of turns \( n \) affects both \( n \) and the resistance \( R \) of the coil. Consequently, any enhancement in current sensitivity can be nullified by a concurrent rise in resistance, potentially leading to no change or even a reduction in voltage sensitivity.% Final Answer Statement Answer: Voltage sensitivity is not guaranteed to increase when current sensitivity increases, as voltage sensitivity is inversely proportional to the coil's resistance. If the resistance rises concurrently with the current sensitivity, the overall voltage sensitivity might remain constant or diminish.
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