arxiv: 2604.03802 · v1 · submitted 2026-04-04 · ⚛️ physics.ed-ph

Recognition: no theorem link

A Unified and Economical Approach to Teaching Higher Secondary Electricity Experiments

Sanjoy Kumar Pal , Papun Mondal , Pradipta Panchadhyayee , Anirban Samanta , Subhash Chandra Samanta

Authors on Pith no claims yet

Pith reviewed 2026-05-13 17:04 UTC · model grok-4.3

classification ⚛️ physics.ed-ph

keywords physics educationlow cost labmetre bridgeelectricity experimentfrugal innovationhigher secondary educationhomemade apparatusWheatstone bridge

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The pith

A homemade Indigenous Metre Bridge enables accurate electricity experiments using a mobile charger and nichrome wire.

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The paper introduces a low-cost homemade apparatus for higher secondary electricity experiments. Built with a mobile charger, nichrome wire, galvanometer, and digital multimeter, the Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) serves as an accessible alternative to commercial equipment. This setup allows students to perform practical experiments in settings with limited lab resources. It aims to reduce apprehension toward lab work by simplifying the interface between theory and practice. The approach demonstrates how everyday items can facilitate physics education effectively.

Core claim

The Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) constructed from readily available components like a mobile charger and nichrome wire functions as an intuitive tool for conducting key electricity experiments at the higher secondary level, achieving educational outcomes comparable to standard metre bridges while being more accessible.

What carries the argument

The Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB), a metre bridge assembly using a mobile charger for power, nichrome wire for the resistance element, a galvanometer for detection, and a digital multimeter for measurements, which enables verification of electrical laws through simple resistance balancing.

If this is right

High school labs in under-resourced areas can now conduct electricity experiments without purchasing expensive commercial metre bridges.
Multiple standard experiments can be unified under one simple apparatus design.
Student engagement improves as the familiar components reduce fear of complex instruments.
Teachers gain flexibility to adapt the setup for different curricula needs.

Where Pith is reading between the lines

These are editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

Similar frugal designs could be developed for other branches of physics to democratize lab access globally.
Integration with smartphone apps for data recording might further enhance the educational value of such setups.
Policy makers could consider subsidizing such low-cost kits to standardize practical education in public schools.

Load-bearing premise

The homemade metre bridge produces measurement results that are accurate enough for educational purposes and match the learning experience of using professional equipment.

What would settle it

If side-by-side tests show that resistance values measured by the IMB deviate by more than a few percent from those of a standard commercial metre bridge for identical samples, or if students fail to grasp the concepts as effectively, the claim would be challenged.

Figures

Figures reproduced from arXiv: 2604.03802 by Anirban Samanta, Papun Mondal, Pradipta Panchadhyayee, Sanjoy Kumar Pal, Subhash Chandra Samanta.

**Figure 1.** Figure 1: Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) circuit diagram (Left), set-up (Right) Experiment 1: Determination of EMF and Internal Resistance of a Mobile Charger We have investigated the internal characteristics of a mobile charger through a hands-on experiment. Using a digital multimeter (DMM) in voltage mode, we have measured the open-circuit voltage (EMF) of the charger to be 5.276 V. We have then connected the charg… view at source ↗

**Figure 2.** Figure 2: Voltage drop vs Length graph Experiment 4: Verification of Ohm’s Law We have connected Mobile charger between two terminal A and B of the wire. Positive terminal is connected with A and negative with B. Point A has been also connected to the left terminal of the galvanometer through a 10K-ohm carbon resistor. The free end of a long wire connected to the right terminal of galvanometer has been allowed to mo… view at source ↗

**Figure 3.** Figure 3: Ohm’s Law verification Graph Experiment 5: Characteristics of a non-Ohmic device We have replaced the resistor with a Zener diode and have used the same setup to measure voltage and current. The voltage–current graph plotted from our measurements has revealed the threshold behaviour of the diode. This nonlinear relationship has introduced us to the fundamentals of semiconductor physics and the behaviour of… view at source ↗

**Figure 4.** Figure 4: Characteristics of a non-Ohmic device Experiment 6: EMF of a Chemical Cell Using a Potentiometer Setup In this experiment, the Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) has been used as a potentiometer. The power supply from the mobile charger has been connected across the full length of the bridge wire to create a uniform potential gradient. A chemical cell—such as a dry cell or a potato cell with zinc and copper ele… view at source ↗

**Figure 5.** Figure 5: IMB set-up for deamination of EMF of a Chemical Cell Experiment 7: Determination of unknown Resistance Using the IMB as a Metre Bridge In this experiment, we have used the Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) as a Wheatstone bridge to determine the resistance RX of an unknown carbon resistor. One arm has contained a known resistor R=10 Ω, and the other arm has held the unknown resistor RX . We have connected the … view at source ↗

**Figure 6.** Figure 6: IMB set-up for determination of unknown resistance Experiment 8: Series and Parallel Combinations of Resistors In the final experiment, we have measured two individual carbon resistors of 22 Ω and 6.8 Ω, and then have combined them in both series and parallel configurations. We have verified the theoretical formulae for equivalent resistance using our experimental data, which has helped strengthen our unde… view at source ↗

read the original abstract

In both rural and urban educational settings, science education is often hindered by limited access to lab resources and intimidating, complex instruments. This paper introduces a low-cost, homemade experimental apparatus built using a mobile charger, nichrome wire, galvanometer, and digital multimeter that enables educators to perform key higher secondary electricity experiments. The Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) has proven to be an intuitive, user-friendly tool that not only bridges theoretical and practical learning but also reduces student apprehension toward lab work. Its simplicity and accessibility exemplify how frugal innovation can transform physics education.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, simulated authors' rebuttal, and a circularity audit. Tearing a paper down is the easy half of reading it; the pith above is the substance, this is the friction.

Desk Editor's Note private letter to a colleague

A clear description of a cheap DIY metre bridge, but the effectiveness claims have no numbers or student data behind them.

read the letter

The main point on this paper is that it gives a practical recipe for building a low-cost metre bridge out of a mobile charger, nichrome wire, a galvanometer, and a digital multimeter. The setup is meant for higher-secondary electricity labs in places that lack standard equipment, and the authors argue it makes the experiments more accessible and less intimidating for students. That part is straightforward and addresses a real access problem in many schools. The construction details are concrete enough that a teacher could try replicating it from the description alone. The paper stays focused on the apparatus and how it can be used for resistance and metre-bridge measurements, which keeps it grounded in classroom needs rather than abstract theory. The citations are mostly to existing work on frugal innovation and physics education, so nothing feels out of place there. The soft spot is the missing evidence. The text asserts that the Indigenous Metre Bridge has proven intuitive and effective at reducing student apprehension, yet there are no calibration runs against commercial equipment, no percentage-error figures, no sample data tables, and no pre/post surveys or outcome measures. Without those, it is impossible to judge whether the homemade version produces readings close enough for educational purposes or actually changes how students experience the lab. The work is therefore an idea piece rather than a validated one. This is the sort of thing that could interest teachers or workshop organizers looking for quick, low-budget alternatives. For a journal in physics education it would need at least basic accuracy checks and a small pilot with students before it carries much weight. I would send it to referees with a request for those additions rather than desk-reject it outright, because the core idea is usable if the claims are backed up.

Referee Report

1 major / 2 minor

Summary. The manuscript describes the construction and use of a low-cost homemade Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) assembled from a mobile charger, nichrome wire, galvanometer, and digital multimeter. It is presented as an accessible apparatus for performing standard higher-secondary electricity experiments, with the central claim that the IMB has proven effective and intuitive, bridging theory and practice while reducing student apprehension toward lab work.

Significance. If the effectiveness and accuracy claims were supported by calibration data and student-outcome measurements, the work could meaningfully advance equitable access to physics labs in resource-limited settings. The frugal-innovation framing is a strength, but the absence of any quantitative validation currently restricts the manuscript to a descriptive account rather than a demonstrated educational improvement.

major comments (1)

[Abstract] Abstract: the assertion that the IMB 'has proven to be' an intuitive, user-friendly tool that reduces student apprehension is unsupported; the text supplies neither error-analysis tables, percentage deviations from commercial metre-bridge readings, nor pre/post-test or survey data on learning outcomes or anxiety reduction.

minor comments (2)

The description of the assembly would be clearer if a labeled photograph or circuit diagram were included to facilitate replication by other educators.
A brief comparison table of measured resistance values obtained with the IMB versus a standard commercial metre bridge would strengthen the accuracy claim.

Simulated Author's Rebuttal

1 responses · 0 unresolved

We thank the referee for the constructive feedback. We agree that the manuscript is primarily descriptive and that the abstract overstates the educational impact without supporting quantitative evidence. We will revise the text to align claims with the available content.

read point-by-point responses

Referee: [Abstract] Abstract: the assertion that the IMB 'has proven to be' an intuitive, user-friendly tool that reduces student apprehension is unsupported; the text supplies neither error-analysis tables, percentage deviations from commercial metre-bridge readings, nor pre/post-test or survey data on learning outcomes or anxiety reduction.

Authors: We acknowledge that the manuscript provides no quantitative validation such as error-analysis tables, comparisons with commercial metre bridges, or pre/post student surveys. The description of the IMB's intuitiveness and effect on apprehension rests on the authors' qualitative observations during construction and informal classroom use. We will revise the abstract to remove the phrase 'has proven to be' and replace it with a statement that the apparatus offers a low-cost, accessible alternative for performing the experiments, based on initial development experience. A limitations paragraph will be added noting the absence of formal outcome measurements and calling for future empirical studies. revision: yes

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged

No circularity: purely descriptive account of teaching apparatus

full rationale

The paper contains no derivations, equations, fitted parameters, predictions, or self-referential claims. It is a descriptive presentation of a low-cost Indigenous Metre Bridge assembled from common components, with assertions about its educational value presented as direct observations rather than results derived from any chain that could reduce to its own inputs. No self-citations are used in a load-bearing way, and there are no mathematical structures or uniqueness theorems invoked. This matches the default expectation for non-circular descriptive work.

Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger

0 free parameters · 1 axioms · 1 invented entities

The contribution rests on the assumption that a simple assembly of consumer electronics parts can serve as an educationally equivalent substitute for standard laboratory instruments without introducing unacceptable measurement error or safety risks.

axioms (1)

domain assumption The chosen components can be combined to perform standard higher-secondary electricity experiments with sufficient accuracy for teaching purposes.
The paper treats the DIY metre bridge as functionally interchangeable with commercial versions for educational goals.

invented entities (1)

Indigenous Metre Bridge (IMB) no independent evidence
purpose: Low-cost, homemade alternative to commercial metre-bridge apparatus for school electricity labs.
The specific name and component list constitute a new named assembly introduced by the authors.

pith-pipeline@v0.9.0 · 5402 in / 1373 out tokens · 53057 ms · 2026-05-13T17:04:45.549252+00:00 · methodology

discussion (0)

Reference graph

Works this paper leans on

4 extracted references · 4 canonical work pages

[1]

Uddin, N

Z. Uddin, N. Sadiq, Simulating Physics Experiments in Spreadsheets II—Experimenting with the Half -Deflection Method, Resistance of a V oltmeter, and a Meter Bridge , Phys. Teach., V ol.63, No.4, pp.281–285, 2025

work page 2025
[2]

Setyani, Suparmi, Sarwanto, J

N.D. Setyani, Suparmi, Sarwanto, J. Handhika, Students' conception and perception of simple electrical circuit, J. Phys.: Conf. Ser., V ol.909, 012051, 2017

work page 2017
[3]

Shipstone, Pupils' understanding of simple electrical circuits

D. Shipstone, Pupils' understanding of simple electrical circuits. Some implications for instruction, Phys. Educ., V ol.23, No.2, pp.92, 1988

work page 1988
[4]

Liégeois, E

L. Liégeois, E. Mullet, High school students' understanding of resistance in simple series electric circuits, Int. J. Sci. Educ., V ol.24, No.6, pp.551–564, 2002

work page 2002