3.4.3 Lab: Circuit Building Dry Lab
Physics Sem 2
Points Possible:50
Name: Delaney Gross
Date:
● White craft paper
● Magnetic compass
In this
... [Show More] lab, you will investigate the relationships among voltage, current, and resistance in series
and parallel circuits.
Procedure
Part 1: Series Circuit with Two Resistors, Designed in Terms of Resistance
1Design a circuit that has two resistors connected in series. Given that you have a 20 V battery,
choose resistors that will produce a current of 0.2 A. Record the resistance in data table 1.
Using the flash animation available on the launch page of the lab activity, construct a series
circuit according to the specifications. Represent your circuit on graph paper, labeling each
element in the circuit. Calculate the current through and voltage drop across each resistor, and
record in data table 1.
2. Using the ammeter and voltmeter, determine the current through and voltage drop across
each resistor by touching leads to the wires before and after each individual resistor. Record the
values in data table 1.
Data Table 1: Series Circuit with Two Resistors, Designed in Terms of Resistance
Resistance (Ω) Calculated
voltage (V)
Experimental
voltage (V)
Calculated
current (A)
Experimental
current (A)
50
10
10 .2 .2
Part 2: Parallel Circuit with Two Resistors, Designed in Terms of Resistance
3Design a circuit that has two resistors connected in parallel. Given that you have a 20 V battery,
choose resistors that will produce a current of 1.5 A. Record the resistance in data table 2.
Using the flash animation available on the launch page of the lab activity, construct a parallel
circuit according to the specifications. Represent your circuit on graph paper, labeling each
element in the circuit. Calculate the current through and voltage drop across each resistor, and
record in data table 2.
4. Using the ammeter and voltmeter, determine the current through and voltage drop across
each resistor. Record the values in data table 2.
Data Table 2: Parallel Circuit with Two Resistors, Designed in Terms of Resistance
50 10 10 .2 .2
Resistance (Ω) Calculated
voltage (V)
Experimental
voltage (V)
Calculated
current (A)
Experimental
current (A)
20 20
20
1
1
Part 3: Series Circuit with One Resistor, Designed in Terms of Potential Difference (Voltage)
5. Design a circuit that has a single resistor connected in series. Given that you have a 100 Ω
resistor, calculate a power source voltage that will produce a current of 0.4 A.
Use the instructions provided in step 1 to build the circuit.
6. Calculate the current through and voltage drop across the resistor, and record the values in
data table 3.
7. Using the ammeter and voltmeter, determine the current through and voltage drop across the
resistor. Record the values in data table 3.
Data Table 3: Series Circuit with One Resistor, Designed in Terms of Potential Difference
(Voltage) [Show Less]