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Fiona Chau
Mr. Shaw
2EJ 20O-A
October 3rd 2016
Introduction/Background Research
The purpose of this lab was to investigate the relationship between resistance and the
flow of current in an electric circuit. This was done by placing resistors with different amounts of
resistance into the circuit and comparing the current.
Hypothesis:
If the resistor resistance increases than the amount of current will decrease.
Materials:
- 1 SK-50 bread boarding socket
- 1 battery
- 1 100 ohm resistor
- 1 1k ohm resistor
- 1 47k resistor
- 3 LEDs
- 9 wires
Procedure:
1. Circuit was assembled with a 100ohm resistor on the bread board
2. Circuit was assembled with a 1000ohm resistor on the bread board
3. Circuit was assembled with a 47k resistor on the bread board
4. Circuit was tested
5. Observations on LEDs brightness was recorded
Observations/Results:
Current (amps)
0.02
0.01
0
Discussion:
As the results of this lab display, if the resistor resistance increases, than the amount of
current will decrease. The observations show that because, with a 100 ohm resistor the current
was 0.05 amps and the light was bright but with a 47k resistor the current was 0.000106383
amps and the light was very dim and barely visible. The outcome exhibits Ohms law because it
states that in any circuit the current is proportional to the voltage and resistance. However, with
resistance its proportional in a way that as it increases the current will decrease proportionally.
(The definition of Ohms law n.d.). With pervious knowledge of Ohms law, the hypothesis was
if the resistance increases than the amount current will decrease. The results of the lab confirmed
that the hypothesis was also correct. The lab worked as desired so there were no errors.
Conclusion:
Therefore, this lab displayed Ohms law because as the resistors resistance increased the
electric current decreased.
Work Cited:
The definition of Ohm's law. (n.d.). Retrieved October 05, 2016, from
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ohm-s-law
Diode
LED
Diode Marking
1st position
Bright (high)
2nd position
Not on
Towards negative
side
Towards positive
side
Observations/Results:
Circuit
LED Brightness
Resistance
Current
A Series
Bright (medium)
470 ohms
B Series
Dim (low)
940 ohms
C Parallel
Bright (high)
235 ohms
Approximately
0.011
Approximately
0.005
Approximately
0.021
Cicuit B (Series)
Circuit C (Parallel)
Type of Circuit
Resistance
The Relationship Between the Type of Circuit and the Amount of Current
0.03
0.02
0.02
Current (Amps)
0.01
0.01
0
Circuit A (Series)
Circuit B (Series)
Circuit C (Parallel)
Type of Circuit
Series 1
The formula used to calculate the current for circuit A was I = V/R. For circuit B to calculate
resistance the formula Rt=R1+R2 then the current formula was used. For circuit C the resistance
was calculated using the formula 1/Rt = 1/R1+1/R2 then the formula to find the current was
used.
Discussion:
1.Descirble the change in brightness of the LED for circuits a, b and c.
With the first circuit it was a simple series with one 470 ohm resistor, the LED was bright.
Circuit B was a series circuit with two 470 ohm resistors, the LED was slightly dim. Circuit C
was a parallel circuit with two 470 ohm resistors, the LED was the brightest out of the three
circuits.
2.Use the formula for resistors in series and parallel to explain the observations.
The formula for resistors in a series circuit is Rt= R1+R2. This explain why circuit B was the
most dim because it had 2 resistors that affected the current together causing the overall circuit to
have a greater amount of total resistance. The formula for resistors in a parallel circuit is 1/Rt=
1/R1+1/R2. This explains that resistance decreases because, the current is shared throughout
every load in the circuit, the resistance affects the current so the resistance is also distributed.
3. Suggest how 3 resistors in series or parallel would affect the observations in circuits B and C.
If a third resistor was places in circuit b in series then the LED would become even more din
because it adds to the total resistance affecting the current. Whereas, if a third resistor was placed
in circuit C in parallel than the LED would become even brighter. It will become brighter
because in the circuit the amount of current will decrease more with another resistor which was
displayed with the formula.
Conclusion: Therefore, In a series circuit the circuit shares voltage and resistance but the current
remains the same whereas in a parallel circuit, the circuit shares the current between each load
but the voltage stays the same.