Courtney Zahn

PHYS 1311L
Resistance and Ohms Law Investigation
Objectives:
1. Discover what parameters affects the resistance, R, in a circuit
2. Investigate Ohms Law and discover what conditions maximize current flow.
I. Resistance Sim
1. Goto http://phet-web.colorado.edu
2. Click Simulations, Electricity, magnets, and circuits
3. Select Resistance in a Wire
1. Manipulate each button separately and in your own words what does each variable
represent(look at what changes)
As you decrease the slider for resistivity, , the resistance decreases, and there are fewer
specks in the wire. As you decrease the length of the wire, the resistance also decreases. As
you increase the area of the wire, the resistance decreases.
2. In this sim, what variables are you seeing the relationship of. Write the formula below,
and indicate the units used to measure each one.
R=

L
A

( m ) m
cm2

As decreases R decreases. As L decreases R decreases. As A increases R decreases.

3. Try increasing the resistivity of the resistor, . How does this change the look of the
resistor? Describe how that relates to the formula you just wrote (direct, indirect
relationships, etc.). What happens to the value of R (Resistance)? Is this something that
can be changed in a resistor that you would buy in a store to use in a circuit?
If you increase the resistivity, the wire has more black dots in it. The value of R increases
as the value of increases. Yes, different types of wires have different resistivity. For
instance the resistivity of aluminum is than that of wood, so if you buy a circuit made of
aluminum it will have less resistance than one made of wood.
4. Now increase the length (L) (you would essentially be designing a different resistor,
since you cant do this to one you will be using in a circuit).What happens to R? WHY?
As the length of the wire increases, the resistance increases because the wire has a longer
distance to conduct the electricity.
5. Now increase the area (A) of the resistor. What changes? WHY?
The value of R decreases because there is more space for the electricity to travel.
6. Write a summary about the different relationships you looked at in the properties and
measurements of a resistor.

The length, area, and resistivity of a wire directly affect the resistance of it.
II. Ohms Law Sim
1. Close the Resistance in a Wire Sim
2. Open the Ohms Law Sim
1. Manipulate each button separately and in your own words what does each variable
represent(look at what changes)
As the voltage is increased the current increases. As the resistance increases, the current
decreases.
2. Manipulate the buttons. What conditions maximize current?
A very high voltage and low resistance.
3. What conditions minimize current?
A very low voltage and high resistance.
4. What would happen if you could decrease the resistance to 0? Explain.
There will be an infinite current because current equals voltage divided by zero resistance.
5. Move the potential (volts) and resistance (ohms) sliders and observe the current (amps)
a. As voltage increases, current __increases____.
b. As resistance increases, current _decreases_.
c. Fill out the table below and check your work in the simulation
Remember, the simulation shows milliamps.
You should show Amperes in the table
V
I
R
8.0 V
0.01 A
800
2.0 V

.044 A

45.45

2.5 V

.0058 A

430

6.9 V

.069 A

100

6.4 V

0.0213 A

300