Experiment 20

Experiment 20: Ohms Law

Purpose
(1) To verify Ohms Law.
(2) To study resistors connected in series and in parallel.

Apparatus
DC Power Supply, a sample with 3 resistors; an ammeter; a voltmeter; wires

Theory
A) Ohms Law. When current I flows through a resistor, BASIC
then the potential difference V (voltage) EQUATION
between its terminals is proportional to I as in (1)
Basic Equation (1), where R is the resistance. V=RI

B) Combinations of Resistors. When two or more resistors ( R1, R2, R3,) are
connected in series (Fig. 1) then this combination is equivalent to a single resistor
of resistance Req given by Formula (2).

BASIC FORMULA
(2)
Req = R1 + R2 + R3+. . . . .

When two or more resistors are connected in parallel (Fig. 2) then the equivalent
resistance Req is given by Formula (3).

BASIC FORMULA

(3) 1=1 + 1 + 1 ....

Req R1 R2 R3

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 Experiment 20

Procedure Part I: Ohms Law

a) Make sure that the DC power supply is off and that the adjusting knobs are set to the
minimum positions.

b) Construct the circuit as in Fig. 3a, using the resistor marked R1 in your sample.
Use the 50 ma scale ammeter scale and make sure that + and markings are
connected as shown in Fig. 3a.

c) Set the voltmeter scale to read 5 volts at its maximum. Attach wires to your voltmeter
using a red wire for the + terminal and a black one for the - terminal. Then connect
the red wire from the voltmeter to the side of the resistor where the current enters it
and the black wire to where the current leaves the resistor, as shown above.

If you have a faulty connector, tell your instructor (do not return it where you took it
from!).

CALL YOUR INSTRUCTOR TO CHECK YOUR CIRCUIT. DO NOT PROCEED

WITHOUT HIS OR HER PERMISSION.

d) After your instructors approval, copy your data table on your RESISTOR R1
data sheet, as shown. Plug in the power supply. With the I V
adjusting knob in Min position, turn the power on. (ma) (volts)
Turn slowly the regulating knob(s) and watch both the
ammeter and the voltmeter readings increase (if not, turn
off the power at once and call your instructor). Keep doing
this until the ammeter reaches 50ma or the voltmeter reaches ....... ........
5 volts whichever comes first.

Record the current I and the voltage V to three significant digitss.

If your voltmeter has no such scale, use the 3 volt scale but check with your Instructor
for a revision of the instructions for the experiment.
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 Experiment 20

e) Decreasing the current, record I and V four times (a total of 5 readings), in

roughly equal intervals. The lowest current should be 5 to 10 ma.

f) Repeat the steps (d) and (e) for your resistors R2 and R3, with maximum current
close to 50 ma but using the finest voltmeter scale possible for each given resistor
(it could be 2.5 volt scale).

Record the voltmeter scale used, for each sample.

g) Turn the power off.

1) Record the zero readings of your ammeter: these are their readings when
they are completely disconnected from any circuits. They should be close to
zero, but not necessarily exactly so (consult your instructor, if in doubt).
2) Estimate and record the uncertainties in your readings on all scales of ammeter
and voltmeter which you have used (how well you can read the scales).

Procedure Part II: Combinations of Resistors

h) Connect all three resistors R1 , R2 , R3 in series (if not sure how to do this, check
with your instructor). Using the 10 volt scale on the voltmeter, record 5 runs.
Your maximum current may be less than 50 ma.

j) Connect all three resistors in parallel. Using the finest voltmeter scale possible, with
the maximum current close to 50 ma, record 5 runs, as before.

k) Estimate from your data in Part I the values of R1 , R2 , R3 . Record which resistors
have the two higher resistances and connect them in parallel.
Connect this combination in series with the remaining resistor. Record 5 runs.

BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE LAB:

A) Disconnect all wires, unplug the power supply, and clean up your station
.
B) Your data sheet should have 6 tables, clearly marked with: (i) which resistors were
used, (ii) which scales were used, (iii) the uncertainties of every scale used, (iv) zero
readings.

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 Experiment 20

Lab Report
Part I
1) Using graph paper and a ruler, plot V vs. I for each of your resistors R1, R2 , R3.
Draw the line of best fit in each case and determine the resistance in ohms from its
slope to 3 significant digits. Display all calculations on the graph sheet.

Part II.
2) As in (1), plot V vs. I for each of the three combination circuits and find Req
for each circuit from the slope.
3) Calculate the theoretical values of Req for each of the three combination circuits from
your experimental values of R1 , R2 , R3 using the basic formulas. Show your calculations
for all circuits in detail.
4) Summarize your results CALCULATED MEASURED %
COMBINATION R R
in a table like the one DISCR
shown. For %
ALL IN SERIES
discrepancies use the
calculated values as
more reliable (ie refer to ALL IN PARALLEL
them as if they were
exact and put them in SERIES & PARALLEL
the denominator).
5) Answer the following questions:
Question 1: Explain, whether a line of best fit should, or should not, pass through
the origin of the graph (V vs. I).
Question 2: Could the zero readings of your ammeter and voltmeter be used
(as a data point) when drawing the graph? Explain.
Question 3: Suppose somebody, using the same apparatus which you used,
measured I = 45.5 ma, and V = 8.2 volts on some resistor. Using your recorded
uncertainties for 50 ma and 10 volt scales, what would be the maximum %
uncertainty in R if it were calculated from Basic Formula (1)?
Use calculus methods (estimating errors by differentials) to answer this
question if you can.
6) If the discrepancies between your calculated and measured resistances in (4) are very
different from your Question 3 estimate, explain why.

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