Name : Nur Irdina binti Mohamad Rizal

Student id : 2020731555
Class : AS2511_D2

Title

Resistor connected in series and parallel

Objective

To evaluate the total resistance of resistor connected in series and parallel

Apparatus

1. Two 470Ω resistors

2. Multimeter

3. Connecting wires

4. Connecting board

Theory

A device which obeys Ohm’s Law generally can be described as a resistor, which
has a resistance R.

Ohm’s Law: V = IR Equation 1

Resistors of two or more can be placed in series or parallel. An equivalent resistor is

a single resistor that can replace complex components in a circuit and produce equal
total current when equal total voltage is applied. For a series circuit, the equivalent
resistance equals the sum of the resistances.

Req = R1 + R2 Equation 2

For a parallel circuit, the resistances add as reciprocals.

1/Req = 1/R1 + 1/R2 Equation 3

1/Req = R1 + R2 / R1R2
Procedure

Part 1

1. Take two 470Ω resistors and connect all the resistors in series on the
connecting board.
2. Record the voltage across each resistor using the multimeter. Record the
measured values in the table.

Part 2

1. Take two 470Ω resistors and connect all the resistors in parallel on the
connecting board.
2. Record the voltage across each resistor using the multimeter. Record the
measured values in the table.

Discussion

In this experiment, two resistors were connected in series and parallel in order to
calculated the total resistance values. From the experiment, the total resistance in
the series circuit is increase but in the parallel circuit, the total resistance is increase.
This is because in a series circuit, the total resistance across all of the components
(the 'net resistance') increases as more components are added. The two resistors
have the same current through them. The potential difference across them will be
different if they have different resistances.

According to Ohm’s law, the voltage drop, V, across a resistor when a current flows
through it is calculated by using the equation V=IR, where I is current in amps (A)
and R is the resistance in ohms (Ω).

So the voltage drop across R 1 is V1 = IR1 , across R2 is V2 = IR2 , and across R3 is V3 =
IR3 . The sum of the voltages would equal: V = V 1 + V2 + V3 , based on the
conservation of energy and charge. If we substitute the values for individual
voltages, we get:

V = IR1 + IR2 + IR3V

or

V = I(R1 + R2 + R3)

This implies that the total resistance in a series is equal to the sum of the individual
resistances. Therefore, for every circuit with N number of resistors connected in
series:

RN(series) = R1 + R2 + R3 + … + RN.

Since all of the current must pass through each resistor, it experiences the
resistance of each, and resistances in series simply add up.

Next, the total of resistance in parallel circuit is decrease because in a parallel circuit,
the net resistance decreases as more components are added, because there are
more paths for the current to pass through. The two resistors have the same
potential difference across them. The current through them will be different if they
have different resistances. When resistors are connected in parallel, more current
flows from the source than would flow for any of them individually, so the total
resistance is lower.

According to Ohm’s law, the currents flowing through the individual resistors are I1 =
V/R1 , I2 = V/R2 , and I3 = V/R3 . Conservation of charge implies that the total current
is the sum of these currents:

I = I1 + I2 + I3 .

Substituting the expressions for individual currents gives:

I = V/R1 + V/R2 + VR3

or

I = V(1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3)

This implies that the total resistance in a parallel circuit is equal to the sum of the
inverse of each individual resistance. Therefore, for every circuit with n number or
resistors connected in parallel,

Rn (parallel) = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3 … + 1/Rn .

This relationship results in a total resistance that is less than the smallest of the
individual resistances. When resistors are connected in parallel, more current flows
from the source than would flow for any of them individually, so the total resistance is
lower.

Conclusion

From this experiment, I able to evaluate the total resistance of resistor connected in
series and parallel using Ohm’s Law.

References

Circuits and Direct Currents. (n.d.). Retrieved from Resistors in Series and Parallel:
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-physics/chapter/resistors-in-
series-and-parallel/

How do series and parallel circuits work? (n.d.). Retrieved from Resistance in series
and parallel circuits: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zsk4msg/revision/5

StuDoc. (n.d.). Retrieved from Lab 4 Resistors and capacitors connected in series
and in parallel: https://www.studocu.com/en-us/document/college-of-staten-
island-cuny/physics-ii/coursework/lab-4-resistors-and-capacitors-connected-
in-series-and-in-parallel/4045586/view

the Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Retrieved from Electric Circuits - Lesson 4 - Circuit
Connections: https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/circuits/Lesson-
4/Parallel-Circuits