Experiment 8: Series and Parallel Circuits

So, Francesca Vada A., Urbano, Courtney A., Yap, Justinne R.

Department of Biological Sciences
College of Science, University of Santo Tomas
Espaa, Manila Philippines

Abstract parallel circuit all components are connected

This experiment concentrates on series and across each other, forming exactly two sets
parallel circuits. The first activity made use of electrically common points. A parallel
of a series circuit and yielded a 4.84% error circuit also has three resistors, but this time
for total resistance while the second activity, they form more than one continuous path for
which made use of a parallel circuit, yielded electrons to flow. Each individual path is
a 0.83% total resistance error. An internal called a branch.
resistance of 2.4 was obtained in the third Components and wires are coded
activity. The fourth activity determined the with colors to identify their value and
total internal resistance of cells in a series function. A table of values is found in the
and a parallel circuit, which were 11.89 laboratory manual. The colors brown, red,
and 3.70, respectively. green, blue and violet are used as tolerance
codes on 5-band resistors only (5-band
1. Introduction resistors use a colored tolerance band). The
A circuit, simply speaking, is a closed blank or 20% band is only used with the 4-
loop through which electricity can flow. It is band code, which is 3 colored bands plus a
composed of individual electronic blank band.
components, such as resistors, transistors, An ammeter is a measuring device
capacitors, inductors and diodes, connected used to measure the electric current in a
by conductive wires or traces through which circuit. It is connected in series with a
electric current can flow. Resistors limit the device to measure its current. An ammeter
flow of electrons through a circuit. A closed must be connected in series because (1)
circuit allows for an uninterrupted flow of objects in series experience the same current
electricity from the source of power, passing and (2) considering the fact that it must not
through the conductor or wire, towards the be connected to voltage source since
load and back again to the source of power. ammeters are designed to work under a
The two most common types of closed minimal burden. On the other hand, a
circuits are the series and parallel circuits. voltmeter is connected in parallel with a
In a series circuit, there is only one device to measure its voltage, or the
path for electrons to flow in a difference in electrical potential between
counterclockwise direction. A series circuit two points in an electric circuit. A voltmeter
has three resistors (labeled R1, R2, and R3), must be connected in parallel since objects
connected in a long chain from one terminal in parallel experience the same potential
of the battery to the other. Meanwhile, in a difference.
 The objectives of the experiment are potential difference is shared through the
the following: (1) to determine the resistance resistors. Since the voltage is shared
of a resistor based on its color code and (2) throughout the resistors, when added, it
to verify the laws on series/parallel resistors makes up the total voltage. There are
and cells. different resistors, thus different values of
resistance. The total resistance can be
2. Theory obtained by adding all of the individual
This experiment makes use of the values of the resistors resistance. All of
Ohms law. Most of the equations in this these are expressed through equations 2,3,
experiment are derived from this concept. and 4, respectively:
Ohms law shows the relationship
between the voltage and current in an ideal
conductor. The relationship states that the
potential difference across an ideal
conductor is proportional to the current
through it. It can be expressed through Meanwhile in a parallel circuit,
equation 1: resistors are arranged with their heads and
tails connected together. The current is
distributed into different branches of the
circuit and then recombined after being
connected into the same wire, indicating that
Where V is the potential difference the current may have different values when
between two points, I is the current flowing, travelling through the wire. The total current
is obtained by adding different current
values measured throughout the circuit.
However, voltage remains the same
throughout the parallel circuit. The total
resistance is computed by adding the
reciprocal of the sum of reciprocals of the
different resistor values. These can be
expressed using equations 5, 6, and 7:

and R is the constant of proportionality or In Activities 1 and 2, the total

resistance. resistance in a parallel and series circuit
In a series circuit, where resistors are were computed for while the voltage and
arranged in a chain, the current flows in only current were measured using a voltmeter and
one direction. Therefore, the current is the an ammeter. The experimental value of the
same through each resistor. However, the total resistance for parallel and series circuit
were obtained by using equation 8 :
 series circuit compared to the internal
resistance of a cell in a parallel circuit.
W
her 3. Methodology
e RT is the total resistance, VT is the total Activity 1
voltage (potential difference), and IT is the In the experiment, resistors, a power
total current. source and the voltmeter/ammeter were
Since Activity 1 made use of the used. The values of two resistors were
series circuit, the theoretical yield for the determined and recorded as R1 and R2. The
total resistance was computed using resistors were connected in series to the
equation 4. Meanwhile, since Activity 2 power (dc) source. Using the voltmeter and
made use of the parallel circuit, the ammeter, the current and voltage drop were
theoretical yield for the total resistance was recorded across each resistor. The total
obtained using equation 7. Percent error was current and total voltage were also measured
computed as well. along the combination. The total
experimental and theoretical resistance were
In Activity 3, the internal resistance computed. The % error was determined as
of the cell was obtained by measuring the well.
electromotive force, voltage and the current Activity 2
with the use of a voltmeter and ammeter and This activity was conducted similar
using equation 9: to the first, only this time the resistors were
connected in parallel.
Activity 3
The use of a cell (9V battery) and the
voltmeter/ammeter was required. The
electromotive force of the cell was
determined by connecting the voltmeter
across terminals. A known resistance (R)
Where r is the internal resistance, E
was connected in series with the cell. The
is the electromotive force, I is the current, R
current (I) delivered to the circuit is
is the resistance, and V is the potential
measured by an ammeter. The internal
difference.
resistance (r) of the cell was computed.
Activity 4
In activity 4, internal resistance was
The electromotive force as well as
also computed for using equation 9.
the total internal resistance of two identical
However, the cell is connected in a series
cells connected in series was determined
and parallel circuit. Generalizations were
using the method given in Activity 3. This
made wherein it was believed that a cell in a
was then repeated but now connected in
series circuit has a stronger electromotive
series. Generalizations were made regarding
force compared to a cell in a parallel circuit
since the internal resistance is smaller in a
cells in series and parallel. R1= 470 5% 12.12 0.025 A

5. Results and Discussion

Activity 1: Series R2=330 5% 12.12 0.025 A
Table 1. Results for Activity 1
Voltage Current (I)
Theoretical RT= 193.88
(V)

R1=470 5% 7.4 0.015 A Experimental RT= 195.48

R2=330 5% 5.18 0.015 A % Error= 0.83%

Theoretical RT= 800 In contrast with the data gathered in

the previous activity (shown in Table 1) this
Experimental RT= 838.7 activity involves parallel circuits, which
means that the voltages are equal regardless
of the resistance and now the currents
% Error= 4.84% passing through the resistors are the ones
that vary. In getting the total current, all
individual currents must be added together.
The resistance of the given resistors The computation for the theoretical total
were obtained through the color codes resistance is also different from that of the
embedded in its bodies. As shown in Table one used in the first activity, which can be
1, the resistances are 470 and 330 and it was referred to as equation 7. It was shown that
observed that the currents are equal the theoretical total resistance and the
regardless of the resistance. However, the experimental total resistance yielded
voltage for each resistance varies. The 193.88 and 195.48 respectively, with an
theoretical total resistance was computed by error of only 0.83%.
adding both the resistance which yielded Activity 3
800 while the experimental was 838.7 Table 3. Results for Activity 3
which gave a 4.84% error.
Electromotive Force of Cell 8.19v
(E)

Activity 2: Parallel Known Resistance (R) 330

Table 2. Results for Activity 2
Current (I) 0.025A
Voltage Current (I)
Internal Resistance of the -2.4
(V) Cell (r)
 two electromotive force of the individual
The total internal resistance of a cell cells together. Meanwhile in the series
used in this activity was determined using connection of cells, determining the total
the equation given in the theory which states electromotive force of the cells was easier
that the electromotive force of the cell is since the two values for each are considered
directly proportional to internal resistance. equal. It should be taken note of that even if
The internal resistance is equal to the the computation for the total electromotive
potential difference across the terminals of force depends on the connection, the
the cell when no current is flowing. In this computation for the total internal resistance
case, only one cell was used to determine its is the same since only one variable was
internal resistance by using its other changed in this activity, which is the E. A
properties like electromotive force, current, big difference in the total internal resistance
and resistance. The voltmeter of the was be observed by changing the way the
multimeter was used to determine the cells are connected. From table 4, the series
electromotive force of the cell, showing connection gave more total internal
8.19V with a known resistance of 330, and resistance to cells than that of parallel.
the current was measured to be 0.025. The
internal resistance was computed using all Conclusion
the data gathered and is shown as -2.4. Ohms law states that the current on
a conductor that is between two points is
Activity 4 directly proportional to the voltage across
Table 4. Cells in Series and Cells in Parallel the two points. The resistance is independent
from the value of the current and it is a
In series In parallel
constant. This law was verified in this
Electromotive 18.12v 9.01v experiment and was used to determine
force of the Cell values for the series and parallel circuits
(E) properties such as resistance, internal
Known 330 330 resistance, and total internal resistance. In
Resistance (R) Activities 3 and 4 it was seen that when two
voltage sources (cells) having similar
Current (I) 0.053A 0.027A electromotive force are connected to a
Total Internal 11.89 3.70 parallel circuit and a resistor, the total
Resistance of voltage is equal to the individual voltages
cells (r) but the total resistance is reduced since the
internal resistances are in parallel. When
Same principle from activity 3 was voltage sources are in series facing the same
used.. However, the cells are now connected direction, their internal resistances add
in two ways: Parallel and Series. In the setup together and their electromotive forces add
where the cells are connected in series, the algebraically.
total electromotive force is the sum of the
Application The resistance drops to 1000 ohms or
1.State the laws of series and parallel less when the skin is wet because water
combination of resistances. Were these allows free movement of charges. The water
laws verified in your experiment? spreads all over our skin, increasing the
surface exposure to electricity. The circuit in
The law for series and parallel a lie detector is based on the fact that a
combination of resistances were verified in persons skin resistance changes when one
the experiment and the results of the group sweats, and sweating results from lying. Dry
strongly agreed to the relationship of the skin has a resistance of about one million
component of the said circuits. For parallel ohms, whereas the resistance of moist skin is
resistors, the total resistance of a parallel reduced by a factor of ten or more.
Circuit was not equal to the sum of the
resistors-the total resistance in a parallel 4. Compare the human circulatory system
circuit is always less than any of the branch to an electric circuit.
resistances and adding more parallel An electric circuit is similar to your
resistances to the paths caused the total circulatory system since in order for a circuit
resistance in the circuit to decrease. As for to work, the whole circuit has to be
the laws of series resistors, the current flow connected, just like the circulatory system.
was the same through each element of the The blood vessels, arteries, veins and
series circuit-the combined resistance of the capillaries of human circulatory system are
various loads in series is the sum of the like the wires in a circuit. The blood vessels
separate resistance. Lastly, the voltage carry the flow of blood through your body
across the source or power supply was equal while the wires in a circuit carry the electric
to the sum of the voltage drops across the current to various parts of an electrical or
separate loads in series. electronic system. The heart is the pump that
drives the blood circulation in the body and
2. You have 4 identical resistors, each it provides the force or pressure for blood to
with a resistance of 5 ohms. Determine all circulate, which is similar to the action of
possible resistances that you may get the battery wherein it pumps the electrons
using all four resistors. around the circuit so that the bulb will work
Series= 20 ohms and light up. The blood circulating through
Parallel= 1.25 ohms the body supplies various organs, and organ
systems. A battery or generator produces the
3. The human body is a good conductor, force that drives currents through the circuit
being almost 70% water. A dry skin has a known as voltage.
resistance as high 104 -106 as ohms.
However, when the skin is wet, the 5. Are household circuits normally wired
resistance drops to 1000 ohms or less. in series or in parallel? Why?
Why? Relate this fact of a lie detector. Household circuits are normally
wired in parallel, which allows one to
operate each power point independently of
the others. This means that the current
running through any one section of the
circuit stays small enough to prevent
problems, since in parallel circuits the
current is split up and travels along each
separate path.

6. Biomedical Application. Discuss the

working principle of ventricular
defibrillator.
A ventricular defibrillator gives an
electrical shock to the heart to stop
ventricular fibrillation, which causes cardiac
rhythm disturbances and may lead to cardiac
arrest.

References
[1] Boundless. Charging a Battery: EMFs
in Series and Parallel. Boundless Physics.
Boundless, 26 May. 2016. Retrieved 16
May, 2017 from
https://www.boundless.com/physics/textboo
ks/boundless-physics-textbook/circuits-
anddirect-currents-20/resistors-in-series-
andparallel-151/charging-a-battery-emfs-
inseries-and-parallel-536-5597/
[2] Soclof, S. (2015) How Circuits Work.
Retrieved May 17, 2017, from
http://science.howstuffworks.com/environm
ental/energy/circuit.htm