Name: - Edward Felton - Section

Physics II online lab: Ohm’s Law Page #1
Name:_Edward Felton___________________________________ Section: _______
Computer Simulation: Ohm’s Law

In this activity you will use the Simulation: Resistance in a Wire and Ohm’s
Law to develop your understanding of the relationship between Resistance,
Electric current, and Voltage.
1 Objective
To study resistors, Ohm’s law, linear behavior, and non-linear behavior.
2 Apparatus
Phet online software
3 Theory
3.1. Resistance:
A resistor is a circuit element which dissipates electrical energy in the form of heat. All conductors
(metals) have resistance, but the material used in most resistors is carbon-glass. Resistance
manifests itself at the microscopic level as collisions between conduction electrons (those actually
involved in carrying the current) and the atoms making up the resistive material. Resistance is
actually determined by the geometry of the material, and the intrinsic property of a material which
is the macroscopic manifestation of the collisions between the electrons and the atoms is called the
resistivity of the material. The resistivity and the material geometry determine the resistance of the
material, and the relationship for most geometries is
l
R=ρ
A
where ρ is the resistivity of the material, l is the length over which the current flows, and A is the
cross sectional area through which the current flows. These are shown below in figure 1.
Figure 1: The geometry for the above equation.
3.2 Ohm’s Law
Ohm’s law states that if a resistor is in a circuit, there is a current that flows through the resistor as
a result of the voltage applied to it. The resistance of a resistor could be measured in a circuit by
dividing the voltage applied to the resistor over the current that is flowing in the resistor:
V
R=
I
where V is the voltage across the resistor in volts (V ) and I is the current flowing through the
resistor in amps (A). The units of resistance are then V /A = Ω, called ohms.
If the resistor is linear, then the ratio V /I is always the same and the resistance is a constant value.
Then we may write:
V =IR
which states that V and I are proportional with a constant of proportionality R. This is the linear
form of Ohm’s law, and the most famous form. All standard resistors follow this mathematical
equation and are therefore technically linear resistors. Sometimes, for some materials or devices,
this is not the case. Such devices are then termed non-linear.
Figure 2: The schematic representation of a resistor.
Any material in the real life has a resistor, some materials have lower resistance (conductors) like
metals and some have higher resistance (insulators), like plastic, stone, rubber, etc.
4 Procedure
4.1 Resistor
Go to the link: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/resistance-in-a-wire/latest/resistance-in-a-

wire_en.html
You will see the following interface:

1. Grab the knob for Resistivity, Length, and Area one at a time, change the values (click and hold
and choose three numbers for each and fill in the table below:
Read and Change ↓ Change ↓ Change ↓

insert↓
Resistance: Resistivity: Length: Area:
R (Ω) ρ (Ωcm) L (cm) A (cm2)
0.667 0.5 10 7.5

0.8 0.6 10 7.5
0.867 0.65 10 7.5
0.933 0.7 10 7.5
0.733 0.5 11 7.5
0.8 0.5 13 7.5
0.933 0.5 14 7.5
0.625 0.5 10 8
0.555 0.5 10 9
0.339 0.5 10 15
2. What is your observation of the change in each parameter? Circle the correct answer.
a. Resistance changes (linearly/inversely) with Resistivity of the wire.

b. Resistance changes (linearly/inversely) with Length of the wire.
c. Resistance changes (linearly/inversely) with Cross-sectional Area of the wire.
4.2. Ohm’s law
Go to the link: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/ohms-law/latest/ohms-law_en.html

You will see the following interface:
1. Grab the knob for Voltage and Resistance one at a time, change the values (click and hold and
choose three numbers and fill in the table below:
Change ↓ Read and Change↓

insert↓
Voltage: Current: Resistance:
(V) I (mA) R (Ω)
4.5 9 500
4 8 500
3 6 500
2.5 5 500
4.5 11.25 400
4.5 15 300
4.5 90 50
2. What is your observation of the change in each parameter? Circle the correct answer.
a. Current changes (linearly/inversely) with Resistance of the wire.
b. Current changes (linearly/inversely) with applied Voltage of battery.
3. Use the data that you have generated for constant Voltage (the first 4 rows of the table) and plot
Current-Voltage (I-V).
Rise 1
2. Find the slope of the line ( ). Inverse the Slope and find the resistance ( R= ).
Run Slope
Slope= 8mA-9mA/4V-4.5V=0.002
Resistance= 1/0.002=500 ohm
25
20
15
Current (mA)
10
08 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
0
Voltage (V)

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Physics II online lab: Ohm’s Law Page #1

Name:_Edward Felton_____________________________ Section: _

Computer Simulation: Ohm’s Law

To study resistors, Ohm’s law, linear behavior, and non-linear behavior.

Figure 1: The geometry for the above equation.

3.2 Ohm’s Law

Figure 2: The schematic representation of a resistor.

Go to the link: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/resistance-in-a-wire/latest/resistance-in-a-

You will see the following interface:

Read and Change ↓ Change ↓ Change ↓

0.667 0.5 10 7.5

a. Resistance changes (linearly/inversely) with Resistivity of the wire.

4.2. Ohm’s law

Go to the link: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/ohms-law/latest/ohms-law_en.html

Change ↓ Read and Change↓

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