AUTO 131 - Series and Parallel Simulation: Your Name

AUTO 131 — Series and Parallel
Simulation
Your Name:
1. Build a simple circuit with a battery, switch, and lightbulb.

○ Change the battery voltage to 12.0 volts.
○ Change the resistance of the lightbulb to 4 ohms.
○ Click on "advanced settings" and slide the wire resistivity very slightly to the right.
○ Select "show values."
○ How much current do you predict (using Ohm's law) will flow in this circuit based
on the voltage and resistance of the bulb?
According to the Ohm’s law, it should flow 3 Amps; but considering the wire
resistance, I predict that it’s going to be 2.8 Amps.
○ How much voltage do you predict will be "dropped" across the lightbulb when it is
turned on?
Using again the Ohm’s law with the current I previously predicted, I think it will be
11.2 V.
○ Now, measure the current flow in the circuit.

○ What is the result?
It is 2.28 amps, but it was interesting as it changed as the length of the cables
changed.
○ How does your measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.
The measurement is less than my prediction, since I was unaware of the

resistance of the wire. In other words, the resistance of the wires was higher than
I thought it would be.
○ Measure voltage drop across the bulb.

It is 9.14 V
○ How does this measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.
It is lower, because the wire from the battery to the bulb, is dropping more
voltage than expected.
2. Add another bulb to this circuit-in series with the first one-but don't turn it on yet! Change
the resistance of the new bulb to 2 ohms.
○ What is the total resistance of the circuit?
Without counting the wire resistance, it is 6 Ω
○ How much current do you predict (using Ohm's law) will flow in this circuit when it
is turned on?
Again, neglecting the wire resistivity, it should be 12/6= 2 Ω
○ How much voltage do you predict (using Ohm's law) will be "dropped" across
each light bulb when the circuit is turned on?
○ Bulb #1 (4 Ω): 4x2 = 8 V
○ Bulb #2 (2 Ω): 2x2= 4 V
○ Now, measure the current flow in the circuit.
It is 1.60 A
○ How does your measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.
It is lower, because of the resistance of the wires, that summed with the
resistance of the bulb, it should be 7.5 Ω, which means that the total resistance
of the wires is 1.5 Ω
○ Measure voltage drop across each bulb.

○ Bulb #1: 6.39 V
○ Bulb #2: 3.20 V
○ How does this measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.
As I explained before, it is lower because the total resistance of the circuit is

higher.
3. Remove the last bulb that you added, and connect it in parallel to the original bulb.
○ How much current do you predict will flow through Bulb #1 when it is turned on?
According to the Ohm’s law, 3 A

○ How much current do you predict will flow through Bulb #2 when it is turned on?
According to the Ohm’s law, 6 A
○ How much current do you predict will flow in the entire circuit (to and from the
battery) when it is turned on?
Summing the currents, it should be 9 A
○ Based on what you predict for total current flow, what is the overall resistance of
this circuit? (Hint: don't just add the two resistors together!)
Dividing the voltage for the ideal current: 12/9= 1.33 Ω
○ How much voltage do you predict (using Ohm's law) will be "dropped" across
each lightbulb when the circuit is turned on?
○ Bulb #1: 12V
○ Bulb #2: 12V
○ Now, insert ammeters and measure the current flow in the circuit.
■ How much current is flowing through bulb #1?
2.06 A
■ How much current is flowing through bulb #2?
3.35 A
■ How much current is flowing through the total circuit (from the battery)?
5.41 A
■ How do your measurements compare to your prediction? Explain.
They are far different, I think this is because the resistivity of the wires
has increased a lot, since there is more length of wires. This has caused
that the wires drop a significant part of the total voltage.
○ Measure voltage drop across each bulb.
■ What is the result? Bulb #1: 8.26 V

■ Bulb #2: 6.74 V
■ How does this measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.
As I said before, the voltage dropped by the wires is bigger than I thought
it would be, and as the second bulb is further than the first one, the wires
offer more resistance.
Take a screenshot of your circuit and insert your photo below.

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AUTO 131 — Series and Parallel

1. Build a simple circuit with a battery, switch, and lightbulb.

○ Now, measure the current flow in the circuit.

○ How does your measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.

The measurement is less than my prediction, since I was unaware of the

○ Measure voltage drop across the bulb.

Without counting the wire resistance, it is 6 Ω

Again, neglecting the wire resistivity, it should be 12/6= 2 Ω

○ How does your measurement compare to your prediction? Explain.

○ Measure voltage drop across each bulb.

As I explained before, it is lower because the total resistance of the circuit is

According to the Ohm’s law, 3 A

According to the Ohm’s law, 6 A

Summing the currents, it should be 9 A

Dividing the voltage for the ideal current: 12/9= 1.33 Ω

○ Measure voltage drop across each bulb.

■ What is the result? Bulb #1: 8.26 V

Take a screenshot of your circuit and insert your photo below.

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