RODOLFO QUELIZA SANTIAGO Experiment 12

Names: ALEXANDREA RODOLFO Course/Yr: BSCE 1-3 Lab.
time/Day: 1:00-4:00 PM; THU

ANGEL QUELIZA
JUSTINE SANTIAGO
Date Performed: APRIL 11, 2021 Date Submitted: APRIL 12, 2021 Rating: _________
Laboratory Instructor: MELCHOR CUPATAN Lecture Instructor: WILAR TAN
EXPERIMENT NO. 12: Resistors in Series and Parallel Circuits
I. Series Circuit
Construct the circuit figure 1 using The Circuit Construction Kit (CCK) simulation at the PHeT site.
Make the resistors have different value and record the value of each resistor. Use the ammeter moving it to take
readings in the different places seen in figure 2. Then use the voltmeter to take voltage readings. Calculate R
using Ohm’s Law (V=IR) for the total resistance in last column.
Voltage Current Resistance

Resistor
(V) (A) (Ω)
1 1 0.10 10.0
2 3 0.10 30.0
3 5 0.10 50.0
Total VT = 9 AT = 0.10 RT = 90
a. How is the total resistance

related to the individual
resistances? Total current to the
individual
currents? Total voltage to the
individual voltages?
Since the current has to pass through each resistor in through the circuit, the sum of the
individual resistances is equal to the total resistance in the circuit. Meanwhile, the current that is present
in the series circuit is just the same throughout the whole series. This is due to one path for current flow
that is only present in a series circuit. For the total voltage, the value is just the sum of all voltages in
between the resistors.
b. Write a paragraph explaining what you think is happening in series circuits to cause the above relationships
to occur. (You made a similar circuit with light bulbs using CCK. You may want to experiment with the sim
again, keeping in mind that light bulbs are just resistors that glow.).
In series circuit, all of the current must pass through each resistor. Resistance in the series is
being determined by simply adding up all resistances that are present in the circuit. Since this circuit
only has one path of flow, the amount of current is same throughout the whole circuit. However, since
there are three resistors in this series circuit, individual resistors in series do not get the total source of
voltage and the voltage is being divided in which its value depends on the amount of resistances.
II. Parallel Circuits

Wire the circuit in figure 1 with the same value resistors that you used in Part 1. Take readings in
different places shown in figure 2 by moving the meters. Make a table like the one below, calculating total
resistance using Ohm’s Law (V=IR) for the last column.
Voltage Current Resistance
Resistor
(V) (A) (Ω)
1 9 0.90 10.0
2 9 0.30 30.0
3 9 0.18 50.0
Total VT = 9 AT = 1.38 RT = 6.5
a.
How is the total resistance related to the individual resistances? Explain what you think is happening.
The total resistance is way lower than the values of individual resistances present in the parallel circuit.
This is due to the multiple current path of flow which distributes different amount of current in each resistors.
b. Look up the mathematical relationship for finding total resistance in a parallel circuit. Show that your
data fits the equation.
(1/RT) = (1/R1) + (1/R2) + (1/R3)

(1/RT) = (1/10) + (1/30) + (1/50)
(1/RT) = (23/150)
(150/23) = RT
6.5 = RT
c. Imagine you and your friends are running in the neighborhood like electrons flowing through a
circuit. Make up stories that would serve as analogies for a parallel versus series circuits. Share your
stories with another group and see if they make sense.
When we run around in a quadrangle, we will all have to go in the same direction in order to
have a good line or flow to avoid hitting each other. Since there is only one way that we are going
through, we may all have the same speed without no interruptions and this depicts the concept of series
circuit.
Meanwhile, when there are many ways that we are able to go through, the tendency is there will
be some interruptions since we may hit each other on the different ways or path that we are going
through. While others might not be interrupted, they may move faster than others. In overall, all of us
differs on how fast we move on our way. This is an example of what happen in parallel circuits.
d. Summarize the similarities and differences between the series and parallel circuits. Include your
reasoning about what you think is happening.
Both circuits have the capability to convert electrical energy to light or heat, both of them can
light up a bulb for example. Meanwhile, they differ in many ways such as series circuits has only one
way for energy to flow while parallel circuits have different ways. In series circuits, the amount of
current is the same throughout the circuit while the voltage is being distributed unevenly depending on
resistors. In parallel circuit, the amount of voltage is fixed while the only thing that differ is the amount
of current since there are many ways for it to go through.

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Names: ALEXANDREA RODOLFO Course/Yr: BSCE 1-3 Lab.

time/Day: 1:00-4:00 PM; THU

EXPERIMENT NO. 12: Resistors in Series and Parallel Circuits

Voltage Current Resistance

a. How is the total resistance

II. Parallel Circuits

(1/RT) = (1/R1) + (1/R2) + (1/R3)

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