TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE

PHILIPPINES
College of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department Ayala Blvd.
Ermita, Manila, 1000, Philippines

Series and Parallel Circuits

Experiment No. 3

Group #: _1_

Submitted by:
Rosales, Jomar P

Date submitted:
November 4, 2021

Electrical Circuit-PEE1-Laboratory/BSEE-2I

Instructor:
Engr. Jun Teresa
 EXPERIMENT THREE
Series and Parallel Circuits

I. OBJECTIVES
1. To calculate and measure the equivalent resistance of resistors connected in
series and parallel.
2. To verify experimentally the characteristics of series and parallel circuits.

II. THEORY
In any electrical or electronic circuit, we often encounter one or more elements
connected in series, in parallel and in series-parallel arrangement or in a more complex
combination.

Two or more elements are considered to be in series when they are connected end-
to-end as shown in Figure 3.1. The following characteristics apply to series circuits:

Figure 3.1 SERIES CIRCUIT

1. The current flowing through a series circuit is always the same at every point
in the circuit.
IT = I1 = I2 = I3 = ……. In
2. The total resistance is always equal to the sum of the individual values of
resistance in the circuit.
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 + ……. Rn

3. The voltage applied across the circuit is always equal to the sum of the voltage
drops across the individual elements.
VT = V1 + V2 + V3 + ……. Vn
 Two or more elements are considered to be in parallel when they are connected
between the same two junction points or nodes as shown in Figure 3.2. The following
characteristics apply to parallel circuits.

Figure 3.2 PARALLEL CIRCUIT

1. The voltage across any element is the same and is equal to the applied voltage source.
VT = V1 = V2 = V3 = ……. Vn
2. The circuit current divides to flow through each branch or the total current is equal to
the sum of the current in each element.
IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + ……. In

3. The formula for finding the effective resistance is given by:

1 1 1 1 1
= + + +⋯
𝑅𝑇 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅𝑛

III. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

1 Regulated DC Power Supply
1 Digital multimeter / VOM
1 Breadboard
2 Carbon Resistors (1W)
1 100
1 150
1 220
Connecting wires

IV. PROCEDURES
SERIES CIRCUIT

1. Connect the resistors in series as shown in Figure 3.3. Set the DC power supply to 10V.
2. Turn ON the power supply. Measure the current I and the voltage across each resistor.
Record the results in Table 3.1.
3. Turn OFF the power supply. Using your multimeter, measure the total resistance of the
circuit.
4. Using the measured value of the total resistance, calculate the total current, I = VT / RT.
Use this current to calculate the voltage drop in each resistor. Record the results in
Table 3.1.
5. Compute the percent difference between the measured and the computed values of
current and voltage. Use the measured values as the true values.

PARALLEL CIRCUIT

6. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 3.4. Set the DC power supply to 10V.
7. Turn ON the power supply and measure the total voltage and the current in each
resistor. Record the results in table 3.2.
8. Turn OFF the power supply. Using your multimeter measure the total resistance of the
circuit.
9. Using the measured value of the total resistance, calculate the voltage, VT = ITRT. Use
this voltage to calculate the current in each resistor. Record the results in Table 3.2.
10. Compute the percent difference between the measured and computed values of voltage
and currents. Use the measured values as the true values. Record the results in Table
3.2.

Figure 3.3
 Figure 3.4

V. DATA AND RESULTS

V1 V2 V3 VT IT RT

Measured 2.128 3.191 4.681 10 21.277mA 470

values
Computed 2.128 3.192 4.681 10 21.277 470
values
%Difference 0% 0.03% 0% 0% 0% 0%

TABLE 3.1

(MY SIMULATION)
 I1 I2 I3 IT VT RT V1 V2 V3

Measured
values 0.100 0.067A 0.045A 0.212A 10V 47.143Ω 10V 10V 0.067A

Computed
values 0.100 0.067A 0.067A 0.067A 0.067A 0.067A 0.067A 0.067A 0.067A

%Difference 0% 0% 0% 0% 0.10% 0% 0% 0.50% 0%

III. TABLE 3.2

(MY SIMULATION)
 VI. COMPUTATIONS
Table 3.1

SOLUTION:

V = I x R, I =V/R,
R=V/I
GIVEN: V1 = IT × RT
V1 = 0.021277A × 100Ω
R1 = 100, R2 = 150, R3 = 220, VT = 10 V1 = 2.128V
RT = R1 + R2 + R3
RT = 100Ω + 150Ω + 220Ω V2 = IT × RT
RT = 470Ω V2 = 0.021277A × 150Ω
V2 = 3.192V
IT = VT / RT
IT = 10𝑉470𝛺 V3 = IT × RT
IT = 0.021277A or 21.277 mA V3 = 0.021277A × 220Ω
V3 = 4.681

SOLUTION:

Percentage Difference = 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆

(𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 + 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆)𝟐 × 100

V1 % Difference = 2.128𝑉− 2.128𝑉 (2.128𝑉 + VT % Difference = 10𝑉− 10𝑉 (10𝑉 +

2.128𝑉)2 × 100 10𝑉)2 × 100
V1 % Difference = 0% VT % Difference = 0%

V2 % Difference = 3.192𝑉− 3.191𝑉 (3.192𝑉 + IT % Difference = 0.021277𝐴−

3.191𝑉)2 × 100
0.021277A(0.021277A + 0.021277A)2 ×
V2 % Difference = 0.03%
100
V3 % Difference = 4.681𝑉− 4.681𝑉 (4.681𝑉 + IT % Difference = 0%
4.681𝑉)2 × 100
V3 % Difference = 0% RT % Difference = 470Ω − 470Ω (470Ω
+ 470Ω)2 × 100
RT % Difference = 0%
Table 3.2 GIVEN:

SOLUTION: R1 = 100, R2 = 150, R3 = 220, VT = 10

1𝑅𝑡 = 1/𝑅1 + 1/𝑅2 + 1/𝑅3
IT = I1 + I2 + I3 V = I × R, 1𝑅𝑡 = 1/100 + 1/150 + 1/220 =
1/0.02121
VT = V1 = V2 = V3, RT = 47.143Ω

I = VR, VT = 0.212A × 47.143ΩΩ

VT = 9.99V
R=VI
IT = VT / RT
IT = 10𝑉470𝛺
IT = 0.021277A or 21.277 mA

V1 = 0.100A × 100 I1 = 10𝑉/100𝛺

V1 = 10V I1 = 0.100A

V2 = 0.067A × 150 I2 = 10𝑉/150𝛺

V2 = 10.05V I2 = 0.067A

V3 = 0.045A × 220 I3 = 10𝑉/220𝛺

V3 = 9.9V I3 = 0.045A

SOLUTION:

Percentage Difference = 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 − 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆

(𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝑽𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆 + 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆)𝟐 × 100

I1 % Difference = 0.100𝐴 − 0.100𝐴 (0.100𝐴 +

0.100𝐴)2 × 100 V1 % Difference = 10𝑉− 10𝑉 (10𝑉 + 10𝑉)2 ×
I1 % Difference = 0% 100
V1 % Difference = 0%
I2 % Difference = 0.067𝐴 − 0.067𝐴 (0.067𝐴 +
0.067𝐴)2 × 100 V2 % Difference = 10.05𝑉− 10𝑉 (10.05𝑉 +
I2 % Difference = 0% 10𝑉)2 × 100
V2 % Difference = 0.50%
I3 % Difference = 0.045𝐴 − 0.045𝐴 (0.045𝐴 +
0.045𝐴)2 × 100 V3 % Difference = 10𝑉− 10𝑉 (10𝑉 + 10𝑉)2 ×
I3 % Difference = 0% 100
V3 % Difference = 0.10%
IT % Difference = 0.212𝐴− 0.212A(0.212A +
0.212A)2 × 100
IT % Difference = 0%

VT % Difference = 10𝑉− 9.99𝑉 (10𝑉 +

9.99𝑉)2 × 100
VT % Difference = 0.10%

VII. CONCLUSION
In this experiment, we therefore conclude that first, in series circuit, the equivalent resistance of
resistors is dependent to the number of resistors present in the circuit. When we increase the number
of resistors in series circuit, the equivalent resistance also increases and then vice versa. This implies
that the total resistance in a series is equal to the sum of the individual resistances.

While in parallel circuit, the equivalent resistance will increase if we decrease the number of resistors
in paralleled with it. And it should because adding more parallel resistances to the paths causes the
total resistance in the circuit to decrease. As you add more and more branches to the circuit the total
current will increase because Ohm's Law states that the lower the resistance, the higher the current.
This implies that the total resistance in a parallel circuit is equal to the sum of the inverse of each
individual resistance.

VIII. GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. What is the effect on the total resistance of the following?
a. Increasing the number of resistors in series.
• Increasing number of resistors in a series circuit increases the overall
resistance of the circuit, resistors that are connected in a series are
potential dividers.

b. Decreasing the number of resistors in series.

• Decreasing number of resistors in a series circuit decreases the overall
resistance of the circuit.

c. Increasing the number of resistors in parallel.

• As more and more resistors are added in parallel to a circuit, the
equivalent resistance of the circuit decreases
 d. Decreasing the number of resistors in parallel.
• In vice versa, decreasing number of resistors in parallel circuit increases
the total or equivalent resistance.

2. A 12V generator has internal resistance of 0.05. Two loads are connected in parallel
to its terminals, one drawing a 12A current and the other dissipating energy at the rate
of 200W. What is the terminal voltage of the generator at this load?

Voltage drops across R1 = 0.05 [(200/v) +12)]

V = 12 – 0.05 [(200/v) +12)]
V = 12 – (10/V) – 11.4 = 0
V2 – 11.4V + 10 = 0
V = 10.44, 0.958
200/10.44 = 19.16 Amps
12+19.16 = 13.16 Amps
Voltage drops across 0.05 Ohms = 1.558 Volts
12 – 1.558 = 10.44 Volts

3. Three resistors are connected in series to a 120V generator. The first has a resistance
of 50, the second passes a current of 0.5A and the third has a voltage drop of 50V
across it. Calculate the resistance of the second and the third resistor.

V1 + V2 + V3
150 = V1 + V2 + 50
V1 + V2 = 100V
R1 = V1 = I X R1 = 0.5 Amps X 50 Ohms = 25 Volts
V2 = 100 – 25 = 75 Volts
R2 = V2/I = 75/0.5 = 150 Ohms
R3 = V3/I = 50/0.5 = 100 Ohms

4. What disadvantage does the “series string” type of Christmas tree lamp possess as
compared to the 110V parallel type of Christmas tree lamp?
• The downside of the "series string" is that with a series kind of circuit,
if a Christmas bulb fails or breaks, the other Christmas bulbs are
disconnected from the circuit. The parallel circuit, on the other hand,
may be connected or unplugged without affecting the other bulbs in the
circuit.
5. Explain why the kitchen light becomes a bit dimmer when a toaster is turned on.

• The lights dim because there is less available voltage. The toaster consumes a
lot of current (or electricity) since it is a heating equipment.
There is a deficiency in the limited supply of current to the other devices just
like light, fans, refrigerator etc. So the light goes dim.