UNIVERSITY OF THE EAST

Caloocan Campus
College of Engineering
Electrical Engineering Department

Experiment No. 1
Instruments for Measurement of Electrical
Quantities and Ohm’s Law
NEE_2102 Circuits 1 - Laboratory

Submitted by:

Submitted to:
Engr. Gabriel R. Gatmaitan
EE – Faculty

09/08/24
 Experiment No. 1
Instruments for Measurement of Electrical Quantities and Ohm’s Law

I. Introduction
Us humans use electricity every day, and we see electrical circuit outside such as our
trains, street lights, and many more objects that uses electricity. An electric circuit is an electrical
network that connects our appliances together in a closed loop where electricity is present and
flowing. It includes a variety of electrical components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors,
current and voltage sources (AC and DC included). There are many types of electrical circuits,
but we will enumerate the five main electrical circuit namely; Open circuit, Closed circuit, Short
circuit, Series circuit, and Parallel circuit. In this experiment we will only talk about Series and
Parallel circuits.

A series circuit is a connection wherein it is connected end-to-end that leads the current
to flow in a singular path. The picture below depicts the series connection.

A parallel series on the other hand, it has common electrical points in which the
electricity can flow through, meaning that its has more than one path or the current to flow. The
picture below depicts the parallel connection.
 Before we learn the instruments for measuring electrical quantities, we must know these
three most important electrical quantities – voltage, current, and resistors. Voltage is the charge
difference between two points in an electrical circuit. Current is the rate of the charge flowing in
an electrical circuit. Lastly, resistance measures the opposition of the flowing current in an
electrical circuit. Now that we know the electrical quantities, we will move on to the instruments
used to measure these electrical quantities.

Voltmeters are used to safely measure the voltage between two points in the electrical
circuits without changing the voltage. The picture below is an example of a DC voltmeter.

Ammeters are used to measure the current of the circuit. It is linked in series within the
circuit in order to measure its current. The picture below is an example of an ammeter.

To measure the resistance, we use the ohmmeter. The picture below is an example of an
ohmmeter.
 In this experiment we are going to use Ohm’s law to find the missing electrical quantities
VT
with the help of this equation form I = where I is equal to the current that flows in the circuit
RT
and it is in amperes, V is the voltage in the circuit and it is represented by volts, R is the
resistance of the circuit and it is represented in ohms. Electrical power is the energy consumed
by the work done. In order to find the power, we can simply multiply the voltage and the current.
P=V × I
V
Since we know that V =IR∨I = we can do P=V ( I )=( IR ) I =I 2 R∨V 2 R
R

II. Wiring Circuit

Run 1A
Variation of Resistance Using Potentiometer
Run 1B
Variation of Resistance Using Loading Resistor
Run 2
Voltage-Current Relations with Fixed Value of Resistance
III. Data and Computation
a. Run 1A
Table 1.1
Variation of Resistance Using Potentiometer

Position Setting
Trial Voltage (V) Current (mA) Resistance (kΩ)
of Potentiometer

1 20% 12V 6 mA 2 kΩ

2 40% 14.4V 3.6 mA 4 kΩ

3 60% 15.429V 2.5714 mA 6 kΩ

4 80% 16V 2 mA 8 kΩ

5 100% 16.364V 1.6364 mA 10 kΩ

Trial 1
V 12 V
R= = =2 k Ω
I 6 mA
Trial 2
V 14.4 V
R= = =4 k Ω
I 3.6 mA
Trial 3
V 15.426 V
R= = =6 k Ω
I 2.5714 mA
Trial 4
V 16 V
R= = =8 k Ω
I 2 mA
Trial 5
V 16.364 V
R= = =10 k Ω
I 1.6364 mA
 b. Run 1B
Table 1.2
Variation of Resistance Using Loading Resistor

Current Resistance
Trial Loading Resistor Connection Voltage (V) Power (mW)
(mA) (kΩ)

S1 Closed; Four resistors in

1 18V 1.8755 mA 9.6 kΩ 33.8 mW
series

S2 Closed; Three resistors in

2 18V 2.5 mA 7.2 kΩ 45 mW
series

S3 Closed; Two resistors in

3 18V 3.7506 mA 4.8 kΩ 67.51 mW
series

4 S4 Closed; One resistor 18V 7.5005 mA 2.4 kΩ 135 mW

S4 & S5 Closed; One resistor in

5 18V 10 mA 1.8 kΩ 180 mW
parallel with three in series

S4 & S6 Closed; One resistor in

6 18V 11.25 mA 1.6 kΩ 202.5 mW
parallel with two in series

S4 & S7 Closed; Two resistors

7 18V 15 mA 1.2 kΩ 270 mW
in parallel
S4, S7 & S1 Closed; Two
8 resistors in parallel in parallel 18V 18.75 mA 0.96 kΩ 337.5 mW
with 2 resistors in series
S4, S7 & S2 Closed; Three
9 18V 22.5 mA 0.8 kΩ 405 mW
resistors in parallel

S4, S7, S2 & S5 Closed; Four

10 18V 30 mA 0.6 kΩ 540 mW
resistors in parallel

Measure Value of Resistance of One Resistor: 2.4 kΩ

Trial 1
V 18 V
R= = =9.6 k Ω
I 1.8755 mA
P=V × I =18V ×1.8755 mA =33.8 mW
Trial 2
V 18 V
R= = =7.2 k Ω
I 2.5 mA
P=V × I =18V ×2.5 mA =45 mW
Trial 3
V 18 V
R= = =4.8 k Ω
I 3.7506 mA
P=V × I =18V ×3.7506 mA=67.51 mW
Trial 4
V 18 V
R= = =2.4 k Ω
I 7.5005 mA
P=V × I =18V ×7.5005 mA =135 mW
Trial 5
V 18 V
R= = =1.8 k Ω
I 10 mA
P=V × I =18V ×10 mA =180 mW
Trial 6
V 18V
R= = =1.6 k Ω
I 11.25mA
P=V × I =18V ×11.25 mA=202.5 mW
Trial 7
V 18 V
R= = =1.2 k Ω
I 15 mA
P=V × I =18V ×15 mA =270 mW
Trial 8
V 18 V
R= = =0.96 k Ω
I 18.75 mA
 P=V × I =18V ×18.75 mA =337.5 mW
Trial 9
V 18 V
R= = =0.8 k Ω
I 22.5 mA
P=V × I =18V ×22.5 mA =405 mW
Trial 10
V 18 V
R= = =0.6 k Ω
I 30 mA
P=V × I =18V ×30 mA =540 mW

c. Run 2
Table 1.3
Voltage-Current Relations with Fixed Value of Resistance

Trial Voltage (V) Current (mA) Power (mW)

1 2V (+6) 13.334 mA 106.672 mW

2 4V (+6) 16.667 mA 167.67 mW

3 6V (+6) 20 mA 240 mW

4 8V (+6) 23.334 mA 326.676 mW

5 10V (+6) 26.667 mA 426.672 mW

Trial 1
P=V × I =8V × 13.334 mA=106.672mW
Trial 2
P=V × I =10V ×16.667 mA=167.67 mW

Trial 1
P=V × I =12V ×20 mA =240 mW

Trial 1
P=V × I =14 V × 23.334 mA =326.676 mW

Trial 1
P=V × I =16V × 26.667 mA=426.672 mW
IV. Answers to Questions and Solution to Problems
1. State the general rule in connecting conventional ammeters and voltmeters in a circuit.
- The general rule for the ammeter is that it is always in series with the circuit, for the
voltmeter on the other hand it is connected in parallel with the circuit that you are
measuring.

2. What will happen to the voltmeter and to the circuit if the conventional voltmeter is
accidentally connected in series with the load? Explain.
- The circuit will not have a current flowing as the voltmeter will act like a resistor due to
them having immensely high resistance. Thus, the circuit might not work for the reason
that you are basically adding a large value resistor to a circuit, it will resist to flow of
electricity to it. The voltmeter can still measure the voltage as if it were connected
directly from the supply source.

3. What will happen to the ammeter and to the circuit if the conventional ammeter is
accidentally connected in parallel or across the load? Explain.
- When the ammeter is connected to the circuit in parallel, large amount of current will
pass through the ammeter due to its lacking in resistance. Ideal ammeter is 0 resistance
therefore it will short circuited or worse, it will burn.

4. Why do voltmeters have immensely high resistance?

- It has an immensely high resistance in order for us to measure the resistance of the circuit
accurately. Another reason is that so it will not allow current to flow through it that may
result to changing the currents for the rest of the circuit.

5. Why do ammeters have very low resistance?

- Just like the voltmeters it does the opposite. In order to have a proper and accurate
reading of the current in the circuit, it must have a very low resistance in order to avoid
the alteration of the current that is being measured.

6. Calculate the amount of current that will flow through a resistor of 10 kΩ resistance if the
potential difference across it is 10 volts. How much power is dissipated in the resistor?
V 10 V
I= = =1 mA
R 10 kΩ

P=V × I =10× 1=10 mW P=10 mW

V. Data analysis and interpretation
Variation of Resistance using Potentiometer
Run 1A represent the use of potentiometer. This experiment shows us what is Ohm’s law
and how each of the electrical quantities relate to each other.
Table 1.1

Position Setting
Trial Voltage (V) Current (mA) Resistance (kΩ)
of Potentiometer

1 20% 12V 6 mA 2 kΩ

2 40% 14.4V 3.6 mA 4 kΩ

3 60% 15.429V 2.5714 mA 6 kΩ

4 80% 16V 2 mA 8 kΩ

5 100% 16.364V 1.6364 mA 10 kΩ

In table 1.1 above, tells us how little resistance would lead to higher current and voltage.
In trial 1, in order for us to get the resistance we must use the Ohm’s law which is to divide V
with I in order to get the resistance. As more trials have been done, changing the position setting
of the potentiometer gives us higher resistance thus, even having higher voltages it results us to
have decreasing current as the resistance keeps getting higher. As we can see in trial 5, where the
resistance reached 10 kΩ, the current has decreased to only 1.6364 mA from 6 mA in trial 1.
Variation of Resistance using Loading Resistor
Run 1B represents the use of loading resistor. It involves the electrical quantities, type of
connection which are series and parallel connection. It shows us the relationship between
current, resistance, and the rate of which energy is being absorbed in this circuit (Power).
Table 1.2

Current Resistance
Trial Loading Resistor Connection Voltage (V) Power (mW)
(mA) (kΩ)

S1 Closed; Four resistors in

1 18V 1.8755 mA 9.6 kΩ 33.8 mW
series

S2 Closed; Three resistors in

2 18V 2.5 mA 7.2 kΩ 45 mW
series

S3 Closed; Two resistors in

3 18V 3.7506 mA 4.8 kΩ 67.51 mW
series

4 S4 Closed; One resistor 18V 7.5005 mA 2.4 kΩ 135 mW

S4 & S5 Closed; One resistor in

5 18V 10 mA 1.8 kΩ 180 mW
parallel with three in series

S4 & S6 Closed; One resistor in

6 18V 11.25 mA 1.6 kΩ 202.5 mW
parallel with two in series

S4 & S7 Closed; Two resistors

7 18V 15 mA 1.2 kΩ 270 mW
in parallel
S4, S7 & S1 Closed; Two
8 resistors in parallel in parallel 18V 18.75 mA 0.96 kΩ 337.5 mW
with 2 resistors in series
S4, S7 & S2 Closed; Three
9 18V 22.5 mA 0.8 kΩ 405 mW
resistors in parallel

S4, S7, S2 & S5 Closed; Four

10 18V 30 mA 0.6 kΩ 540 mW
resistors in parallel

In the table 1.2 above, the voltage remained constant across all trials from trial 1 to trial
10. It is shown in the table that electrical quantities increased in value except the resistance
which it went down as the current and power increases. In trial 1, with four resistors in the series
it resulted in lower current and higher resistance, as we removed each resistor by closing other
gates the current increases as the resistance decreases. We see this trend go on until one resistor
is present in trial 4 before we move to parallel and series connection. In trial 5 up to 10 we see
this trend continue. This means that having resistors in parallel and some of them in series, it
decreases their resistance thus, increasing the current for the circuit. In trial 10 where all of the
resistors in parallel, we saw that it hit only 0.6 kΩ in resistance, but it reached 30 mA in current.
The setup for trial 10 will be used to gather data for the voltage-current relationship experiment.
Voltage-Current Relations with Fixed Value of Resistance
In run 2, the experiment will show us the relationship between voltage, current, and the
rate of which energy is being absorbed in this circuit (Power). The setup is same as trial 10 from
run 1B. Four resistors in parallel.
Table 1.3

Trial Voltage (V) Current (mA) Power (mW)

1 2V (+6) 13.334 mA 106.672 mW

2 4V (+6) 16.667 mA 167.67 mW

3 6V (+6) 20 mA 240 mW

4 8V (+6) 23.334 mA 326.676 mW

5 10V (+6) 26.667 mA 426.672 mW

Resistance of the circuit is constant, and in table 1.3 above shows us that Voltage,
Current, and Power are directly proportional to each other. If you increase one value, others will
increase as well. We can see an upward trend from trial 1 to trial 5. We can see a pattern here on
how they are increasing. Trials 1, and 2 increased 10 mA from trials 4, and 5. While trial 3 on the
other hand it is a whole number. With these data we can expect that trial 6 and onwards would
have similar pattern if resistance for the whole circuit remained constant.
VI. Findings and Conclusion
In this experiment we have found out Ohm’s law and the relationship between Voltage,
Current, and Resistance. It is important that we know if voltage and current goes up, the
resistance goes up. With the relationship of voltage and current, we can conclude that in order to
get the power needed for the circuit we can multiply both voltage and current. We also learned
what is a resistor for and the equipment used in measuring different electrical quantities such as
voltmeter, ammeter, and ohmmeter. Having this knowledge, we can make use of it to measure
the electrical quantities safely and prevent unfavorable events such as short circuiting or even
worse, the circuit catching on fire. Learning the fundamentals will help us in future lesson and
experiments as we progress in this semester.

VII. References
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circuits-and-networks.html
What are "series" and "Parallel" circuits?: Series and Parallel Circuits: Electronics textbook. All
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