Introduction: To introduce the definitions, symbols, and units for current, voltage, and resistance, a lab was

conducted with the basic circuit board with the end goal of comparing series, parallel, and RC circuits in mind. The
first section presented the application of restrictors color coding as well as the task of measuring current, voltage,
and resistance through the use of a multi-meter. Observing resistors connected in series allowed Kirchhoffs Voltage
Law and the Voltage Divider Rule to be verified experimentally; Ohms Law was verified throughout with various
experimental analyses. The Second section focused on Kirchhoffs Current Law and the Current Divider rule for a
circuit in parallel. A final resistive-capacitive circuit was constructed to observe the charging and discharging
properties of capacitors in RC circuits.
Procedure:

A basic electricity experiment board with three light bulbs, one D-cell battery, multiple wires, resistors, a
capacitor, and a multi-meter were obtained.
As shown in Figure A, the nominal value and range of each of three resistors were calculated using the
resistor color code and was recorded in Table 1.
The Battery Voltage was measured to be 1.480 volts by connecting the multi-meter to the metal tabs on the
positive and negative ends of the battery terminal.
Ohms Law, which states Voltage = Current * Resistance, was used to calculate the expected flow from the
D-cell battery through each of the three resistors, and each was recorded in Table 2.
To measure the current experimentally, one resistor was used to build the circuit shown in Figure B. The
values were recorded in Table 2 as well as the percent error.
Following the same directions to measure current, a wire ran from the negative terminal of the battery to
one of the light bulbs on the circuit board, the positive lead of the multi-meter was connected to the
batterys positive terminal, and the negative lead of the multi-meter was connected to the unconnected side
of the light bulb as shown in Figure C.
The current passing through the light bulb was measured and the resistance of the light bulb was calculated.
The series circuit with three resistors shown in Figure D was set up, the multi-meter measured the total
resistance by connecting the multi-meter across all three resistors, and, later, the multi-meter was used to
measure current between the positive terminal of the battery and the unconnected end of the first resistor.
These values were recorded in Table 3.
Next, the multi-meter was set up to measure the voltage drop across each resistor by connecting the
positive lead to the end of each resistor nearest the positive terminal of the battery and the negative lead to
the opposite end of each resistor, meaning the multi-meter was in parallel with the resistors. An example is
shown in Figure E. These values were recorded in Table 3.
Ohms Law was used to calculate the expected voltage drop across each resistor, as was the voltage divider
rule. Meanwhile, Kirchhoffs Voltage Law was verified by adding the measured voltage drops across each
resistor and noting that they were approximately equal to the total voltage of the battery.
For the final test of part one, two lights bulbs on the circuit board were used to build the circuit shown in
Figure F.
To start part two, resistors with the values of 330 and 1kwere measured using the multi-meter
and these resistances were recorded in Table 4.
The parallel circuit shown in Figure G was set up and the total resistance, current, and voltage drop across
each resistor were measured and recorded in Table 4.
Two light bulbs were connected in a parallel circuit as shown in Figure H to compare the brightness of both
bulbs and, next, one bulb to the brightness of the same bulbs in the previously completed series circuit.
For an RC circuit, a 100 F capacitor and 100 k resistor were used, and the actual resistance of the
resistor and the voltage of our D-cell battery were recorded in Table 5.
The time constant and the time to charge the capacitor to 99% of its final voltage were calculated.
A charging circuit was wired, and the multi-meter was used to observe the increase of voltage as the
capacitor charged in about five time constants, which was less than one second.
The wire from the positive battery terminal was disconnected, and the voltage was observed.
A discharging circuit was wired, and the multi-meter was used to observe the decrease of voltage as the
capacitor discharged in about five time constants.

The 100k resistor was replaced by a 1 k resistor, and the charge and discharge tests were rerun and
observed.
The 1 k resistor was replaced by the 100 k resistor, the capacitor was completely discharged, and the
multi-meter was set up to measure voltage as the capacitor charged for 55 seconds, recording the data every
five seconds in Table 5.
After fully charging, the capacitor was discharged for 55 seconds, and the data was recorded every five
seconds in Table 5.
The group was instructed not to complete the remainder of Part G or Part H.
The data from the RC circuit charging and discharging was put into a graph and compared to theoretical
charging and discharging data in Figures I and J.

Results:
Figure A: Resistor Color Code
Tolerance
to Verify Ohms Law

First Digit

Figure B: Experimental Set-Up

Power of 10

Second Digit

Figure C: Experimental SetUp for Series Light Bulb Test

Figure D: Experimental Set-Up

for Series Circuit

Figure E: Measuring Voltage

Drop across a Resistor

Figure F: Experimental SetUp for Series Light Bulb Test

Figure G: Experimental SetUp for Parallel Circuit

Figure H: Experimental SetUp for Parallel Light Bulb Test

Table 1: Resistor Color Code

Measured Battery Voltage: 1.480 V
Band
Ban
Nomin
Measur
In
Range
3
d4
al
ed
Range?

Band 1

Band 2

R1

Orange

Orange

Brown

Gold

R2

Green

Blue

Brown

R3

Brown

Black

Red

330

313.5346.5

329.9

Yes

Gold

560

532

557

Yes

Gold

1000

950-1050

983

Yes

Table 2: Ohms Law

Measured
Resistance

Calculated
Current

Measured
Current

% Error

R1

329.9

4.486 mA

4.442 mA

0.981%

R2

557

2.657 mA

2.62 mA

1.393%

R3

983

1.506 mA

1.49 mA

1.062%

Measured Current through Light Bulb: 191.1 mA

Calculated Resistance: 7.745
Table 3: Series Circuits
Measured
Resistances
R1
R2
R3
329.9
557
983

Calculated
Total
Resistance
1869.9

Measured
Total
Resistance
1872

Calculate
d Current

Measured
Current

% Error

0.791 mA

0.78 mA

1.39%

Verification of Kirchhoffs Voltage Law:

1.48 V = 0.2609 V +0.4400 V +0.7770 V
1.48 V = 1.4779 V
1.48 V = (approx.) 1.48 V
Table 4: Parallel Circuits
Measured
Resistances
R1
R2
R3
326.1

554

992

Calculated
Total
Resistance

Measured
Total
Resistance

Calculated
Total
Current

170.1

170.3

8.16 mA

Measure
d
Total
Current
8.10 mA

% Error
0.735%

Verification of Kirchhoffs Current Law:

8.10mA=4.25mA + 2.50 mA + 1.40 mA
8.10mA=(approx.)8.14mA
Time to Charge Capacitor to 99% = 5 * 0.0992 = 0.496 seconds
Table 5: Series RC Circuit
Battery Voltage
(Measured)
1.354 V
Time
(seconds)
0

Resistance
(Measured)
992

Capacitor Voltage (Charging)

0V

Capacitance
(Labeled Value)
100 F
Time
(seconds)
0

Time Constant
= RC
0.0992 s

Capacitor Voltage (Discharging)

1.354 V

5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55

0.59 V
0.790 V
0.965 V
1.018 V
1.189 V
1.243 V
1.275 V
1.300 V
1.319 V
1.329 V
1.334 V

5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55

Figure I: Charging Voltage

1.5
1

Volts

Experimental
Values

0.5
0

Theoretical Values

20

40

Time (s)

60

0.940 V
0.641 V
0.418 V
0.276 V
0.180 V
0.120 V
0.085 V
0.060 V
0.049 V
0.030 V
0.021 V

Figure J: Capacitor Voltage Discharging

1.5

Volts

Capacitor Voltage
(Discharging)

0.5

Theoretical Values

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Time (s)

Part C: Sample Calculation for range of resistance value:

Color bands on the resistors are: ORANGE ORANGE BROWN GOLD
Nominal Value: (33)*101 = 330k
Range: 330 + 0.05*330 or 0.3135 0.3465 k
Part D: Sample Calculation for expected current based on Ohms Law:
1.480 = I * 329.9
I=1.480/329.9
I=4.486 mA
Part D: Sample Calculationfor resistance of light bulb based on measured voltage/current
(1.48 V) / (0.1911 A) = 7.745
Part E: Sample Calculation for expected voltage drop on resistor using Ohms Law:
V = (329.9 * 0.00078 A)
V = 0.257 V
Part E: Sample Calculation for expected voltage drop on resistor using Voltage Divider Rule:
(329.9 V
Part F: Sample Calculation for expected total resistance in parallel
R=1/((1/326.1)+(1/554)+(1/992))
R=170
Part F: Sample Calculation for current in parallel circuit:

I=1.389/170.3
I=8.16 mA
Part F: Sample Calculation for current in each parallel resistor:
1.385=I*326.1
I=4.25 mA
Discussion:
The first test for the series circuit that resulted in slight error was measuring the current through each
resistor. When comparing calculated and measured values, the measured values were all slightly lower than those
calculated, possibly due to errors with the multi-meter when measuring resistance or the currents. In series circuits,
the current remains constant throughout the entire system, but the voltage drops across each resistor. This was
proven by measuring the voltage drop across each resistor and applying Kirchhoffs Voltage Law in the verification
above. The voltage of the battery was supposed to be equal to the sum of the voltage drops, and while the sum was
off by 0.0021 volts, this is a very close, accurate reading, so the law holds true. The discrepancy could be due to a
slight misreading in the batterys voltage or any of the three resistors. Later, the light bulb test was conducted under
the series circuit, and the trial using two light bulbs was significantly dimmer than when only a single light bulb was
used because the total voltage of the system was divided between the two light bulbs. When one light bulb was
removed from the two light bulb trial, the single remaining bulb turned off because the circuit was no longer closed
since the current could not pass through the missing second light bulb to complete the circuits path to the negative
terminal of the battery.
In the parallel circuit tests, the measured total current had a small percent error when compared to the
calculated total current. This was also evident in the Verification of Kirchhoffs Current Law above, most likely due
to small errors using the multi-meter such as poor connections or environmental factors. The light bulb test was
then conducted with a parallel circuit, and when two light bulbs were used, both light bulbs were significantly
brighter than when both were lit through the series circuit. This is because the voltage across the entire system in a
parallel circuit remains the same. When one light bulb was removed from the circuit, the remaining light bulb
continued to brightly shine because the circuit was still complete due to the shared connections between the
remaining light bulb and the wire to the negative terminal of the battery. Based on these results, electrical outlets are
connected in parallel because the voltage needs to remain the same across the entire circuit. Light switches are also
connected in parallel because each light switch can operate each individual light bulb. If the switches were in series
and one light switch was turned off, the entire circuit would turn off. This also allows all the lights connected to the
outlet to be bright due to a constant voltage across each resistor in the circuit.
The RC circuit was first tested by charging and discharging the capacitor. After charging the capacitor in
about five time constants, the wire from the positive terminal of the battery was disconnected, and the capacitors
voltage was observed to decrease slowly over time because the capacitor was leaking its charge. After being
recharged, the capacitor was discharged nearly instantly by placing a wire across the capacitor leads because the
wire provided a path for the electricity to forcibly escape while not providing any resistance to slow the discharge.
When using a 1 k resistor, the capacitor charged, leaked its voltage, and discharged at a faster rate than with the
100 k resistor because the weaker 1 k resistor did not slow the current flow as much as the strong 100 k
resistor. The graphs for charging and discharging the capacitor show exponential growth and decay curves,
respectively.
Conclusion:
By using Ohms Law and observing experimental trials for series, parallel, and resistive-capacitive circuits,
properties of each circuit were discussed. In series circuits, the current remains the same across each resistor
through the entire system, and, reflecting Kirchhoffs Voltage Law, the voltage across each resistor drops, because
the resistors limit the amount that flows through. Through parallel circuits, the voltage remains the same across
each resistor and through the entire system, but, in accordance with Kirchhoffs Current Law, the current across each
resistor drops, and the sum of each resistors current equals the total current through the circuit. In RC circuits,
electrons accumulate in the capacitor up to its maximum possible with an exponential increase of charge over time
until the capacitor discharges through a resistor to limit the current flow at a rate visible through an exponential
decay graph. The theory that parallel series are better to power a circuit was proven through the light bulb test
because the current remains the same over the entire system, allowing for a more useful power system. The theory
that higher powered resistors would improve the life of an RC circuit was also proven true because the higher
powered resistor did not allow the capacitor to discharge as quickly.