EXPERIMENT 1: DC CIRCUITS
Nur Syazera Bt Selamat (2021494238)
Siti Aisyah Bt Adenan (2021494706)
Wan Ahmad Afiq Bin Huzairul Azril (2021486084)
Objectives
1. Series and parallel circuits.
2. Kirchoff’s loop & Junction Laws implementation
Theory
Analyzing circuits with only one battery and one load resistance is very simple, but they are rarely
encountered in practical applications. Typically, circuits with more than two components are found.
More than two circuit components can be connected in two ways which are series and parallel. First,
consider the following series circuit:
R1
1 2
R2
4 3
R3
Figure 1
Three resistors (labelled R1, R2, and R3) are connected in a long chain from one terminal of the
battery to the other in this circuit. (It should be noted that the subscript labelling those little
numbers to the lower-right of the letter "R" - have nothing to do with resistor values in ohms. They
only serve to distinguish one resistor from another. The fact that there is only one path for electrons
to flow defines a series circuit. Electrons flow counter-clockwise in this circuit, from point 4 to point
3 to point 2 to point 1 and back around to point 4.
Now consider the parallel circuit:
Figure 2
We have three resistors once more, but this time they form multiple continuous paths for electrons
to flow. There is only one route from 8 to 7 to 6 to 3 to 2 to 1 to 8 again. There's also a third path
that goes from 8 to 7 to 6 to 5 to 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 and back to 8. Each path (through R1, R2, and R3) is
referred to as a branch.
A parallel circuit is distinguished by the fact that all of its components are connected between the
same set of electrically common terminals. Points 8,7,6, and 5 are also valid. It's worth noting that all
resistors and the battery are linked between these two sets of points.
Kirchoff’s Laws – Current Law & Voltage Law
In complex circuits, such as bridge or 'T' networks, we cannot always rely solely on Ohm's Law to
determine the voltages or currents circulating within the circuit. We need specific rules to obtain
circuit equations for these types of calculations, and we can use Kirchoff's Circuit Law to do so.
According to Kirchhoff's Voltage Law, the algebraic sum of all voltages around any closed path (loop
or mesh) is zero. Applying Kirchhoff's Voltage Law to the first and second loops of the circuit
depicted in Figure 3 results in:
Loop 1: ˗ V S +V 1+ V 2+V 5=0 (1a)
Loop 2: ˗ V 2+V 3+V 4=0 (1b)
Figure 3
According to Kirchhoff's Current Law, the algebraic sum of all currents at any node equals zero.
When Kirchhoff's Current Law is applied to the first four nodes in the circuit shown in Figure 3, the
following equations are obtained;
Node a: ˗ I S + I 1=0 (2a)
Node b: ˗ I 1+ I 2+ I 3=0 (2b)
Node c: ˗ I 3+ I 4=0 (2c)
Node d: ˗ I 2−I 4+ I 5=0 (2c)
Procedures
PART a: For Series Circuit
1. The three resistors are connected in series to the 6-volts battery.
2. Battery voltage is measured with voltmeter after the resistors have been connected to it, the
voltage figured noted on paper as well.
3. The Ohm’s Law is used to calculate the circuit current, then this current value is verified by
measuring current with ammeter.
4. The measured value of current agreed closely with the Ohm’s Law calculation. The
calculated value for current is used and then multiplied them by the respective resistances
of each resistor to get their voltage drop.
5. The multimeter is switched to the “voltage” mode and the voltage dropped across each
resistor measured, the accuracy of our predictions is verified.
PART b: For Parallel Circuit
1. The three resistors are connected in parallel to the 6-volts battery. The battery voltage is
measured by using a voltmeter after the resistors have been connected to it, the voltage
figure noted on paper as well.
2. The voltage across each of the three resistors are measured.
3. The Ohm’s Law is used to calculate current through each resistor, then the calculated value
is verified by measuring current with a digital ammeter. The red probe of the ammeter is
placed at the point where the positive (+) ends of the resistors connect to each other and
one resistor wire is lifted at a time while the meter’s black probe is connected to it. In this
manner, each resistor current is measured.
PART c: Kirchhoff’s Laws
1. The circuit is constructed as shown in Figure 3 using appropriate values.
2. The Variable Power Supply is set to 5 volts.
3. All voltages and currents in the circuit are accurately measured using the Digital Multi-Meter
(DMM).
4. The measurements are recorded in a tabular form containing the measured voltage and
current values.
5. KVL is verified for the loops in the circuit using equations 1a and 1b.
6. KCL is verified for the nodes in the circuit using equations 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d.
Result and Analysis
PART a: For Series Circuit
For theoretical value
E S=6.0 V
Indicator for the theoretical value of each resistor
R1=1 kΩ
R2=10 kΩ
R3=47 kΩ
By using Ohm’s Law since the resistors arranged in series,
RT =R1 + R2 + R3
Rtheory =R 1+ R 2+ R 3
Rtheory =(1 ×103 )+(10 ×103 )+(47 ×103 )
Rtheory =58 kΩ
Circuit current, I T ,
ES
I T=
RT
6.0
I T=
58 ×103
I T =0.1mA
For experimental value
Current value measured by using ammeter is I exp=0.1 mA
The calculated voltage drops of each resistor is define as
En =I n Rn
Since,
I exp=0.1 mA
and
I exp=I 1=I 2=I 3 ( series circuit )
So,
E1=I exp R1
E1= ( 0.1× 10˗ 3 ) ( 1× 103 )
E1=0.10V
E2=I exp R2
E2= ( 0.1× 10˗ 3 ) ( 10× 103 )
E2=1.00V
E3 =I exp R3
E3 =( 0.1× 10˗ 3 ) ( 47 × 103 )
E3 =4.70 V
The total of calculated voltage drops is given as,
Ec =E 1+ E2+ E3
Ec =0.10+1.00+4.70
Ec =5.80 V
The result of measured voltage dropped each resistor,
R (kΩ) I (±0.1) (mA) E (±0.01) (V)
1 0.1 0.12
10 0.1 1.35
47 0.1 4.50
The total of calculated voltage drops is given as,
Em =E1 + E2 + E3
Em =0.09+1.01+4.88
Em =5.97 V
The calculation of percentage different
Between the I T and I exp
|I T −I exp|
%diff = ×100 %
RT
|0.1×10 ˗ 3−0.1 ×10 ˗3|
%diff = ˗3
× 100 %
0.1 ×10
%diff =0.00 %
Between the Ec and Em
|E c −Em|
%diff = ×100 %
Ec
|5.80−5.97|
%diff = ×100 %
5.80
%diff =0.02 %
PART b: For Parallel Circuit
For theoretical value
For theoretical of voltage E S is,
E S=6.0 V
For theoretical of resistance RT is,
1 1 1 1
= + +
R T R1 R2 R3
1 1 1 1
= + +
R T 1× 10 10 ×1 0 47 × 103
3 3
RT =0.9 kΩ
For theoretical of current I T is,
Es
I T=
RT
6.0
I T= 3
0.9 ×1 0
I T =6.7 mA
For experimental value
The result of measured voltage across each resistor,
R (kΩ) E (±0.01) (V)
1 6.05
10 6.04
47 6.05
Indicator for the theoretical value of each resistor
R1=1 kΩ
R2=10 kΩ
R3=47 kΩ
The calculated current is given by Ohm’s Law is,
Vn
I n=
Rn
So,
V1
I 1=
R1
6.05
I 1= 3
1 ×10
I 1=6.05 mA
V2
I 2=
R2
6.04
I 2=
10 × 103
I 2=0.60 mA
V3
I 3=
R3
6.05
I 3= 3
47 ×10
I 3=0.12 mA
The total calculated current in parallel circuit is given by
I c =I 1 + I 2+ I 3
I c =( 6.05 ×10 ) + ( 0.6 ×10˗ 3 ) + ( 0.12 ×10 ˗3 )
˗3
I c =6.77 mA
The result of measured current at each resistor when E S=6.0 V
R (kΩ) I (±0.1) (mA)
1 6.95
10 0.76
47 0.15
The total of measured current is given as,
I m=I 1+ I 2 + I 3
˗3 ˗3 ˗3
I m=6.95 ×10 +0.76 × 10 + 0.15 ×10
I m=7.86 mA
The calculation of percentage different
Between the I c and I m
|I c −I m|
%diff = × 100 %
Ic
|6.76× 10˗ 3−7.86 ×10 ˗3|
%diff = ˗3
×100 %
6.76 × 10
%diff =16.27 %
PART c: Kirchhoff’s Law
For theoretical of voltage E S is,
E S=5.0 V
The calculation of theoretical of Resistant R S as below,
R34=R 3+ R 4
R34 = ( 47 ×10 3 )+ ( 1× 103 )
R34=48 kΩ
1 1 1
= +
R 234 R2 R34
1 1 1
= +
R 234 ( 10 ×10 ) ( 48 × 103 )
3
R234 =8.3 kΩ
RT =R1 + R234 + R5
RT =( 1 ×10 ) + ( 8.3× 10 ) + ( 1 ×10 )
3 3 3
RT =10.3 kΩ
The theoretical of Current I T can be determine by using Ohm’s Law
ES
I T=
RT
5.0
I T=
( 10.3 ×103 )
I T =0.49 mA
The measured voltages and current values are used to get the calculated voltages and
currents values the data are as shown below,
To calculate the voltages value of each resistor by using Ohm’s Law,
Calculated voltage, Calculated current,
V n=I n Rn Vn
I n=
Rn
V 1=I 1 R 1 V1
I 1=
V 1=(0.52 ×10˗ 3 )( 1×10 3) R1
V 1=0.52V 0.52
I 1=
( 1×10 3 )
I 1=0.52 mA
V 2=I 2 R 2 V2
I 2=
V 2=(0.42 ×10˗ 3 )(10× 103) R2
V 1=4.20 V 4.2
I 2=
( 10× 103 )
I 2=0.42 mA
V 3=I 3 R 3 V3
˗3 3 I 3=
V 3=(0.09 ×10 )(47 × 10 ) R3
V 3=4.23 V 0.45
I 3=
( 47 ×10 3 )
I 1=0.09 mA
V 4 =I 4 R 4 V4
˗3 3 I 4=
V 4 =(0.09× 10 )(1 ×10 ) R4
V 4 =0.09 V 0.09
I 4=
( 1 ×103 )
I 4=0.09 mA
V 5=I 5 R 5 V5
˗3 3 I 5=
V 5=(0.52 ×10 )(1× 10 ) R5
V 5=0.52V 0.52
I 5=
( 1× 103 )
I 5=0.52 mA
Branch V (V) I (mA) R (kΩ)
Current/Voltage Measured,m Calculated,c Measured,m Calculated,c
V 1,I1 0.49 0.52 0.51 0.52 1
V 2 ,I2 4.12 4.20 0.41 0.42 10
V3 ,I3 4.44 4.23 0.08 0.09 47
V4 , I4 0.08 0.09 0.08 0.09 1
V5 ,I5 0.40 0.52 0.51 0.52 1
VS , IS 5.0 0.49 10.3
The verification for the loops in the circuit using equations 1a and 1b by using measured
voltages.
Loop 1 (eqn 1a) is given as,
˗ V S +V 1+ V 2+V 5=0
˗ 5.00+ 0.49+ 4.12+0.40=0
0.01 ≅ 0 V
Loop 2 (eqn 1b) is given as,
˗ V 2+V 3+V 4=0
˗ 4.12+ 4.44+ 0.08=0
0.04 ≅ 0
The verification for the loops in the circuit using equations 1a and 1b by using calculated
voltages.
Loop 1 (eqn 1a) is given as,
˗ V S +V 1+ V 2+V 5=0
˗ 5.00+ 0.52+ 4.20+0.52=0
0.12 ≈ 0 V
Loop 2 (eqn 1b) is given as,
˗ V 2+V 3+V 4=0
˗ 4.10+3.76+0.08=0
˗ 0.26 ≈ 0
The verification for the nodes in the circuit using equations 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d by using
measured current.
Node a (eqn 2a) is given as,
˗ I S + I 1=0
˗ ( 0.49× 10 ) + ( 0.51 ×10 ) =0
˗3 ˗3
˗3
0.02 ×10 ≅ 0
Node b (eqn 2b) is given as,
˗ I 1+ I 2+ I 3=0
˗ ( 0.51× 10 )+ ( 0.41× 10 ) + ( 0.08 ×10 ) =0
˗3 ˗3 ˗3
˗ 0.02 ×10 ˗3 ≅ 0
Node c (eqn 2c) is given as,
˗ I 3+ I 4=0
˗ ( 0.08× 10 ) + ( 0.08 ×10 ) =0
˗3 ˗3
0=0
Node d (eqn 2d) is given as,
˗ I 2−I 4+I 5=0
˗ ( 0.41× 10 )−( 0.08 ×10 )+ ( 0.51× 10 )=0
˗3 ˗3 ˗3
0.02 ×10 ˗3 ≅ 0
The verification for the nodes in the circuit using equations 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d by using
measured current.
Node a (eqn 2a) is given as,
˗ I S + I 1=0
˗ ( 0.49× 10 ) + ( 0.49 ×10 ) =0
˗3 ˗3
0=0
Node b (eqn 2b) is given as,
˗ I 1+ I 2+ I 3=0
˗ ( 0.49× 10 ) + ( 0.41 ×10 ) + ( 0.09× 10 )=0
˗3 ˗3 ˗3
˗3
0.01 ×10 ≅ 0
Node c (eqn 2c) is given as,
˗ I 3+ I 4=0
˗ ( 0.09× 10˗ 3 ) + ( 0.08 ×10 ˗3 ) =0
˗3
˗ 0.01 ×10 ≈ 0
Node d (eqn 2d) is given as,
˗ I 2−I 4+I 5=0
˗ ( 0.41× 10˗ 3 )−( 0.08 ×10 ˗ 3 )+ ( 0.40 ×10 ˗3 ) =0
˗3
˗ 0.09 × 10 ≅ 0
Discussion for experiment Part c
Discussion for experiment Part a
Discussion for experiment Part b
Conclusion
