EE 250/251
BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
SPRING-2024
EXPERIMENT # 2
VOLTAGE AND CURRENT RELATIONSHIP IN SERIES AND PARALLEL
RESISTIVE CIRCUIT
STUDENT NAME STUDENT ID SECTION DAY TIME
SOs # 6 KPI 6.1 KPI 6.2 KPI 6.3
SCORE
LAB#2 (VOLTAGE AND CURRENT RELATIONSHIP IN SERIES AND PARALLEL
RESISTIVE CIRCUIT)
ASSIGNMENT
RELEVANT ANALYSIS AND
PARTS DEVELOPING CONDUCTING INTERPRETATION
TEAM#_____
Note: All the students are directed to do necessary theoretical calculation
for the experiments and come for the laboratory session.
OBJECTIVES:
I. Making series and parallel connection on Breadboard.
II. Find equivalent resistance for series and parallel connection.
III. Finding the voltage and current relation for each connection.
EQUIPMENTS REQUIRED:
Sr. no Name Range Quantity
1 Resistors 3.9 kΩ 3
2 DC variable voltage supply 30V 1
3 Voltmeter - 1
4 Ammeter - 1
5 Breadboard - 1
THEORY OF SERIES CONNECTION:
A series circuit is a circuit in which resistors are arranged in a chain, so the current has only one path to
take. The current is the same through each resistor. The total resistance of the circuit is found by simply
adding up the resistance values of the individual resistors:
RT =R1 + R2 + R3
Figure 1. Resistors Connected In Series
The voltage drop across the battery VT will be the total sum of the individual drops across each of the 3
resistors, and
VT =V1 + V2 + V3
V T = RT I T
V1 = I1 × R1
V2 = I2 × R2
V3 = I3 × R3
In this circuit the current supplied by the battery flows through each resistor, with the current in each
resistor being the same. If the current supplied by the battery is IT, the current in each resistor is I1, I2,
and I3, and they are all one and the same, then
IT = I1 = I2 = I3
THEORY OF PARALLEL CONNECTION:
A parallel circuit is a circuit in which the resistors are arranged with their heads connected together, and
their tails connected together. The total resistance of a set of resistors in parallel is found by adding up
the reciprocals of the resistance values, and then taking the reciprocal of the total
1 1 1 1
= + +
R T R1 R2 R3
Figure 2. Resistors Connected In parallel
The total current flowing in the circuit is the sum of the separate currents flowing through the resistors,
The voltage drops across the battery and resistors are all equal, and as illustrated in Figure 2,
PROCEDURE 1 a. (SERIES CONNECTION)
1. Using the 3 resistors of given values make a series connection on the breadboard as shown in figure
3 below.
2. Using the Multimeter in ohmmeter mode measure its equivalent resistance by connecting the
probes of the ohmmeter at the two end of the connection as shown in figure 3 below.
3. Record the reading in table 1.
4. Calculate the theoretical value for the total resistance in series and verify the same.
5. Record the reading in table 1 below.
6. Calculate the total current IT and write the value in the observation table 2 below.
7. Using the values of R1, R2, R3, and IT calculate the value for V1, V2, and V3 respectively.
8. Set the voltage of the DC power supply to 10 V.
9. Mark this voltage as VT and note this voltage in table 2 below.
10. Turn on the DC power supply and note the current in the circuit using the ammeter.
11. Connect the voltmeter across each resistor to observe the voltage drop across each resistor as
shown in figure 4.
12. Write these values in table 2 below.
13. Compare the observed and calculated values of the voltages and current to verify the results.
Figure 3. Resistors connected in series on breadboard
Figure 4. Voltage and Current Relation in a Resistive Series Circuit
PROCEDURE 1 b.( PARALLEL CONNECTION)
1. Using the same resistors used for series connection make a parallel connection on the breadboard
as shown in figure 5 below.
2. Using the Multimeter in ohmmeter mode measure its equivalent resistance by connecting the
probes of the ohmmeter at the two end of the connection as shown in figure 5 below.
3. Record the reading in table 1.
4. Calculate the theoretical value for the total resistance in parallel and verify the same.
5. Record the reading in table 1 below.
6. Using the value of resistors and the voltage VT calculate the value of the currents I1, I2, and I3.
7. Note these values in table 3 below.
8. Connect the circuit on breadboard as shown in figure 6.
9. Turn on the DC power supply and observe the voltage and current readings.
10. Write these values in table 3 below.
11. Compare and verify the results.
Figure 5. Resistors connected in parallel on breadboard.
Figure 6. Three resistors R1, R2, and R3 connected in parallel showing the flow of current and
potential differences all being equal
OBSERVATION TABLE 1: R1= 1.5 kΩ , R2= 2.2 kΩ , R3= 3.9 kΩ
Sr. No Connection Theoritical Observation
1 Series
2 Parallel
OBSERVATION TABLE 2: SERIES CONNECTION
Applied Calculated Voltage Observed Voltage Calculated Observed
Voltage Across the resistors Across the resistors current current through
VT(V) (V) (V) through the the resistors
resistors (I) mA
(I) mA
V1 = V1 =
VT =
V2 = V2 = IT = IT =
V3 = V3 =
OBSERVATION TABLE 3: PARALLEL CONNECTION
Calculated current Observed Calculated current Observed Applied
IT(mA) current Across the current Across voltage Across
IT(mA) resistors (mA) the resistors the resistors
(mA) (V)
I1 = I1 =
IT = IT = VT =
I2 = I2 =
I3 = I3 =
Alternative circuit to measure current in different branches connected in parallel.
Figure 7. General circuit for measurement of current in different branches
Figure 8. Circuit for measurement of TOTAL current IT.
Figure 9. Circuit for measurement of BRANCH current I1.
Figure 10. Circuit for measurement of BRANCH current I2.
Figure 11. Circuit for measurement of BRANCH current I3.
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