CP Basic Circuits Lab

Please be careful to read allinstructions!

1. Lighting a bulb with a battery and a wire*. Open the bag that has the single AA battery and a simple
wire. Take a 2V or 2.5V lightbulb out (whichever one you have) and using only the bulb (with no bulb
holder), wire, and battery (with no battery holder), light the bulb. Draw a picture of how you got the
bulb to light. Draw a schematic diagram as well. *Note there is a slight possibility that you can singe
your hand a little doing this. I would recommend not having things connected for very long. It won't
hurt you badly, and it won't electrocute you (it is a very small battery). Just be careful and attentive.

2. 9-V Battery Lab. Open the bag with the 9V battery. Get a 12 V lightbulb.

Using just a 9 V battery and a 12V lightbulb, make the lightbulb light up (no wires).Please do not
connect the bulb for very long and please check you are using the 12 V lightbulb.

Draw how you did it:

3. Assemble the Materials (at left below) into the circuit (at right below):
holder (screw it into the holder so that the
Materials: 1 AA Battery with holder, 1 7.5V lightbulb with
lightbulb touches the bottom plate), connecting wires and alligator clips

battery

light bulb or resistor

wire

Questions

a) Does the bulb glow brightly or dimly? (you might want to take a picture for reference in part 4).

The light bulb glows very dim

b) Use your multimeter and set the dial to 20V. Plug in the black probe in middle COM and the red cord
in the right VOmA. Then use the probes to measure the potential difference
across the batteries and
across the lightbulb. Be sure to refer to the user manual or the
videos/pictures/instructions Ms. Rachel
provided if you are unsure about how to measure this. What is your total
potential difference across the
battery? Across the lightbulb? -,06 V tor the batlers
and -oralt for the lighl bulb.

c) Reverse the battery (do not remove the battery from

the holder, just reverse the entire holder with the
battery in it). Does the lightbulb still work? Is the potential
difference the same?
Thelignt bulb still works. The magnittude uf the
dilderanes an thr sam bul the sign polentinl
d) Disconnect the + (positive) terminal, what changes frem
happens? mgalin 1e posHine.
The light turns off.

Reconnect the positive terminal.

e) Now disconnect the - (negative) terminal only,

what happens?
The lighd turns utf
f) Explain what happens during parts d) and e) using the
definition of current.
You need a circued for the curnen to
travel through bud disconmeting the
poritin or mgalie termieal will not
cuun 1m cunm t 1run,

2
4. Batteries in Series

Using the same materials as the last step, create this circuit with 2 batteries
(with holders).

Questions

a) What is your total potential difference across the batteries? Across the lightbulb?
1,98V ucrous the botteries.
:89V. the lignlbult
b) How does the lightbulb's brightness compare to the brightness with just one battery?
Theligm bulb uteh a battere ane mone brighter.
c) How does increasing the potential difference affect current?
The current will be larger
the
d) Add a third battery in series. What is the total potential difference across the batteries? Across

lightbulb? -2.76V forthe batteries

-208v for the light bulb
e) What do you think was the effect on the current?
The curvent Thenused

t) State "Ohm's Law" as an equation.

JV
1=
g) Does this experiment support or refute it? Explain.

Il supports sinne I and SV um

diretla porportiemal lfhenisalsene resirtaree

as
In this 1o Av iucrensel, I also
Trcrenses.
 (so use 2 batteries, not 3).
5. Your First Switch Lab- Remove one battery from the last setup

Switch."
and is the symbol for "Closed
is the symbol for "Open Switch"
a) Draw what the circuit would look like with an OPEN switch, the bulb and 2 batteries. Show your
teacher your diagram before moving to the next step.

b) Add an OPEN switch to your circuit like you drew in part a). Does the bulb light up? Why?
c) Close the Switch.

What happens? No lighl oclurs

Why? Becuuse the currebl
deesnit compu-te
th (circut

6. Door Bell Switch Lab- 2 batteries, 2 switches and bulb

Create this circuit:

Front Door

Back Door

The lightbulb should light up, no matter which switch you push. Why?

If ome swilch is closed, it will light

upsince1awillcreadafullcircuid.
7. Lightbulbs "In Series". Use 2 batteries with a
2V or 2.5V bulb (whichever one you have).
Create this circuit with an open
switch:

a) Close the switch. Describe the brightness of the bulbs (you should take a picture for comparison
in next step):
The lighl bulb is very brtgnt.

Now create this circuit with 2 identical bulbs (another 2V or 2.5V bulb):

b) Close the switch. What happens? Describe the brightness of the bulbs compared to when there was

only one bulb: Thie light bulb is both d'immer.

c) Why does this happen? (You should probably take another picture)
Theres mere resistand so theres less Voltage.
d) What will happen if you add a third identical bulb? Draw a schematic diagram of your setup with 3
bulbs, battery and switch. Thebulb deesnil
light up becaure
theres too much
resistance.

e) Now setup the circuit you drew in part d). What happens to the brightness of the bulbs compared to
when a) and b). Why? (you might want to take a picture of this for comparison on the next page)

The bult deesnd lighd up when thens s

burs uns
bulbs. The circuit with om
with a burts
the brighhert, the cprennd
our and
ua, hess briged then thifing
недлет..
Тн стчня илл зынь иае

0
8. Lightbulbs in Parallel

Assemble: 2 Batteries, 3 lightbulbs and a switch

(you might want to take a picture

a) Describe the brightness of the bulbs in comparison with each other
to compare it in the next step): All the sann
brigniness.
lit or go out? Try this and
b) What happens when you unscrew one of the lightbulbs? Do the others stay
oum.
The lighl bulb that you un screw goes
describe what happens.

The offers suglit.

c) This is called "In Parallel." How does the brightness compare to the "in Series" situation you
constructed on the previous page part e). )?

Ihe series om is brighter

then "In parallel'.
In series (Part e)
Ammeter Lab-
Supplies used for this part:
1. 3 wire resistors (not bulbs)-1. Red, Red, Black, Black, brown 2. orange, orange, black, black, brown
and 3. brown, green, black, black,brown (these are not lightbulbs). 5-Band Resistor Color Code
Calculator- Use the 5 band calculator to check the resistance. If you have trouble seeing color, then
to
ask a couple other people to confirm what colors they are. Record the expected value (according
the chart) and the actual value of the resistors from your ohmmeter below:

2. Expected Resistance (from chart):

b. Orange-Orange resistance 33 -C. Brown-Green Resistance / 50

0 ₴.
a. Red-Red resistance 2 2u.&
DISCONNECT the battery before
3. Actual Resistance (from Ohmmeter): (IMPORTANT: You will need to
6)
measuring the resistance with the ohmmeter for table in Column
^
a. Red-Red resistance 21 4 =L b. Orange-Orange resistance 3235 c. Brown-Green Resistance! 45
always have the circuit disconnected while
4. 2 multimeters-when using the ammeter function,
it in series with the battery. DO NOT
switching the dial. Start with the setting at 200m. Connect used in parallel with
Voltmeter into the circuit. It should be
connect a multimeter being used as a
to dial to 20V.
circuit components. Set the voltmeter
5. 2 AA batteries with holders
6. Connecting wires with alligator clips

7. Optional but recommended-switch

1. Set Up this Circuit. Draw diagrams for 2 and 3 resistors in series. Then perform the experiment.

Diagram 1: Diagram 2: Diagram 3:

2. The Ammeter should have a positive current and should be in series with the battery. For each
setup,
record your data in the table below, for 1, 2 and 3 resistors in series with the battery.

3. Fill out this chart by using your experimental data, and perform
calculations

column
1 2 3 4 5
→
Total
Potential Potential Resistance Resistance
Resistor Potential
difference Differences (V) of from circuit from
from #3 Difference
(V) across each individual Current (A)
page 8 (column2÷ Ohmmeter
(V) across all
the battery resistor column4) (52)
resistors

a
2.28V 2.27V 2,27v 0.0108A 210-192 214 2
a&b
2,32V 2.3/V 1139V 0,92v 0,0014 525- 5300
a,b & c 2.33V 2.32v 8.49v/V 0,720 010034 682.3582 6702

4. How do the individual potential differences compare to the total potential

difference across all
resistors? The potential individael differens uhn added
is roughly the same ais the tolel potertul
difterizees
5. How do the individual potential differences compare to the potential difference across the
battery?
The potenlin indiridual difleners una addled
up ? , th samear polenlin dillimn
altols tm baltrrg.
6. How does the individual resistances of the resistors compare to the total resistance of all resistors?
(Compare the actual resistor values from #3 on page 7 to column 6 in the table above for rows 2 and 3)

ulsyou add red-red and orange drange resistunn,

Ts the samn les adb. When you add red-ren ad
grernge -orange ancl Groun-greem Ts the sama as
7. Do your results verify the rule: R, = R, + R, + R3 + ...? GIL4C-

Show your work for rows 2 and 3 of the above table using your actual resistance from #3 on page 7 and
compare to column 6 in the table above as R
.. You are not solving, just checking a solution like you
would in math class.

Row 2: RT=R,+R2= 214+323=53752=5305

8
Rows: Ri= fitRa+R1=214+323+145=
8. Repeat the experiment for resistors
in parallel. Draw the circuit diagram
for each situation.
Diagram 1:
Diagram 2: Diagram 3:
H

MIw

mwr

9. Fill out this chart by using your experimental data, and perform
calculations
column
1 2 3 4 5 6

Total
Potential Potential Resistance Resistance
Resistor Potential
difference Differences (V) of from circuit from
from #3 Difference Current (A)
(V) across each individual (column2÷ Ohmmeter
page 8 (V) across all
the battery resistor column4) (92)
resistors

a
2,29V 2,27V 2,27V 0.0108
210.19 214R

a&b
2,25V 2,36V 2,22V 2.22V 0,0174V 135.63 1281

a,b & c
2116V 2,04V 2,064 2,06V
2106V
0.0316 64,56 682

10. How do the individual potential differences compare to the total potential difference across all
resistors?
Euch iudludunl polelial ditlerne, 1. +4
san us the total petentialdillerene
uerossall

r1s1Hars
11. How do the individual potential differences compare to the potential difference across the battery?
The individunl potenlial diflerences lo similar
aeross the
to the potentiel difterenee
bulderg.
12. How does the individual resistances of the resistors compare to the total resistance of all resistors?
(Compare the actual resistor values from #3 on page 7 to column 6 in the table above for rows 2 and 3)

The individud resistor greader than tortal bereune

poralles.
1,. Do your rests veri
Show your work for rows 2 and 3 of the above table using your actual resistance from #3 on page 7
and compare to column 6 in the table above as R.. You are not solving, just checking a solution like
you would in math class.

128-2 = 214 1{1537.- =

69122-- 128.7
323
128 4989122 537

1287128.7
68 = 1 -
214 FI1+ 145
=0,01467 =0,01467 = 68,2
9

68^68.2
 increases, does not change, increasing, decreasing, equal to
Fill in the Blanks: use the words decreases,
Inereaoe
1. Adding batteries in series brightness because it
Increumn
the current by de treu,,uy the potential
difference.

2. Adding lightbulbs in series _ deirenne brightness because it deirinye

the current by incrurins resistance.

chang because the potential difference

3. Adding lightbulbs in parallel _ deeindl brightness
of the battery.
of each bulb is equul to_ the potential difference

the current because the total resistance of

4. Adding lightbulbs in parallel /И(run)
the battery
the circuit_сенан) _, while the potential difference of
dees nel change

Now imagine you had this circuit (with 2 batteries and 3 identical bulbs)

PREDICT:
a. Which bulb(s) would be brightest, Why?

Bulb e houllbethe biightert since in

will have uld the
b. Which bulb(s) would be dimmest, Why? volleg.
AdB horld be the
dimmert sinn thes hav to shar the foldege
C. Now check your prediction and set up this circuit. Describe your results below and tell whether
your predictions were correct.

My pridiction were correct.

10
Verify Ohm's Law Lab - 30V power source, 12 V bulb, 3300 resistor, wires, 2 multimeters
Current (Amps) is the flow of electric
charge in a circuit.

Ohm's Law says that increasing the potential difference, increases current proportionally.

The formula that describes this is V = IR, Potential difference=Current x Resistance.

Question (answer on next page): Is Ohm's Law really a law? Does it always hold true for every resistor
(including lightbulbs? When does it work, when does it not?

Method: Construct the circuit below, using several different potential differences, and measure several
different currents.

wire - Resistor

30V Power Ammeter

Source (measures current)

resistor and a 12V lightbulb. The

Procedure: Locate all the required items, including a voltmeter, 3300
and start with a potential difference of 1.5V
bulb is for the second half. Assemble the circuit loop above
Then try again for the lightbulb.
andtake data to complete the chart. You can use up to 9V for the resistor.
points for each with as broad a range as
You can use up to 11 V for the lightbulb. You need at least 6 data
line to the data. USE a VOLTMETER to verify
possible. GRAPH your results using Desmos and fit a best-fit
NOT use the numbers on the power source for
the potential difference across the resistor or bulb. DO
potential difference OR current. Use the values from your multimeters.
V is
2.]= Resistor Graph
Potential Current Resistance

Difference (V) (Amps) (Ohms) p=

.52 0.0048 31,66
SAMPLE
Re s i to r
3,2 0,01 320
4,5 0.0147 316.40 DESMOS
6,05 010192 315-10 USE
7.55 0,0242 311.98
9,01 0,029 310,69 Potential Difference (Volts)

Lightbulb Graph
Potential Current Resistance
Difference (V) (Amps) (Ohms)

2111 0,08 27,38

4107 0112
33,58 SAMPLE
6,06 0,19 43,29 DESMOS
8,01 0116 50,06 USE
10001 0119 52.68
1210K 0121 57,33 Potential Difference (Volts)

11
Ohm's law continued:
". 1*%."
1. What is the formula for Ohm's Law?

V=IR
2. How is the lightbulb graph different from the Resistor graph?
lim, unik
Ligh bulb graph is a powr regresiion
resistann graph és a limar regresicon dine.
3. What is the meaning of the slope of the graph for the resistor? Can you calculate a meaningful
value using the slope? If you can, show your work here.

the slope is y: +1 003288774-01000281678

=320+<
0/00323877
4. What is the meaning of the slope of the graph for the lightbulb? Can you calculate a meaningful
value using the slope? If you can, show your work here.

wecan's tind the slope beeanne tls alwag,

changing.

5. Do both the resistor and the lightbulb follow Ohm's Law? Use evidence from your data and graph
to support your answer.
becunne the
Th resisler tollens the oun's law
curren our roblage gragh for resirter has straigullin
since ad has
bul the leghlbeld deesnes teller
carne5/ep
6. Is Ohm's Law really a law? Does it always hold true for every resistor (including lightbulbs)? When
does it work, when does it not?

No : ouly ohmie resiiters follew oun's law , unihe

the ohim'
non ohnik resistor deeindt. Becann
yau is hol aluag, trae, 11 wonldan be
considiver
/aw.

12