Lab #1: OHMs Law

Fiona Chau
Mr. Shaw
2EJ 20O-A
October 3rd 2016

Introduction/Background Research
The purpose of this lab was to investigate the relationship between resistance and the
flow of current in an electric circuit. This was done by placing resistors with different amounts of
resistance into the circuit and comparing the current.
Hypothesis:
If the resistor resistance increases than the amount of current will decrease.
Materials:
- 1 SK-50 bread boarding socket
- 1 battery
- 1 100 ohm resistor
- 1 1k ohm resistor
- 1 47k resistor
- 3 LEDs
- 9 wires
Procedure:
1. Circuit was assembled with a 100ohm resistor on the bread board
2. Circuit was assembled with a 1000ohm resistor on the bread board
3. Circuit was assembled with a 47k resistor on the bread board
4. Circuit was tested
5. Observations on LEDs brightness was recorded
Observations/Results:

Resistor Resistance (ohms)

LED Brightness
Current (amps)
100 ohms
Bright
0.05 A
1000 ohms
Slightly dim
0.005 A
47,000 ohms
Very dim/ barely visible
0.000106383 A
The equation A=V/R was used to calculate current, the voltage was constant at 5 volts and the
resistance was from the resistor. For example, A=5/100 gives the current for the circuit with the
100ohm resistor.

The Relationship Between the Resistor Resistance and Current

0.06
0.05
0.04
0.03

Current (amps)

0.02
0.01
0

Resistor Resistance (ohms)

Discussion:
As the results of this lab display, if the resistor resistance increases, than the amount of
current will decrease. The observations show that because, with a 100 ohm resistor the current
was 0.05 amps and the light was bright but with a 47k resistor the current was 0.000106383
amps and the light was very dim and barely visible. The outcome exhibits Ohms law because it
states that in any circuit the current is proportional to the voltage and resistance. However, with
resistance its proportional in a way that as it increases the current will decrease proportionally.
(The definition of Ohms law n.d.). With pervious knowledge of Ohms law, the hypothesis was
if the resistance increases than the amount current will decrease. The results of the lab confirmed
that the hypothesis was also correct. The lab worked as desired so there were no errors.
Conclusion:
Therefore, this lab displayed Ohms law because as the resistors resistance increased the
electric current decreased.

Work Cited:
The definition of Ohm's law. (n.d.). Retrieved October 05, 2016, from
http://www.dictionary.com/browse/ohm-s-law

Lab #2: Diodes

Observations/Results:

Diode

LED

Diode Marking

1st position

Bright (high)

2nd position

Not on

Towards negative
side
Towards positive
side

1.Describe the change in brightness when the diode is reversed.

When the diode was reversed the light did not turn on even though the circuit was still complete.
Only that part of the circuit was changed but the LED did not light up. This is because when the
diode was reversed it blocked the current from continuing its path in the circuit.
2.Suggest possible observations if a LED is reversed and the resistor is reversed.
I believe if the resistor is reversed the circuit will be fine and still continue working. However, I
think that if the LED is reversed than the circuit will not continue to work. You have to place the
long end of a LED on positive side and the short leg on the negative side for a reason. If those
legs are reversed it could mess up the flow of electrons.
3.Suggest a hypothesis to account for the observations.
If the diode is reversed, then the flow of electrons in the circuit will be blocked.
Conclusion: Therefore, this lab exhibits that if a diode is placed incorrectly the current will be
blocked.

Lab #3: Series and Parallel Resistor

Observations/Results:

Circuit

LED Brightness

Resistance

Current

A Series

Bright (medium)

470 ohms

B Series

Dim (low)

940 ohms

C Parallel

Bright (high)

235 ohms

Approximately
0.011
Approximately
0.005
Approximately
0.021

The Relationship Between the Type of Circuit and Amount of Resistance

1000
900
800
700
600
500
Resistance (ohms)
400
300
200
100
0
Circuit A (Series)

Cicuit B (Series)

Circuit C (Parallel)

Type of Circuit
Resistance

The Relationship Between the Type of Circuit and the Amount of Current
0.03
0.02
0.02

Current (Amps)

0.01
0.01
0
Circuit A (Series)

Circuit B (Series)

Circuit C (Parallel)

Type of Circuit
Series 1

The formula used to calculate the current for circuit A was I = V/R. For circuit B to calculate
resistance the formula Rt=R1+R2 then the current formula was used. For circuit C the resistance
was calculated using the formula 1/Rt = 1/R1+1/R2 then the formula to find the current was
used.

Discussion:
1.Descirble the change in brightness of the LED for circuits a, b and c.
With the first circuit it was a simple series with one 470 ohm resistor, the LED was bright.
Circuit B was a series circuit with two 470 ohm resistors, the LED was slightly dim. Circuit C
was a parallel circuit with two 470 ohm resistors, the LED was the brightest out of the three
circuits.
2.Use the formula for resistors in series and parallel to explain the observations.
The formula for resistors in a series circuit is Rt= R1+R2. This explain why circuit B was the
most dim because it had 2 resistors that affected the current together causing the overall circuit to
have a greater amount of total resistance. The formula for resistors in a parallel circuit is 1/Rt=
1/R1+1/R2. This explains that resistance decreases because, the current is shared throughout
every load in the circuit, the resistance affects the current so the resistance is also distributed.
3. Suggest how 3 resistors in series or parallel would affect the observations in circuits B and C.
If a third resistor was places in circuit b in series then the LED would become even more din
because it adds to the total resistance affecting the current. Whereas, if a third resistor was placed
in circuit C in parallel than the LED would become even brighter. It will become brighter
because in the circuit the amount of current will decrease more with another resistor which was
displayed with the formula.
Conclusion: Therefore, In a series circuit the circuit shares voltage and resistance but the current
remains the same whereas in a parallel circuit, the circuit shares the current between each load
but the voltage stays the same.