Name: _GAPASIN, BERNIE B.

__ Course:___BSAEn 5_ Date: _07, MARCH 2019__

Lab Time & Date: _THUR 1-4__

LABORATORY EXERCISE NO. 5

Resistance of Series Connected Resistors

I. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION

Series Circuit Connection

An electric circuit is a closed path for current flow. Resistance in a circuit opposes
current flow.

In electronic circuits there may be one or more resistors in series connection. In a series
circuit with a voltage source and series connected resistors (Figure 6.1), there is only one path for
the current which must pass through each of the resistors in the circuit.

R1 R2 R3 R4

V V V V V

Figure 6.1 A series circuit.

Since current and is the same in every branch ,

I1 = I2 = I3 = In
From Kirchoff’s voltage law, which says that in any complete circuit, the sum of rises in,
potential must be equal to the sum of voltage drops across that circuit, then, if we let V the supply
voltage.

V= V1 + V2 + V3 + Vn

Substituting the equation V=IR

IRt = I1R1 + I2R2 + I3R3 + InRn

Where I = I1 = I2 = I3 = In

Canceling I, I1 , I2 , I3 …. In
 Rt = R1 + R2 + R3 +. . . Rn ........

Since the electric current flowing in a series circuit must pass through each resistance in its path,
it would appear that two series resistors would offer more opposition to current than anyone of
the resistors individually, This fact is true because the total resistance of a series circuit is equal
to the sum of the resistors in the circuit.

R1 R2 R3 R4

Figure 6.2 Four resistors in series.

For example, for three 500 ohm resistors connected in series, the total resistance Rt is
1500,ohms. Another example: if R1=220, R2330, then Rt = 550 ohms.

II. OBJECTIVE:

To determine by experiment the total resistance of resistors connected in series.

III. MATERIALS REQUIRED

Equipment : Digital or analog meter
Resistors : six different resistors, 1/4 watt

IV. PROCEDURE
1. Measure the resistance of each resistor supplied and record its value in Table 6.1 beneath
its color coded value.
2. Connect series arrangement 1 shown in Fig. 6.1 by connecting resistors R1 and R4 in
series. From Table 6.l record the measured values of R1 and R4 in the spaces provided
in Table 6.2
3. Using the measured values of the individual resistors, compute the total resistance of this
series combination and write the value in the column labeled “computed value Rt”.
4. Measure the total resistance of the is combination of series connected resistance from
points A to B and record that value in the column labeled : measured value Rt.”
5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 for resistor combination 2 and 3 in the figure 6.2

Table 6.1 Color coded and measured resistor values

Resistors R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6
Measured, Ω
Coded Value, Ω

Figure 6.1 Combination 1

 R1 R2

Combination 2
R1 R3 R4 R6

Combination 3

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6

Table 6.2 Series Resistor Combination

Resistor Measured Resistance Computed Measured %E

Combinatio R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Ω Ω
n
Ω
1 xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
2 xxxx xxxx
3

This time repeat Steps 2 (COMBINATIONS 1 TO 3) above (connecting the three combination
and connect the voltage source adjusted to 12V, Fill up the table below by measuring the branch
voltages.

Resistor Measured Voltage (volts) Computed Measured %E

Combinatio V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 Voltage voltage
n
Ω
1 xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
2 xxxx xxxx
3
V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 6.1 Color coded and measured resistor values

Resistors R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6
Measured, Ω
Coded Value, Ω

Table 6.2 Series Resistor Combination

Resistor Measured Resistance Computed Measured %E

Combinatio R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Ω Ω
n
Ω
1 xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx
2 xxxx xxxx
3

VI. CONCLUSION
(COMPARE THE RESULTS OF THIS ACTIVITY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE OBTAINED
FRO ACTUAL MEASUREMENT.)

VII. QUESTIONS

1. Were the computed values and the measured values of each combination of resistors equal? If
not, why not?

2. Explain in your own words two methods of finding the total resistance of series connected
resistors.
3. For combination 3 how does the sum of the color-coded values of the table (b) the computed
value obtained by adding the measured values of each resistor?

4. Would there be any effect of the total resistance of combination 2 if the positions of any of the
resistors were changed?

5. Do the results of your measurements in the Table 6.2 prove that the total resistance of a series
circuit is equal to the sum of the values of each resistors in the circuit?