To: Professor Darish

Date: October 7, 2014

From: Seiken Okada

Subject: Verification of Kirchhoffs Laws and Conservation of Power

Section: 16.207.806
Partners: n/a

SUMMARY
The purpose of this experiment was to test the verity of Kirchhoffs Voltage and Current laws, and
Conservation of Power in a simple series and parallel circuit. Calculations were made and results were very
near the measured values. Conservation of power was confirmed arithmetically.
EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH
Equipment and Materials

Resistors - 330, 470, 820, 4.7 k

DC power supply
Fluke dual display multimeter
Protoboard
Wires

Procedure
The circuit in Figure 1 was duplicated on the protoboard with the source voltage set at 15 V. A
multimeter was used to measure voltage and the difference across each resistor was recorded in Table 1
afterwards. Results matched with KVL:

V S = V 1 +V 2 + V n

(1)

Figure 1. Three resistors in series to test

KVL. [Darish]

With the source set to 15 V, the current was

measured in every branch of the circuit in Figure 2 using a multimeter and recorded in Table 2.

Figure 2. Resistors in parallel to test KCL. [Darish]

The results were consistent with KCL:

I = Iout

(2)

With VS=15 V the variables V1, V2, and I were measured for various values of R2 using the
multimeter and recorded in Table 3. The A in Figure 3 is an ammeter. The power dissipated in each resistor
was measured and recorded in Table 4.

Figure 3. A resistor in series with a decade Box to

test for conservation of power. [Darish]

Because power could not be measured using a multimeter, it was calculated using two equations.
The first calculated power by current and resistance.

P=R I 2

(3)

The second equation related power to the associated voltage.

P=

V
R

(4)

Both Kirchhoff laws and the law of conservation of power were tested using a circuit shown in
Figure 4. This happens to be the same as the one in Figure 2 but VS is now 5 V. Data collected from the
experiment were recorded in Table 5.

Figure 4. Testing for conservation of power.

[Darish]
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
As shown in Table 1 the sum of the voltages of each resistor equaled the voltage supplied by the
source. This phenomenon was in accordance with Kirchhoffs Voltage Law.
Table 1. Voltage Drop Across Resistors
V1 (V)

V2 (V)

V3 (V)

Sum of Vi

VS (V)

Calculation

3.1

4.4

7.6

15

15

Measurement

3.06

4.3

7.55

14.9

15

In Table 2, I1 and I2 were the currents splitting from the source and IA, IB were measured directly from
the source. The Table shows clearly Kirchhoffs Current Law was preserved in the circuit for calculated and
measured circumstances i.e.- I1+I2=IA. Where IA is coming in and the rest are leaving.
Table 2. Current Division Across Resistors
I1 (A)

I2 (A)

IA (A)

IB (A)

I1+I2 (A)

Calculation

.013

.007

.024

.024

.02

Measurement

.015

.0087

.0237

.023

.024

Looking at Table 3, it is evident both Kirchhoff laws were upheld. It is worthy to note here Equations
(3) and (4) seem contradictory. After all, how can resistance be both proportional and reciprocal to power?
The answer is in Tables 3 and 4. As R2 increased its resistance the power it consumed increased as well
while power consumed by R1 lessened. However, at the same time, the voltage passing through R2
increased and current decreased. Looking at equation (4) again V is a square compared to R. This will lead
to an exponential increase in P with R If there is still doubt look at Table 3 and notice V and R increase at
roughly the same rate. So the numerator with the square becomes much greater than the denominator.
Table 3. Voltage vs Resistance
R2
(k)

V1 (V)

V2 (V)

I (A)

Cal

Mea

Cal

Mea

Cal

Mea

0.5

13.56

13.5

1.44

1.5

.003

.003

2.35

10

10

5.1

.002

.002

4.7

7.5

7.4

7.5

7.56

.002

.0016

6.16

6.5

6.4

8.5

8.56

.001

.0014

8.6

5.3

5.2

9.7

9.74

.001

.001

9.15

5.1

9.91

10

.001

.001

Table 4. Power Consumption vs Resistance Rating

R2 (k)

P2 (Power in R2) in W
P2=I2R2
P2=V22/R 2
Cal
Mea
Cal
Mea

P1 (Power in R1) in W
P1=I2R1
P1=V12/R1
Cal
Mea
Cal
Mea

.5

.0045

.0045

.0041

.0045

.042

.042

.039

.039

2.35

.0094

.0094

.0106

.011

.019

.019

.02

.021

4.7

.0188

.012

.012

.012

.019

.019

.012

.012

6.16

.006

.012

.012

.012

.005

.005

.009

.009

8.6

.009

.009

.011

.011

.005

.005

.006

.006

9.15

.009

.009

.011

.011

.005

.005

.0055

.006

Key

Cal = calculation
Mea = measurement

As is apparent in Table 5, all currents that went into a node equaled those that went out, the
voltage summed up to 0 and power was conserved.
Table 5. Last Validation of Kirchhoff Laws and Conservation of Power
I1 (A)

I2 (A)

I3 (A)

V1 (V)

V2 (V)

V3 (V)

P1 (W)

P2 (W)

P3 (W)

PS (W)

.008

.005

.003

2.62

2.36

2.36

.007

.012

.021

.04

REFERENCE
All diagrams come from Professor Darishs site.
Darish, Michael. "Pages and Files." UMass Lowell Wiki. N.p., 27 Sept. 2014. Web. 7
Oct. 2014. <http://16-207-fa14.wiki.uml.edu/space/content >.