Name of group members: TEE MENG KIAT, LEW KAI ERN, SEOW WAI KEN, HE CHENGLONG

Lab Title: CIRCUIT CONSTRUCTION LAB

Date Submitted: 20/1/2021

Purpose:
To understand and explore circuit elements, equivalent resistance, current and voltage calculations as well as to
investigate the relationship between circuit elements, resistant and current calculation in both parallel and series
circuit.

Hypothesis:
In a series circuit, the resistors have the same current in them, but sharing the applied voltage. In parallel circuit,
the resistors share the current while parallel resistors have the same voltage across them.

Materials:
A laptop with Java software, PhEt Circuits Lab simulation and a calculator.

Procedure:
SECTION A: SERIES CIRCUIT
1. A series circuit is created by pulling resistors from the side, and then the resistor is right clicked as shown in
picture below. Circuitry used with values are recorded in data section.

2. The voltage is set to 24V as shown below.

3. A circuit is built as in picture below. One resistor is replaced with a light bulb and the resistance is changed. A
switch is added.

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4. A voltmeter and ammeter are used to have experimental values to be compared.

5. Resistance and voltage for Set 2 are changed and the values are recorded in the Table 1.
6. The theoretical values for both sets are calculated using calculator.
7. Two graphs of voltage against resistance for Set 1 and 2 are drawn.

SECTION B: PARALLEL CIRCUIT

1. A parallel circuit is created by pulling resistors from the side, and then the resistor is right clicked as shown in
picture below. Circuitry used with values are recorded in data section.

2. A three resistors system and voltage of 50V for Set 1 is built like the picture below. Resistance and voltage are
changed, and theoretical values are calculated using calculator.

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3. A voltmeter and ammeter are used to have experimental values to be compared.

4. Step 1 to 3 for Set 2 are repeated using the values as given in the Table 2.
5. Two graphs of current against resistance for Set 1 and 2 are drawn.

Data & Analysis:

Section A (Table 1)
Theoretical Value Experimental Value
R1 R2 R3 RTotal V I V1 V2 V3 I V1 V2 V3
Set 1 23 14 8 45 24.00 0.53 12.19 7.42 4.24 0.53 12.27 7.47 4.27
Set 2 10 15 20 45 24.00 0.53 5.30 7.95 10.60 0.53 5.33 8.00 10.67

Set 1

3
R1

R2

R3

4
Set 2

R1

5
R2

R3

6
Section B (Table 2)
Theoretical Value
R1 R2 R3 RT V IT I1 I2 I3 V1 V2 V3
Set 1 10 20 30 5.45 50.00 9.17 5.00 2.50 1.67 50.00 50.00 50.00
Set 2 35 28 11 6.44 50.00 7.76 1.43 1.79 4.55 50.00 50.00 50.00
Experimental value
IT I1 I2 I3 V1 V2 V3
9.17 5.00 2.50 1.67 49.99 49.99 49.99
7.76 1.43 1.79 4.54 49.99 49.99 49.99

Set 1

7
R1

R2

8
R3

The voltmeter readings for 3 resistors are the same.

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Set 2

R1

R2

10
R3

1) Did your theoretical and experimental calculations match? If not, explain why. Add improvements if any.

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No, because there is resistance in the wires in this experiment where theoretical values do not include with
it, therefore the experimental values have higher voltage to overcome the resistance in wires. Improvements
to it can be using thicker diameter and shorter length wires in order to decrease the wire resistance as more
as possible.

2) Is the equivalent resistance always lower than any resistor in parallel connection?
Yes, according to the formula 1/RT=1/R1+1/Rn

3) Which connection should be chosen for Christmas lights? Series or parallel? Why?
Parallel circuit. With Christmas lights arrange in parallel, it allows each light has its own wire to the source,
hence when one of the lights is broken, there will be no effect to the other lights. Furthermore, voltage in
parallel circuit is the same, thus all the lights will have the same brightness.

4) What type of connections do we use in our homes, offices and daily life? Why?
Parallel circuit. Because parallel circuit can be operated independently which means if one electrical item is
off or broken, other items can be run as well. Parallel circuit also reduced the total resistant in the circuit.

5) Build a short circuit (as shown in picture below) and explain what happens.

No current flow through the circuit. Because the switch is remained open and the circuit is not complete,
thus there is no current flow.

Possible sources of error and methods to correct these errors:

Errors Methods
Cannot turn on the virtual lab simulation Turn on the alternative simulation which works the same way
Unknown resistance of wire We could only know there is resistance in the wires when we were
comparing the theoretical with experimental values

Precautions:
1. Ensure that the positive and negative terminals of the batteries are connected in a right way so that the
circuit is working by allowing the current to flow.
2. Make sure that the wires are connected to all the components in order to allow the current to flow and
make the circuit complete.
3. Ensure that the switch must be switched on to allow the current flow throughout the circuit and complete
the circuit.
4. Ammeter must be connected as in series in the circuit.
5. Voltmeter must be connected as in parallel in the circuit.

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 6. Make sure that the terminals of voltmeter are connected correctly so that the voltage will not be in a
negative value.

Conclusion:
In a series circuit, the resistors have the same current in them, but sharing the applied voltage. In parallel circuit,
the resistors share the current while parallel resistors have the same voltage across them. Hypothesis is accepted.

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