Introduction to Circuits Remote Lab

(This‌l‌esson‌is designed ‌for‌‌a‌‌student‌‌working‌remotely‌.)‌

This lab uses the Circuit Construction Kit DC simulation from PhET Interactive Simulations at University of Colorado Boulder,
under the CC-BY 4.0 license.
https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/circuit-construction-kit-dc/latest/circuit-construction-kit-dc_en.html

Learning Goals
● Explore basic electricity relationships.
● Explain basic electricity relationships in series and parallel circuits.
● Use an ammeter and voltmeter to take readings in circuits.
● Provide reasoning to explain the measurements and relationships in circuits.

Prediction Questions
Consider the pictures of each of these circuits, then answer the questions below.

Series Circuit Parallel Circuit Complex Circuit

1. From the circuits above, predict which bulb (or bulbs) will be the brightest. Why do you think that?
I would say the parallel circuit because they each have theyre own path so they won’t share an electron.

2. Current is the flow of charge (measured in coulombs/sec = amps) in a circuit. Describe how you think current
will flow in the different types of circuits above.
There is alternating current and direct current, for the direct current it flows in the series circuit but for alternating
current it flows in the parallel circuit and the complex circuit.

Develop your understanding:

3. Explore the Intro screen of Circuit Construction Kit DC
a. Build a circuit that shows how to make a light bulb light up.
b. Figure out how to measure current and voltage.
c. Insert an image of your circuit with the current and voltage
measured.
4. Imagine you’re an engineer making a string of battery powered holiday lights. If a bulb burns out current
cannot flow through that bulb any longer like if the wire at the bulb has been cut. Figure out how to hook up
2 light bulbs and a battery so that when one bulb burns out or is disconnected the other stays lit.

a. Insert images (Take pics with your phone, or screen shots from your computer and insert them
here!) to illustrate that your circuit works as expected.

b. Explain why you think it works. It works becuase it is a parallel circuit. It has two routes the electrons
can flow through, so that if one gets cut, they can easily flow through the circuit to power the bulbs
using their own path.

5. Imagine that you want to make sure the battery for your string of lights will last as long as possible. A battery
will last longer if it powers a circuit with low current. How could you hook up a battery and 2 light bulbs so
the least amount of current flows through the battery? Use the measurement tools in the simulation to
check your design.
a. Insert images to illustrate that your circuit works as expected.

b. Explain why you think it works.Hooking up the bulb to the battery in a series arrangement will draw
the least amount of current. In this case now, the bulb will serve as the load on the battery
(resistance). For the current to last longer, the least amount of energy must be drawn. The least
amount of energy will be drawn when the arrangement provides the maximum resistance possible.
Develop your understanding Part 2

Instructions: Your goal in this part is to write rules to describe how patterns of current and voltage in a circuit relate
to the structure of the circuit. You will need to measure current and voltage in multiple places on several different
circuits.

Examples:

Measuring Current Measuring Voltage

“Current” is the flow of charge, measured in Amps “Voltage” is a measure of the difference in electric
(Coulombs/s). An ammeter measures the current past a potential between two points. The voltmeter measures
single point in the circuit. this difference by placing the two leads (pronounced
“leeds”) at two different points.

The current flowing

through point 1 can be
written as:
I1 = 0.09 A.

The voltage between points A and B can be written as

VAB = 9 V.

Use the table below to record your measurements and patterns you notice. You decide where will be the most
useful places to take measurements, and how many to take.

Circuit Current Voltage What patterns do you notice?

Measurements Measurement ● Where is the current the same?
Label the places where you decide to (Amps) s (Volts) Where is it different?
measure current and voltage. Try ● Where does the voltage change?
several places. . Where doesn’t it change?
● How do the different circuits
compare?

1) Simple Circuit Example: Example: The current is the same along all
I1 = _1.00__ A VAB = 10.00_ V the places I measured. The
I1 = _0.45__ A VAB = -10.00 V voltage stays the same
I1 = _0.45__ A VAB = _0.00_ V throughout the circuit.

Label on the picture the places where

you measure (See examples above ).

2) Series Circuit I1 = _0.45__ A VAB = -4.50_ V The voltage and current stayed
I1 = _0.45__ A VAB = _9.00_ V. the same while I measured
 I1 = _0.45__ A VAB = _9.00_ V. them.

3) Parallel Circuit I1 = _1.80__ A VAB = -9.00_ V. The voltage stayed the same
I1 = _0.90__ A VAB = -9.00_ V. throughout the whole circuit
I1 = _1.80__ A VAB = -9.00_ V. but when i measured the
current, it changed when i got
far away from the battery, it
changed from a 1.80 A to a -9.00
V

4) Complex circuit I1 = _4.20__ A VAB = 28.00_ V The voltage stayed the same
I1 = _1.40__ A VAB = -28.00_V when I measured the battery
I1 = _4.20__ A VAB = 14.00_ V and the light bulbs. The current
changed as I got further away
from the battery, it went from
1.35 A to 0.90 A to 0.45 A.

Summarize your understanding:

6. Compare the patterns you see in a series circuit to the ones you see in parallel and complex circuits. Write
rules about voltage and current for each type of circuit.
For example, “In a series circuit, I see that the current ….., whereas in a parallel circuit I see… ”.

In the series circuit the voltage and current stayed the same throughout the whole circuit but when i measured the
parallel and complex circuit, the voltage did stay the same but the current decreased the further i got from the
battery, that is because the electrons only have a certain amount of energy and if there is more bulbs, then the
electrons have to split the energy to get to the bulbs equally. In a series circuit, I see that the current stays the same,
whereas in a parallel circuit I see it changes (the current decreases) the further away I get from the battery, same
with the complex circuit.
Test your understanding
7. Predict from your rules above, the order of the light bulbs in these circuits from brightest to dimmest. Some bulbs
might be the same brightness.

a) (order the bulbs by brightness) 1 and 6 are brighter than 2 ,3, 4,5, ( they are all the same), 7. 8,9 have the
same brightness

b) After you make your rankings, build circuits to check your answers and list the correct ranking below. Insert
images from the simulation to support your sequence.

c) Did your rules allow you to

correctly rank the bulb
brightness? If not, correct your
rules in #6. Yes they did

d) Did you use any meters to help

you make your list? If so, explain
why. I used the current meter to help me see which current is the largest, if the current is large, then the
bulb is bright. If the current is low then the brightness of the bulb won't be the best.

8. If you want to make a flashlight and have two batteries and a lightbulb.
a) Predict how you would hook them up to make the brightest flashlight, and explain why.
b) Build circuits to check your answer and insert images from the simulation for evidence.

I would make a series circuit with the batteries beside each other and the bulb on the bottom. The energy would be
stronger if the circuit is all together, it would catch on fire if it was a parallel circuit. Too much heat would be
produced.