Laboratory Work No.

2
Series Circuits and Parallel Circuits

Run 1

Data
Table 2.1
Voltage-Current Relations in a Series Circuit

VT AT PT V1 V2 V3 P1 P2 P3
Trial (volts) (mA) (mW) (volts) (volts) (volts) (mW) (mW) (mW)
1 3 4mA 12mW 0.8 V 1.2 V 1V 3.2 mW 4.8 mW 4 mW

2 6 8 mA 48mW 1.6 V 2.4V 2V 12.8mW 19.2mW 16mW

3 10 13.33 mA 133.17 2.66V 4V 3.33V 35.46mW 53.32mW 44.39mW

mW
4 12 16 mA 3.2 V 4.8 V 4V 51.2mW 76.8mW 64mW
192mW

Run 2
 Table 2.2
Voltage-Current Relations in a Parallel Circuit

Total Voltage, VT : 10 Volts

Resistor Total Current Branch Currents (mA)
Trial Connection AT (mA) A4 A5 A6
1 R4 20 mA 20 mA 0 mA 0 mA
2 R4 //R5 30 mA 20 mA 10mA 0mA
3 R4 //R5 //R6 35 mA 20 mA 10mA 5mA

Questions and Problems

1. Why is the equivalent resistance of a series circuit larger than any of the
individual resistance in the connection?

Because, the more component added in the circuit the higher the value gets.

2. Why is the equivalent resistance of a parallel circuit smaller than any of the
individual resistance in the connection?

Because, in parallel circuits the more current flows from the source the total
of the resistance will be lower.

3. Why is there a common current in a series circuit?

Because, there is only one path for current to flow in the series circuit.

4. How will the voltage divide in a series circuit when the resistance units have (a)
equal resistances (b) unequal resistances?
a.) The individual resistor in series will not get the total source voltage.
b.)
5. How will the current divide in a parallel circuit when the resistance units have (a)
equal resistances (b) unequal resistances?
6. What will happen if a break occurs in a series circuit? How about in a parallel
circuit?
7. Three loads X, Y and Z are all connected in parallel to a 125 volt DC source.
Load X has a resistance of 5 ohms while load Y takes 5 kW of power and load Z
draws 60 amps of current.   Calculate the following
8. resistance of load Y and load Z, RY and RZ ;
9. b) power taken by load X and load Z, PX and PZ ;
10. c) current drawn by load X and load Y, IX and IY ; and
11. d) total current, total power and total resistance, I T, PT and RT.