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Prelab 2
Resistor circuits and their faults
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Part A: Resistors in series and parallel:

I. For the circuit in figure (2-3):

1. Compute the equivalent resistance (kΩ)

2. Compute the current (ma) from Ohms Law.

3. Tabulate your results in table (2.1P).

V(v) Req = R1 + R2 (kΩ) I (mA)

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Table (2.1P)

II. Repeat steps 1, 2, 3 of figure (2-3) for the circuit in Figure (2-4):

V(v) Req =( R1 * R2 )/ (R1 + R2 )(kΩ) I (mA)

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Table (2.2P)

Part B: Faults in electrical circuits:

I. For the circuit in figure (2-8):

1. Compute VAO, VBO, VCO.

2. With R1 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

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 3. With R2 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

4. With R3 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

5. With R1 is only opened , repeat step (1).

6. With R2 is only opened , repeat step (1).

7. With R3 is only opened , repeat step (1).

8. Tabulate your results in the "Calc" columns of table (2-2).

II. For the circuit of figure (2-9):

1. Compute VA, VB, and VC with respect to ground.

2. With R1 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

3. With R2 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

4. With R3 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

5. With R1 is only opened , repeat step (1).

6. With R2 is only opened , repeat step (1).

7. With R3 is only opened , repeat step (1).

8. Tabulate your results in the "Calc" columns of table (2-3).

III. For the circuit of figure (2-10):

1. Compute I, I1, I12, I2, I3.

2. With R1 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

3. With R2 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

4. With R3 is only shorted , repeat step (1).

5. With R1 is only opened , repeat step (1).

6. With R2 is only opened , repeat step (1).

7. With R3 is only opened , repeat step (1).

8. Tabulate your results in the "Calc" columns of table (2-4).

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Experiment 2
Resistor circuits and their faults
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Objectives:
• This experiment aims to describe the different circuits of resistors which
are series, parallel and series-parallel.

• Being familiar of these circuits’ faults as shorts and opens and how to
detect these faults.

Part A: Resistors in series and parallel:

Theoretical background:
1. Series resistors:

Req=R1+R2+……. +Rn
I = V/ Req
V= VR1 + VR2 + ……..+ VRn
R1 R2 Rn
.........

V Req
V

Figure (2-1)

2. Parallel resistors :

1/ Req= 1/ R1+ 1/ R2+……. + 1/ Rn

V = I* Req
I = I R1 + I R2 + ……. + I Rn

V
R1 R2 ......... Rn V Req

Figure (2-2)

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Experimental work:
I.

1) Connect the circuit shown in figure (2-3)

2) Increase the applied voltage in 2 volts steps from 0 V up to 10V

3) At each step measure the current flowing in the resistors, at each point
calculate the value of the resistors R= V/ I and fill table (2-1).

4) Plot a graph of V against I

5) Simulate the circuit using OrCAD.

6) Comment on your results

A
R1 0.33k Ohm

V
2 - 20 V dc variable
R2 1k Ohm

Figure (2-3)

II. Repeat the steps of part I for the circuit of figure (2-4)

V
R2 1k Ohm R1 0.33k Ohm
2 - 20 V dc variable

Figure (2-4)

V (volt) I (mA) Rmeas Rcalc = V/I

Table (2-1)

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Part B: Faults, shorts and opens in series, parallel and parallel-series
circuits:
Theoretical background:
1. Open circuits :

R1 R1 A
B

Vs Vs
R2 R2

a: before opening the circuit b: after opening the circuit

Figure (2-5)

Before opening the circuit in figure (2-5a), the current passing in the circuit is:

When a cut is made in the circuit as shown in figure (2-5b), the resistance between
the terminals of the cut approaches to infinity, then the value of the
current passing through the circuit is:

Taking Kirchhoff’s voltage law around the circuit:

VAB – Vs = 0 VAB = Vs

2. Short Circuits:

Vs R
Vs R

a: before making a short b: after making a short

Figure (2-6)

Before adding a short circuit across the resistor in the circuit of figure (2-6a), the
current passing in the circuit is

When we add the short circuit as shown in figure (2-6b), the resistance of this short is
zero and then the equivalent resistance of the circuit is

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Then the value of the current passing through the circuit is

The infinite current value may cause the power supply to break down, so in order to
prevent this, an interior resistor must be added in series with the power supply as
shown in figure (2-7). This will limit the current so as the power supply not to break
down if there is a sudden short circuit across it.
Rin

Vs R

Figure (2-7)

Experimental work:
I.

1) For the circuit in figure (2-8), calculate the nominal values for the voltage VA,
VB, VC, and record them in table (2-3). All voltages are with respect to
ground.

R1 2.2k Ohm
B
12 V
R2 1k Ohm
A

R3 0.33k Ohm
O V
Figure (2-8)

2) Construct the circuit and verify your calculations in step (1).

3) Consider now a shorted R1. Calculate the resulting voltages at A, B and C if

this were to occur. Enter the calculated values in the first column of table (2-3)
under the heading “Fault Conditions”. Repeat this for each resistor in turn.

4) Consider now removing R1. Calculate the resulting voltages at A, B and C if

this were to occur. Enter the calculated values in the fourth column of table
(2-3) under the heading “Fault Conditions”. Repeat this for each resistor in
turn.

5) Verify your calculations in steps (3) and (4) by connecting a piece of wire
across each resistor in turn, and then removing each resistor in turn. Measure
each fault condition and be sure to check its consistency with your calculated
values. Record all measured data in table (2-3).

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