Saint Louis University

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Experiment No: 2
Title: OHM’S LAW

At the end of this experiment, the student should be able to:

TLO 2: Solve problems using Ohm’s Law and identify resistors using color
codes.

I. INTRODUCTION:

George Simon Ohm (1787-1854) discovered, while experimenting with

electrical circuits that a precisely definable relationship exists between current,
voltage and resistance. All conductors offer some resistance to the flow of
current and, if current is to flow through this resistance, electrical pressure must
be applied to the circuit. The amount of pressure or voltage applied depends on
the circuit resistance and the amount of current flow desired. If the circuit
resistance remains the same, then increasing the voltage increases the current.
On the other hand, if the voltage remains the same, increasing the resistance
decreases the current. Stated more simply, current varies directly with voltage
and inversely with resistance.

Once the relationship between current, voltage and resistance was

established by Ohm’s Law, standard values were given to the ampere, volt and
ohm. These standard values can be stated as follows:

The ampere describes the rate of flow of electrons. Electrons are

extremely small particles each having a minute of electrical charge. The
combined charges of 6 280 000 000 000 000 000 (6.28 quintillion) electrons
equal one coulomb. The ampere, named after Andre Marie Ampere (1775-1836),
is a quantity of electricity equivalent to one coulomb (6.28 X 1018 electrons)
passing any given point in a conductor in one second.

The volt is the practical unit of electrical pressure or force and was named
in honor of Allessandro Volta (1745-1827). The volt is the voltage between two
points of a conducting wire carrying a constant current of one ampere, when the
power dissipated between these points is one watt. Through common usage, the
word voltage is also referred to as potential, potential difference, emf and voltage
drop.
The ohm is the unit of electrical resistance, and is equal to the resistance
of a conductor such that a constant current of one ampere in it produces a
voltage of one volt between its ends. The ohm was named in honor of George
Simon Ohm.

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Because resistance is a physical property, it can be predicted and

measured either in the manufacture or resistors or in the effect it has on a circuit.
There are three common types of resistors: carbon composition, wire wound, and
film (metal or carbon). Resistors are either fixed or variable in value.

II. EQUIPMENT/ MATERIALS NEEDED:

Power Source - 0 – 30 Vdc, 25 mA

Milliammeter - 0 – 10/ 100 mAdc
Electronic VOM
Practical Electronics Trainer
R1 - 1 kΩ, 1W
R2 - 1.5 kΩ, 1W
R3 - 3.3 kΩ
R4 - 10 kΩ, 1W
Universal Experiment Board K

III. PROCEDURES:

1. a) Record in Table 3 – 1 the color code, indicated resistance, and

tolerance of resistance R1 through R4. Use the color code chart shown in
Fig. 3 – 1.

FOURTH
T
M
FIRS
)(SECOND
IGNIFICANT
IGNIFICAN
OLERANCE
HIRD
ULTIPLIER
T COLOR
COLOR
COLOR
COLOR
FIGURE
BAND
FIGURE
BAND
BAND

SIGNIFICAN MULTIPLIER TOLERANCE

COLOR FIGURE (THIRD BAND) (FOURTH BAND)
(FIRST AND
SECOND BAND)
BLACK 0 1 --
BROW 1 10 --
N
RED 2 100 2%
ORANG 3 1 000 --
E

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

YELLO 4 10 000 --
W
GREEN 5 100 000 --
BLUE 6 1 000 000 --
VIOLET 7 -- --
GRAY 8 -- --
WHITE 9 -- --
GOLD -- 0.1 5%
SILVER -- 0.01 10%
NO -- 20%
COLOR
Fig. 3 – 1

2. a) Measure the actual resistance of a resistor. Use the Electronic VOM set
to the function. Enter the values under Measured Value in Table 3 – 1.

b) Are your measured resistance values same as the indicated values.

__________

Resistor tolerances, meter accuracy, and measurement error can cause

your measured values to somewhat from indicated values. For example
R1 can be plus or minus 5% of its indicated voltage of 1000Ω. Since 5% of
1000 is 50, R1 could 1050Ω (1000 + 50) or 950Ω (1000-50) still be within
tolerance.

3. a) Use Ohm’s Law to calculate the current flow through resistor R2 using
the indicated voltage of the resistor and a source voltage of 24

I = E/R :____________________ I R2 = __________ mAdc

Your calculate value should be sixteen mAdc.

b) Now calculate the current through resistor R2 using the measured value
of the resistor and a source voltage of 24Vdc.

I = E/R :____________________ I R2 = __________ mAdc

Your calculated value should be approximately sixteen mAdc.

COLOR INDICATE TOLERANC MEASURE CALCULATE

RESISTO CODE D VALUE E D VALUE D VALUE
R (COLOR (OHMS) (PERCENT) (OHMS) (OHMS)
S)

R1 1000

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

R2 5%

R3

BROWN
R4 BLACK
ORANG
E

Table 3 – 1

4. a) Connect resistor R2 through the milliammter to the power source as

sown in Fig. 3 – 2.

b) Set the VOM to +DVC, 50 range and connect it across resistorR2 as

shown.

c) Set the milliammeter to 100mA, then adjust the power source for an
output of 24Vdc as indicated on the VOM.

d) Measure the current flow through resistor R2 as indicated by the

milliammeter.
IR2 = _______________ mAdc

Your measured value should be approximately sixteen mAdc.

0 – 100mAdc
+ -
mA
+
+ ELECTRONIC
R2 VOM
0 – 30Vdc 1.5K V
-
-

Fig. 3 – 2

e) Return the voltage to zero.

5. a) You have calculated the current through resistor R2 using the indicated
resistance and a theoretical source voltage of 24Vdc, the measure

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

resistance and a theoretical source voltage of 24Vdc, and then you

measured the current using the resistor and a source voltage which you
set at 24Vdc. Compare the three current values. Are they in agreement?
__________

If not, to what do you attribute any difference?

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

Calculations are based on absolute values with no allowance for

component tolerance, meter accuracy, or distributed circuit resistance.
Calculated values are ideal; measured values are practical. The two are
seldom in exact agreement, although the difference should always be well
within the tolerances of the circuit and the accuracy of the meters.

6. a) Remove resistor R2 and connect resistor R1 in its place.

b) Adjust the power source to 24Vdc and measure the current flow
indicated by the milliammeter.

IR1 = _______________mAdc

Your measured value should be approximately twenty four mAdc.

c) Resistor R1 has less resistance than resistor R2. Is the current flow
through resistor R1 is higher or lower than that measured through Resistor
R2? __________

d) Return the voltage to zero.

7. a) Remove resistor R1 and connect resistor R3 in its place.

b) Adjust the power source to 24Vdc and measure the current flow,
indicated by the milliammeter. It should be necessary to set the meter to
10mA.
IR3 = _______________mAdc

Your measured value should be approximately seven point three mAdc.

c) Does resistor R3 have more or less resistance than resistor R1? _____

d) Is more or less current flowing through resistor R3 than flowed through

resistor R1?

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

Since R3 has more resistance than R1 and the voltage is the same, less
current can flow.

e) Return the voltage to zero.

8. a) Substitute resistor R4 for resistor R3 in the circuit.

b) Adjust the lower power source to 24Vdc and measure the current flow
indicated by the milliammeter.

IR4 = _______________mAdc

Your measured value should be less approximately two point for mAdc.

c) Is more or less current flowing through resistor R4 than flowed through

resistor R3? __________

Since R4 has more resistance than R3 and the voltage is the same, less
current can flow.

d) Return the voltage to zero.

9. What conclusion regarding the relationship of current to resistance can

you draw from Exercise Procedures 4, 6, 7 and 8?

Ohm’s Law states that current flow is inversely proportional to resistance.

Thus, for a constant value of applied voltage, increasing the resistance will
decrease the current flow and decreasing resistance will increase the
current flow.

10. a) Calculate the resistances of resistors R1 through R4. Use the current
values measured in Exercise Procedures 4, 6, 7, and 8 and a source
voltage of 24 Vdc.

R = V/I = ______________________________ R1 = __________ ohms

R = V/I = ______________________________ R2 = __________ ohms
R = V/I = ______________________________ R3 = __________ ohms
R = V/I = ______________________________ R4 = __________ ohms

Enter the calculated values in Table 2-1 in table column headed

Calculated Value.

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

b) Compare the calculated resistances with the indicated and measured

values. Are the exact agreement? __________

How do you account for the variations among three values?

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

11. a) Remove resistor R4 and connect resistor R2 back into back into the
circuit.

b) Adjust the power source to 30Vdc measure the current flow indicated
by the ammeter.

IR2 = _______________mAdc

You measured value should be approximately twenty mAdc.

c) Is this current flow more or less than that measured through resistor R3
with a source voltage of 24Vdc in Exercise Procedure 4? __________

d) Reduce the source voltage to 15Vdc and measure the current flow. It
may be necessary to set the milliammeter to 10mA.

IR3 = _______________mAdc

e) In this case the resistance remained the same but the voltage was
reduced. Did the current flow increase of decrease when the source
voltage was reduced to 15Vdc? __________

f) Return the voltage to zero.

12. What conclusion regarding the relationship of current to voltage can you
draw from Exercise Procedure 11?
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

Ohm’s Law states that current is directly proportional to voltage. For a

fixed value of resistance, this means that increasing the applied voltage
increases the current flow, while decreasing the voltage decreases the
current flow.

IV. SUMMARY:

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

In this Laboratory Exercise you related Ohm’s Law to practical circuit applications
and verified the current, voltage and resistance relationship in dc circuits. Using
color coded and measured values, you calculated the expected current flow by
Ohm’s Law. Next, you connected the actual circuit and measured current flow
with a milliammeter. Comparing the measured values of currents with the
calculated values, you found that there can be small difference between
theoretical and practical values in a circuit due to component tolerance and meter
accuracy. Then you verified the inverse current and resistance relationship
stated in Ohm’s Law. You demonstrated that by decreasing the resistance you
obtain a corresponding increase in current flow, and by increasing the resistance
you decrease the current flow. Finally, you demonstrated the direct relationship
between voltage and current stated in Ohm’s Law. You observed that by
increasing the applied voltage you produce an increase in current, and by
decreasing the applied voltage you decrease the current flow.

V. QUIZ:

1. What factor(s) can contribute to differences between ideal theoretical

values in a circuit and values measured in actual practice?

a. Measurement inaccuracy
b. Component tolerances
c. Both (a) and (b).
d. Neither (a) nor (b).
2. What maximum range of values could resistor R3 have and still be within
tolerance assuming R3 is a 10% resistor?

a. 3296.7 – 3303.3 Ω
b. 2970 – 3630 Ω
c. 3267 – 3333 Ω
d. 2967 – 3633 Ω

3. A voltage of one volt applied across a resistance of one ohm produces a

current of one ampere. What happens to the current if the voltage is
doubled and the resistance is halve?

a. It doubles.
b. It increases four times.
c. It increases three times.
d. It remains the same.

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY

 Saint Louis University
SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE

LABORATORY MANUAL

4. In Question 3, what is the current in amperes if the voltage is halved and

the resistance is doubled?

a. 1 ampere
b. 0.33 ampere
c. 0.5 ampere
d. 0.25 ampere

5. A lamp draws a current of 1125 milliamperes and has a filament

resistance of approximately 50.5 ohms. What is the voltage across the
lamp?

a. 0.63 volt
b. 0.5 volt
c. 6.3 volts
d. 5 volts

6. A voltage of 12 volts across a lamp produces a current of 0.2 ampere.

What is the filament resistance of the lamp?

a. 2.4 Ω
b. 24 Ω
c. 6Ω
d. 60 Ω

VI. REFERENCES:
Volt Lab Manual

ECE DEPARTMENT COURSE #: ECE 312L DESCRIPTIVE TITLE: CIRCUITS 1 LABORATORY