Names:________________________________ Grp. No.___________ Grp.

Name:__________________

PHYS 10.02 Section _____ Date Performed:_____________ Date Submitted:____________

Ohm’s Law
___________________________________________________________________
Learning Objectives:
 To demonstrate Ohm’s Law and verify its validity.
 To become familiar with DC voltmeter and ammeter.

Discussion

Electrical resistance is the opposition to the flow of electrical current in a circuit and is
dependent on many factors. Copper wire, though considered a good conductor
of electric current, does offer some resistance. A German physicist, George Simon Ohm (1787-
1854) discovered that the ratio of voltage to current was constant for a given metal
conductor of specified length and cross-sectional area. This ratio is known as resistance and is
expressed in units of ohms, in his honor.
Ohm’s Law is often referred to as the foundation of circuit analysis and can be expressed by the
formula:
𝑬
𝑹= 𝑰

where: E = The potential difference from one end of a resistance element to the other
(measured in volts).
I = The electrical current through the same resistance element (measured in
amperes).
R = The resistance of the element (measured in ohms).

In order to produce a current, a voltage must firs exist across the resistance. Early
experimenters in electricity recognized the fact that an electric current was a movement of
charges along a conductor. The direction of the flow of current was not known and
unfortunately, it was arbitrarily chosen to be from a positively charged body to a negatively
charged body (positive to negative) and this convention has been so firmly established that
it is still in use. Thus, the conventional direction or positive direction of current flow is
taken to be from positive to negative even though it is now known that the direction of
electron flow, which actually constitutes and electric current, is from negative to positive.
A volt is the unit of electrical pressure or potential. Voltage is measured by using a voltmeter.
Voltmeters have a high internal resistance and are always connected in parallel with a circuit or
component such as a resistor. See the figure below.

Note that the polarities marked on the meter terminals must be observed to obtain a positive
(up-scale) meter reading. If the connections are reversed, the pointer will deflect in the
negative direction.

The ampere is the unit of electric current. Current is measured by using an ammeter. Ammeters
have low internal resistance and are always connected in series with a circuit or component
such as a resistor.
The same note about the voltmeter polarity applies to an ammeter. Polarity must be
maintained for proper pointer deflection.

Procedure
1) Open the Circuit Construction Kit: DC.
2) Click the play button and then click Lab. The lab interface will look like as shown below.

3) The circuit in this activity consists of a battery, switch, wire, resistor, voltmeter and
ammeter. Just drag and drop them in the blue space to be able to use these
components.
4) Connect the circuit as shown below.

5) Tap the circuit element (battery and resistor) to adjust their values (voltage and
resistance) based on the required in this activity. The procedure how to set the value of
the circuit element are shown below.
6) Set the values of battery voltage and resistance as indicated in the table below. Close
the switch and record the readings of voltmeter and ammeter. (Note that the wire
resistance and internal resistance of battery is set zero by default)

Battery Voltage in Resistance (R) In Voltmeter Reading Ammeter Reading

volts ohms (E) in volts (I) in ampere

0 100

20 100

40 100

60 100

80 100

100 100

120 100

7) Verify the ammeter readings using Ohm’s Law. Are the results of calculations the same
with the readings?
8) Plot the recorded currents at the listed voltages using the figure below. Draw a smooth
curve through these plotted points.

9) Based on your graph of E vs. I, is the current directly proportional to the voltage? (does
the current double, triple etc., when the voltage doubles, triples, etc.)?

10) Using the values of I and E from the table in procedure 6, calculate the ratios of E/I in
each case. Record your calculations in the table below.
 11) The average value of E/I is ________.

Note that the ratio between the voltage applied across the resistor and the current
flowing through it is a constant value, called resistance.

12) Disconnect the circuit and close the simulation.

Review Questions
1) Using Ohm’s Law, fill in the blanks in table below.

2) A 3 A dc meter has a resistance of 0.1 Ω. If it were accidentally connected across a 120 V

dc line, what would be the current through the instrument? What do you think would
happen?

3) An experimenter accidentally touches a 240 V dc line. If his skin resistance is 10 000 Ω,

what value of current flows through his body? Is this dangerous?

4) Birds have been known to perch on 2300 V bare transmission lines without apparent
harm. Is this because of the very dry nature of their feet? Explain.