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PHYS 2202 LAB: Physics II

Week 09

Ohm’s Law

by

Naeamah Rabeea

Due Date: 07/04/2021

Submission’s Date: 07/04/2021

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Objective

The main objective of this lab is to verify Ohm's Law and to study series and parallel resistor
combinations.

Equipment Used

Resistance board, battery box, voltmeter, ammeter and electrical connectors.

Theory

Any device can be called an electrical conductor if current flows when a voltage is applied
across it. If the current-voltage relationship is linear the device is said to be ohmic i.e., it obeys
Ohm's Law,

V = IR … . . (1)

where the proportionality constant, R, is the resistance of the device and depends upon the
composition and the geometry of the conductor. If V and I are measured in volts and amperes
respectively then R will be in ohms.

If an electrical circuit contains several ohmic devices, eq (1) will apply separately to each
component in the circuit where V must be interpreted as the voltage across that component and
I as the current through that component. Alternately, V refers to the voltage across the entire
combination, I to the total current and R to the total resistance of the combination of devices.

A common technique for analyzing circuits with several resistors is to replace combinations by
effective resistors which have the same I-V characteristics as the combination as shown below
in Figure 1. For example, for two resistors in series, the voltage across the combination is

V = V1 + V2 = I1 R1 + I2 R 2 = I(R1 + R 2 ) = IR eff … . . (2)

Figure 1: Two resistors in series combination

For any number of resistors in series, the effective resistance is simply the sum of the resistors.
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For parallel resistors, the total current is split among several paths so the effective resistance is
determined by noting that the voltage differences across several devices connected in parallel
must all be equal as shown in Figure 2 below. So, the total current is

V1 V2 1 1
I = I1 + I2 = + = V ( + ) = VR eff … . . (3)
R1 R 2 R1 R 2

Figure 2: Two resistors in parallel combination

1
For any number of resistors in parallel, the effective resistance is simply the sum of the Rn

resistors.

Power dissipated in a resistor is calculated from the formula shown below.

2
V2
P = VI = I R =
R

Procedure

We will use the experimental setup in the lab to perform this lab. We will determine the nominal
value of each resistor on the circuit board and record using the resistor color code. We will set
switches s1, s2 and s3 to the open position. Then, we will connect the power supply and meters
into the circuit and turn on the power supply. We will set the meters to lower ranges where
appropriate. Then, we will record the currents I and voltages V and will plot a graph of V vs. I
and from the slope of the curve determine the resistance of R4. Then, we will set power supply
voltage to 4V and make one measurement of the current when R1 alone is connected to the
power supply to calculate the resistance of R1. Then, we will repeat the above process for R2
and R3 and will record the values. Then, we will alternately close switches s1, s2 and s3 to
produce resistance combinations R 4 + R1 , R 4 + R 2 and R 4 + R 3 using a fixed value of voltage
to verify the expression of Reff in series combination by measuring current I for each
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combination and calculating Reff for each of the three resistor combinations. Then, we will
repeat the above process for parallel combination of resistors and series + parallel combination
of resistors by closing different pairs of switches and record the results.

Data Analysis

Part Resistor Voltage V Current I Resistance Resistance Nominal Percent

(volts) (amps) determined determined Resistance Error
from graph from Ohm’s determined
(ohms) law R=V/I from color code
(ohms) and uncertainty
B R4 2 0.004 500 470 ohms ± 5% 6.38%
4 0.00825
6 0.012
8 0.01625
10 0.02
C R1 4 0.033 121 120 ohms ± 5% 0.83%
R2 4 0.0045 891 820 ohms ± 5% 8.65%
R3 4 0.004 1000 1000 ohms ± 5% 0.00%
Table 1

Figure 3: Graph of Voltage vs. Current

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Part Resistors and Voltage Current I Effective Resistance Nominal

Connections V (amps) Experimentally Theoretical Resistance
(volts) measured value Value determined
using Reff=V/I 𝐑 𝐞𝐟𝐟 = 𝐑 𝐢 + 𝐑 𝐣 from color code
(ohms) (ohms) and uncertainty
D Series

R 4 & R1 6 0.01 600 580 3%

R4 & R2 6 0.004 1500 1280 17%

R4 & R3 6 0.004 1500 1460 3%

E Parallel
R1 & R 2 6 0.054 111.11 104.68 6%
R1 & R 3 6 0.052 115.38 107.14 8%
R2 & R3 6 0.014 438.57 450.85 5%
R1 & R 2 & 6 0.060 100 94.76 6%
R3
F Series -
Parallel
R1 & R 2 & 6 0.01 600 554.76 8%
R3 & R4
Table 2

Questions

1. Each of the resistors on the board is rated at 2 watts (that is, the power dissipated should
be less than 2 watts). Calculate the power dissipated in R4 in Part B of procedure. (At
6 volts)

The resistance of R4 is 470 ohms and the voltage is 9 volts.

I = V / R = (9 volts) / (470 ohms) = 0.019 amps

P = IｘV = (0.019 amps) ｘ (9 volts) = 0.171 Watts

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So, 0.171 Watts are dissipated.

2. Are house lights in series or parallel to the main switch? Why?

House lights are in parallel to each other so that each light does not depend on another light to
turn on or off.

3. Light Bulbs are rated by two numbers, power and voltage, e.g., 110 watt, 110 Volts.

(a) What is the resistance of a 110 W, 110 V bulb when on?

R = (V2 / POWER) = ((110 volts)2 / (110 Watts)) = 110 ohms

(b) When off the bulb has a resistance of 5 ohms. Explain the difference.

When the bulb is on, it has a resistance of 110 ohms and when it is off, the bulb has a resistance
of 5 ohms. The difference is much less because the resistance is directly proportional to
potential difference according to Ohm’s Law. The current will not flow when the bulb is off so
there will be a low potential difference.

4. What is the resistance of each of the following resistors?

The resistance of the first resistor is 50 ohms. The resistance of the second resistor is 188

ohms and the resistance of third resistor is 44 ohms.

Conclusion

We performed this lab to verify Ohm's Law and to study series and parallel resistor
1 1
combinations. The formulas used in the lab were V = IR, V = I(R1 + R 2 ), I = V (R + R )
1 2

V2
and P = VI = I2 R = . All the theoretical and experimental results and obtained graphs are
R

listed in the tabular form in the data analysis section of the report. The percentage difference
between the theoretical and experimental results are also included in the report.