Taif University Basics of Electric Circuits

Faculty of Engineering 803224-3

Department of Electrical Engineering

EXPERIMENT 5
CURRENT DIVIDER
Objective:
The object of this experiment is to prove experimentally that for an n parallel
resistors group, the current flowing in any one, say R1, is proportional to the
total current group. The constant of proportionality is the ratio of Gi to the
sum of all the group conductance. Mathematically:
Gi
I i  n
Itot
G r
r 1

Where:

Ii = the current flowing in the resistor Ri

Itot= the total group current.
1
Gi  The Ri Conductance
Ri
n
1 1  1 .............. 
 G r 
R

R2 R3
the sum of the group conductance
r 1 1

Components and Apparatus:

a) Three known resistors R1, R2 and R3
b) Two Multimeters
c) DC power supply
Work Steps:
a) Connect the circuit shown below, Fig. 5.1.
b) Adjust the DC source voltage at say E= 2 volts.
c) Record the two ammeters readings in Table 5.1
G3
d) Determine I3  Itot and record the calculated values in
G1  G2  G3
Table 5.1

3
 Taif University Basics of Electric Circuits
Faculty of Engineering 803224-3
Department of Electrical Engineering

Fig 5.1

e) Compare I3 with the ammeter reading.

f) Vary the DC source voltage in steps and repeat ( c to e ) .

Table 5.1
E (V) Itot I3 measured I3 calculated %Error
(mA)
(mA) (mA)

4.24 0.91 0.908 0.22

2
8.51 1.82 1.822 0.110
4
12.74 2.72 2.728 0.293
6
16.95 3.63 3.630 0
8
21.15 4.53 4.530 0
10

Comments:
1 1 1
G1 = 1mS , G2 = = = 0.666mS, G3 = = 0.454mS
R 2 1.5 2.2
G3
(k) = = 0.214 , I3=K Itot
G1 +G2 +G3

When we calculate I3 by I3 = (G3\ G1+G2+G3 ) Itot we see that " I3 calculated directly
proportional with I3 measured " and when we calculate the error of calculated I3 and
measured I3 we get the maximum error percentage = 0.293 % .

4
 Taif University Basics of Electric Circuits
Faculty of Engineering 803224-3
Department of Electrical Engineering