Physics Laboratory Manual Experiments in Electricity

Volume-1
1. Purpose

The purpose of this experiment is to study;

1. Ohm’s law to find the value of an unknown

resistance,
2. The relationship between electric current
and resistance in the circuits with parallel
and series combination of resistors,

1.1. Ohm’s Law

(a)

If a conductor is connected to a power supply, the

voltage difference gives a flow of electric current
through the conductor. In a current carrying wire,
the current is always along the length of the wire
(conductor), regardless of whether the wire is
straight or curved. The unit of current is the ampere
and defined one coulomb per second
(1A  1C / s) . The magnitude of the current
flowing through a conductor by a voltage
difference is determined by the electrical
properties of the conductor. One of the most
important properties of a conductor is its
(b)
resistance (R) . The relationship between the
Figure-1: Basic electrical experiment set (a)
applied voltage (V ) and current (I ) is given by:
and the circuit elements with connection
cables (b).
V  IR (1)

This relationship is called Ohm’s Law. The voltage

For the materials obeying Ohm’s law, the potential
V is measured in volts, current I in amperes and
difference V across the material is proportional to
resistance R in the unit of ohm (1  1V / A) .
the current I through the material. The electrical
experiment set and the circuit elements that are
going to be used in this experiment are given in the
Figure-(1).

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1.2. Resistors in Series

(a)

(a)

(b)
(b)
Figure-2: The voltage V versus current I
Figure-3: Reduction of a circuit with many
graph of a resistor R .
resistors to a single equivalent resistor ( Req ) .

If we construct a circuit as shown in Figure-(2a),

and plot the voltage V across the resistor versus When the circuit elements such as resistors are

the current I flowing through it, then we find a connected in sequence, we say that they are

linear graph given in the Figure-(2b). The slope of connected in series. If two resistors are connected

the line is the resistance R . in series, the same current I flows through both
of them.
In electrical circuits, resistors are connected either
in series or in parallel. For any combination of resistors, we can find a
single resistor that could replace the combination
and result in the same total current and potential
difference. The resistance of this single resistor is
called the equivalent resistance of the
combination. If a circuit consists of many resistors,
these resistors will combine to give an equivalent
resistor having a resistance of R eq as seen in the

Figure-(3).

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Table-1: Units for electric currents and However, the voltage supplied V is divided into V1
resistance.
across R1 and V 2 across R2 . If the resistors are
Current 1 A  1C / s
replaced by an equivalent resistance R eq , then we
Potential difference 1V  1 J / C
can determine the magnitude of the R eq :
Power 1W  1 J / s
Resistance 1  1 V / A
V  V1  V2 (4)

The magnitude of R eq is determined by the

IReq  IR1  IR 2 (5)
magnitude of the individual resistances of the
circuit. By an applied voltage, the total current
IReq  I ( R1  R2 ) (6)
flowing into the circuit can be determined
according to Ohm’s law with R eq in Equation-(1).
Req  R1  R2 (7)
By using Equation-(1), the equivalent resistance
can be written:

Equation-(7) shows that the equivalent resistance

V  IReq (2)
Req of two resistors connected in series is larger

than R1 and R2 . When several resistors

V
Req  (3) R1 , R2 , R3 .... are connected in series, the
I
equivalent resistance R eq is the sum of the

individual resistances:

Req  R1  R2  R3  .... (8)

The same current flows through all the resistors in

a series connection:

Figure-4: Circuit with series combination of

resistors.
Figure-5: Resistors in a series connection.

As seen in the Figure-(4), when two resistors are

connected in series, the same current I flows
through both resistors in the circuit.

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1.3. Resistors in Parallel

Figure-6: Resistors in a parallel connection.

By solving Equation-(10) for R eq , then we obtain:

Figure-5: Circuit with parallel combination of
resistors.
1 1 1
  (11)
Req R1 R2
If the resistors are in parallel as in Figure-(5), the
current through each resistor need not be the R1 R2
Req  (12)
same. But the potential (voltage) difference R1  R2
between the terminals of each resistor must be the
same and equal to V . Let us now determine what
By the Equation-(12), equivalent resistance R eq of
single resistor (an equivalent resistance) R eq will
two resistors connected in parallel is smaller than
draw the same current I as the two resistors in
any one of them.
parallel.

When several resistors R1 , R2 , R3 .... are

The current I flowing in the circuit is divided into
connected in parallel, the equivalent resistance
I 1 through R1 and I 2 through R2 . The voltage
Req is given by:
difference, however, is the same across the two
resistors.
1 1 1 1
    .... (13)
I  I1  I 2 (9)
Req R1 R2 R3

All resistors in a parallel connection have the same

Since resistors are connected in parallel, each has
potential difference between their terminals
the same voltage V across it:
(Figure-6).

V V V
  (10)
Req R1 R2

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1.4. Resistor Color Codes

Table-2: Resistor Color Codes.

COLOR VALUE VALUE VALUE TOLERANCE
BAND 1 BAND 2 BAND 3
Black 0 0 100
Brown 1 1 101
Red 2 2 102
Orange 3 3 103
Yellow 4 4 104
Green 5 5 105
Blue 6 6 106
Violet 7 7 107
Grey 8 8 108
White 9 9 109

Gold 5%
Silver 10%
None 20%

For example, if the color codes of a resistor are

given by Figure-(7), then, the value of the
resistance R will be:

Figure-7: Color bands of a given resistor.

B1 =Red (2),

B2 =Brown (1),
The resistors used in this experiment consist of
standard carbon rod type. They have specific B3 =Orange (3), and
constant values that are color-coded by the rings
on them. The nominal value of some resistors and B4 =Silver (10%);
their tolerances are given by color codes. A
resistor is marked by having up to 4 color bands R = B1 B2  B3 =21x103=21000
painted around its body. The resistor value is given
by the first three bands and the tolerance is given R() = R  B4 =21000x10%=2100
in the band-4.
R =21000±2100
The colors and the corresponding values for
resistors are detailed in the Table-(2).

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Volume-1
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES

1.1. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

Part-1: Verifying Ohm’s Law

1. Construct the circuit shown in the Figure-(25)

below by using the resistor board.
Figure-26: The voltage across the resistor
versus the current in the circuit.

5. Using the data values, plot the graph of V vs

Figure-25: Set-up to determine the resistance.
2. Keep the power supply off until you have the
circuit approved by your instructor.
3. Don’t forget to bring the multimeter to its
maximum range for the voltage (V ) and
I on a graph paper (Figure-26).
5.1. Draw the best line passing through the
data values on the graph.
5.2. Find the slope of the best line.
5.3. From the slope, find the experimental
value of the resistance R.
6. Using the resistor color codes, find also the
expected value of the resistance.
7. Compare the experimental and expected
values of the resistance used in the circuit.

current (I ) readings, respectively.

4. Switch on the DC power supply.

4.1. Set the output voltage to V  1V .
4.2. Vary the output voltage of the supply
using the voltage adjusting button.
4.3. Take voltage V and current I
measurements for different output
voltages of the supply on the basic
electrical experiment set.
4.4. For each output voltage, read and record
the reading values of the voltage V and
current I by the multimeter and then fill
the values in the Table-(5).

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Figure-27: The circuit on the resistor board to determine the resistance R.

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Volume-1

1.2. LABORATORY REPORT

Part-1: Verifying Ohm’s Law

Name
Department
Student No
Date

1. Record the data values of V and I Resistance By Color Codes

measurements in the Table-(5) below. R .....

2. Report the slope (m) of the V vs I graph.

3. From the slope, find the experimental value
of the resistance R . Find also the expected
value of R from the color code and compare
it with the experimental value.

Table-5: Experimental voltage and current values.

Measurement Experimental Expected

Resistance Reading No Voltage Current Slope, m (V / A) Color Coded

V (Volts) I (Amperes) R (Ohm) R (Ohm)

1
2
3
4
5
R ….. …..
6
7
8
9
10

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1.6. Record the data values in the Table-(6).

Volume-1
2. Find also the expected values of resistances
1.3. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE for the resistors R2 and R3 from their color
Part-2: Series And Parallel Combination of codes.
Resistors 3. Compare the expected values with the

measured resistances of the resistors R2 and

R3 .
4. Take the three resistances R1 , R2 and R3 ,
i.e., one used in the circuit in the Part-(1) and
two measured above.
4.1. Now, construct the circuit shown in the
Figure-(28) below by using the resistor
board of the electrical experiment set.

4.2. In this circuit, resistances R2 and R3 are

connected in parallel. Then, the

equivalent resistance of R2 and R3 is

Figure-28: The experimental circuit with
connected in series with R1 .
series and parallel combinations of resistors.
5. Now, by taking a single measurement of V
and I , determine the equivalent resistance
1. Measure and record the resistances of two
Req of the three resistors experimentally.
resistors R2 and R3 by using the circuit in the
5.1. Fill the experimental value of the R eq in
Part-(1).
1.1. To do this, replace the resistor R used the Table-(7).
6. Calculate also the expected equivalent
in Part-(1) with one of the resistors R2
 of the resistors using their
resistance R eq
and R3 at a time.
color codes .
1.2. Adjust the output voltage V  10V .
7. Compare the experimental and expected
1.3. To obtain V and I for the each equivalent resistances.
resistance R2 and R3 , get only one
reading of voltage V and current I .
1.4. Now, calculate the resistance R2 using
the relation of R V / I .

1.5. Repeat the same measurement to find

the resistance of the resistor R3 .

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Figure-29: The circuit on the resistor board for a single measurement of V and
I for each resistance.

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Figure-30: Schematic representation of the circuit with the series and parallel
combinations of the resistors on the resistor board.

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Volume-1

1.4. LABORATORY REPORT

Part-2: Series and Parallel Combination of

Resistors
Resistance By Color Codes
1. Report the voltage and current
R2 .....
measurements of the resistors R2 and R3 in
R3 .....
the data Table-(6).

Table-6: The voltage and current measurements for the two resistors.

Measurement Experimental Expected

V
Resistance Voltage Current R Color Coded
I
V (Volts) I (Amperes) R (Ohm) R ()
R2 10 ….. …..

R3 10 ….. …..

2. Report the voltage V and current I

measurements of the circuit given in the
Figure-(28). Then, find the values of the
Resistances By Color Codes
equivalent resistance of the circuit found by
R1 .....
both measurement and color code
calculations: R2 .....

R3 .....

Table-7: Equivalent resistance of the circuit.

Measurement Experimental Expected Difference

Voltage Current R V / I Color Coded

Req (Ohm)
V (Volts) I (Amperes) Req (Ohm) Req (Ohm)
10 ….. ….. …..

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