TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

College of Engineering
Department of Electrical Engineering
Ayala Boulevard, Ermita, Manila,
1000

Experiment #3

Series and Parallel Circuits

PEE-1L – ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS 1 (LAB)

JUAN MIGUEL P. BALUYUT
PEE1L-M_BSEE2A

Instructor:
Engr. Melanie T. Iradiel

Submitted by:
Co, Eisen Jaylord C.
BSEE-2A

Date Performed: Oct 16, 2020 Date Submitted: Oct 22, 2020
Grade: ______________ Remarks: ____________
I. OBJECTIVES
1. To calculate and measure the equivalent resistance of resistors connected in
series and parallel.
2. To verify experimentally the characteristics of series and parallel circuits.

II. THEORY
In any electrical or electronic circuit, we often encounter one or more elements
connected in series, in parallel and in series-parallel arrangement or in a more complex
combination.
Two or more elements are considered to be in series when they are connected end- to-
end as shown in Figure 3.1. The following characteristics apply to series circuits:

Figure 3.1 SERIES CIRCUIT

1. The current flowing through a series circuit is always the same at every point in
the circuit.
IT = I1 = I2 = I3 = In

2. The total resistance is always equal to the sum of the individual values of
resistance in the circuit.
RT = R1 + R2 + R3 + Rn

3. The voltage applied across the circuit is always equal to the sum of the voltage
drops across the individual elements.
VT = V1 + V2 + V3 + Vn

Two or more elements are considered to be in parallel when they are connected
between the same two junction points or nodes as shown in Figure 3.2. The following
characteristics apply to parallel circuits.
 Figure 3.2 PARALLEL CIRCUIT

1. The voltage across any element is the same and is equal to the applied voltage
source.
VT = V1 = V2 = V3 = Vn

2. The circuit current divides to flow through each branches or the total current is
equal to the sum of the current in each element.
IT = I1 + I2 + I3 + In

3. The formula for finding the effective resistance is given by:

1 1 1 1 1
= + + +…
R t R1 R2 R3 Rn

III. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT

 1 Regulated DC Power Supply
 1 Digital multimeter / VOM
 1 Breadboard
 2 Carbon Resistors (1W) 1 100 Ω
 1 150 Ω
 1 220 Ω
 Connecting wires

IV. PROCEDURES

SERIES CIRCUIT
1. Connect the resistors in series as shown in Figure 3.3. Set the DC power supply
to 10V.
2. Turn ON the power supply. Measure the current I and the voltage across each
resistor. Record the results in Table 3.1.
3. Turn OFF the power supply. Using your multimeter, measure the total resistance
of the circuit.
4. Using the measured value of the total resistance, calculate the total current, I =
VT / RT. Use this current to calculate the voltage drop in each resistor. Record
the results in Table 3.1.
 5. Compute the percent difference between the measured and the computed values
of current and voltage. Use the measured values as the true values.

PARALLEL CIRCUIT

1. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 3.4. Set the DC power supply to 10V.
2. Turn ON the power supply and measure the total voltage and the current in each
resistor. Record the results in table 3.2.
3. Turn OFF the power supply. Using your multimeter measure the total resistance
of the circuit.
4. Using the measured value of the total resistance, calculate the voltage, VT =
ITRT. Use this voltage to calculate the current in each resistor. Record the
results in Table 3.2.
5. Compute the percent difference between the measured and computed values of
voltage and currents. Use the measured values as the true values. Record the
results in Table 3.2.

Figure 3.3

Figure 3.4
V. DATA AND RESULTS

Table 3.1

Table 3.2

VI. COMPUTATIONS
Multisim Link:
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pee1l/open/?fbclid=IwAR28pBEvhvD8TSKCr7hEcO5M8375gAxSUYdAqpDw
VII. CONCLUSION
From the experiment we have done, we can conclude that type of circuit
determines the value of a variable resistor and a strong voltage electric current in the
circuit. In the series circuit, serves as a resistor voltage divider, which means if the
voltage across each resistor is added together then the amount is equal to the voltage
source it is the same thing as we add up the resistance of each component to get the
total resistance. Whereas if the resistors are arranged in parallel, it serves as a divider
resistor currents, which means that if a strong electric current passing through each
resistor is measured, it will have a value equal to the total current before branching
points.

VIII. GUIDE QUESTIONS

1. What is the effect on the total resistance of the following:
a. Increasing the number of resistors in series.
i. There will be an increase in the total resistance
b. Decreasing the number of resistors in series.
i. There will be a decrease in the total resistance
c. Increasing the number of resistors in parallel.
i. There will be a decrease in the total resistance
d. Decreasing the number of resistors in parallel.
i. There will be an increase in the total resistance

2. A 12V generator has internal resistance of 0.05Ω. Two loads are connected in
parallel to its terminals, one drawing a 12A current and the other dissipating
energy at the rate of 200W. What is the terminal voltage of the generator at this
load?
V= 12 Voltage drop across R= 0.05[(200/V) +12]
R2 = 200/V V= 12-0.5[(200/V) +12]
C𝑇 = (200/V )+2 V= 12- (10/V)-0.6
V + (10/V) – 11.4 = 0
V² – 11.4V + 10 = 0
V = 10.44, 0.958
200/10.44 = 19.16A
12A+19.16A= 31.16A
Voltage drop across 0.05 ohms is 1.558 volts
12 – 1.558 = 10.44V

3. Three resistors are connected in series to a 120V generator. The first has a
resistance of 50 Ω, the second passes a current of 0.5A and the third has a
voltage drop of 50V across it. Calculate the resistance of the second and the
third resistor.
RT= 120V/ 0.5 A= 240 RT=R1+R2+R3
R3= 50V/ 0.5A= 100 ohms R2= 240-100-50 -> R2= 90 ohms
4. What disadvantage does the “series string” type of Christmas tree lamp possess
as compared to the 110V parallel type of Christmas tree lamp?
Series circuit implies that similar current goes through each part, so in
Christmas lights, if there is one dead bulb or a break in the circuit, each light
goes out. If the Christmas light is in parallel, they would each have an immediate
connection with the power supply and would all be independent of each other.

5. Explain why the kitchen light becomes a bit dimmer when a toaster is turned on.
If our kitchen lights becomes a bit dimmer when we turn on other
appliances it means that it is sharing to a single circuit and since the toaster is a
heating equipment it consumes a lot of current so there will be a lack of current
flowing to other equipment like the kitchen light.