EE21L-2 - Basic Electrical Engineering, Lab
EE21L-2 - Basic Electrical Engineering, Lab
EE21L-2 - Basic Electrical Engineering, Lab
Laboratory Experiment 2
Series, Parallel, and Series-Parallel Circuits
I. Objectives:
1. To demonstrate the characteristics of series, parallel, and series-parallel circuits by measuring and
verifying the calculations of the resistance, voltage and current associated with the different resistive
components of a series- parallel circuit.
2. To demonstrate the principle of basic electric circuit Law called Ohm’s Law.
3. To demonstrate the use of basic principles involved in series, parallel and series-parallel circuits.
Ohm’s Law
A basic electrical law that states if the voltage is kept constant, less resistance results in more current
and more resistance results in less current. It may also be stated as the amount of voltage is directly
proportional to the amount of current in a given circuit.
Circuit Connections:
A. Series Circuit
It is described as a circuit that provides only one complete path for which current could flow wherein
the resistors are simply connected end to end. It may also be defined as a circuit that provides only one path
for current between two points in a circuit so that the same current flows through each series resistor. Fig. 1
is an example of resistors connected in series
Fig. 1
Observations regarding resistances in series can be summarized into 3 cardinal rules:
1. The current in all parts of the series circuit has the same magnitude.
2. The sum of all the separate drops in a potential around a series circuit is equal to the applied emf.
3. The total resistance in a series circuit is equal to the sum of all the separate resistances.
B. Parallel Circuit
It is a described as a circuit connection of two or more resistors that are connected between the
same two node or points. A parallel circuit provides more than one path for current. Each current path is
called a branch. Fig. 2 is an example of resistors connected in parallel.
Fig. 2
1. The total current in a parallel circuit is equal to the sum of the currents in the separate branches.
2. The potential difference across all branches of a parallel circuit must have the same magnitude.
3. The reciprocal of the equivalent resistance is equal to the sum of the reciprocals of the separate
resistances in parallel.
C. Series-Parallel Circuit
A series-parallel circuit contains the combination of both the series and the parallel circuits is shown in Fig.
3.
Fig. 3
PRELIMINARY DATA SHEET
LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 2
SERIES, PARALLEL AND SERIES-PARALLEL CIRCUITS
1. Using MATLAB Simulink, connect the circuit as shown in Fig. 4. Take note of the polarities on the
meter readings.
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
3. Measure the total resistance of the circuit across the input terminals using the impedance meter in
MATLAB Simulink as the laboratory instructor showed you.
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
4. Using the current measurement, measure the current flowing at different branches of the circuit.
Take note of the direction of the currents.
5. Complete the data in Table 2 (computed values) and Table 3 (measured values). Resistances can be
measured by impedance measurement in MATLAB Simulink.
V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 VT
1.2045 V 2.7976 V 0.0330 V 2.77 V 5V
0.9965 V
I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 IT
Fig. 9
Table 3. Simulated Values (provide screenshot from MATLAB Simulink in Fig. 10)
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 RT
V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 VT
Simulated Values
0.9967 V 1.205 V 2.798 V 0.03295 V 2.765 V 5V
I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 IT
8. Determine the ideal voltage source needed by three resistors connected in series R1 = 6
ohms, R2 = 8 ohms, and R3 = 10 ohms if a required current of 0.5 A flows in the circuit.
9. Determine the total resistance of the circuit in Fig. 11.
Fig. 11