Wesleyan University – Philippines

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

S.Y. 2022 – 2023

LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT 6
In
CIRCUITS 1 (LAB )
Submitted by:

Charles Daryll G. Contridas

Submitted to:

Sir David Parong

Subject teacher
LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 6
TOTAL RESISTANCE OF A PARALLEL CIRCUIT

OBJECTIVES:
 1. To verify experimentally that the total resistance RT of resistor connected in parallel is
given by the formula:

1 1 1 1
= + + +…
R T R 1 R2 R 3

DATA AND TABLE:

Table 16.1
Rated Value Ohms 2 200 3 300 4 700 5 600 10 000
Measured Value Ohms 2 200 3 300 4 700 5 600 10 000

Table 16.2
Rated Value Ohms Computed
Measured Value
Combination Value of RT
R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 of RT (Ohms)
(Ohms)
1 2200 3 300 x x X 1 320 1 320
2 2 200 3 300 4 700 x X 1 031 1 030.56
3 2 200 3 300 4 700 5 600 X 870.39 870.39
4 2 200 3 300 4 700 5 600 10 000 800.70 800.70

Table 16.3
Measured Values Computed Value Ohms
Combination
Volts Amperes IT RT
1 10 0.007576 1319.96
2 10 0.009702 1030.72
3 10 0.011489 870.39
4 10 0.012489 800.70
ANSWER TO QUESTIONS

1. What is the effect on the total resistance of parallel-connected resistors if:

(a) Increasing the number of resistors in parallel?

- In a parallel circuit, the total equivalent resistance "seen" by the

circuit decreases as more resistors are added, irrespective of their value. The
parallel resistance is always less than or at most equal to the value of the
smallest resistor in the circuit.

(b) Decreasing the number of resistors in parallel?

- When the number of resistors in parallel decreases, the total resistance will
increase.

2. Support our answer to question 1 by referring specifically to the measurements

you recorded in Tables 16.2 and 16.3.

- As we can see in Table 16.2, the more that we add a resistor the total
resistance decreases. That means that if we do the opposite and remove a
resistor one by one, the total resistance increases.

3. Do the measured values of RT in Table 16.2agree with the computed values of RT

in the same table using Eq.(16.5)? Refer specifically to your measurements.

- The measured RT values in Table 16-2 and the calculated RT values using the
formula in Step 5 are the same. The measured value of RT is more accurate
than the calculated ones because we use a digital simulator that outputs exact
and accurate measurements but if we calculate RT using the formula in Step 5
and round it to the nearest decimal, we get the same answer.
4. Does the result of your measurements in Table 16.1 and 16.2 prove that it is
possible to write a general formula for total resistance of parallel-connected
resistors? If yeas, write a general formula for RT and explain it in your own words.

- It is possible to write a general formula for the total resistance, we can get the
Total Resistance of the parallel connected resistors dividing the applied
voltage by the Total Current measured, RT = V / IT. Also, we can use other
terms in order to find the total resistance, like if the voltage and current was
not present in the given, we can calculate it by dividing each resistance of
each resistor from 1 and dividing the calculated answer again to 1.

5. Support your answers to question by comparing your computed and measured

values in Table 16.2. Comment on any discrepancies.

- The formulas are true because the total resistance in a parallel circuit is the
sum of all the resistances divided by its branch or parallel network so the
Measured and Computed Values are the same, the only difference is that what
we get is the rounded-off decimal. numbers when computing manually
whereas Measured values are the most accurate and precise.

6. Compare the computed values of RT in Table 16.3 with the computed values of RT
in Table 16.2, for the same combinations.

- The calculated RT values in Table 16-3 are almost identical in some

calculations, and there are some that are off to decimal places with the
calculated RT values in Table 16-2.

7. What was the purpose of steps 6 to 9 in this experiment?

- The purpose of steps 6 through 9 is to prove that measuring the resistances of
each resistor in a parallel circuit and adding the currents and using an
 ohmmeter is the same as calculating the resistance using the measured total
current and the applied voltage.

8. What are the three methods you used in this experiment to the determine the total
resistance RT of parallel-connected resistors?

- The methods I used in conducting this experiment is first, by analyzing what

is the topic or the main concept of this experiment about then second is by
following the procedures given by the book and lastly is by using the formula
that was written to get the computed value ohms of resistance.

 CONCLUSION:

We can therefore conclude that A parallel circuit is a circuit in which the resistors are
arranged with their heads connected together, and their tails connected together. The current in a
parallel circuit breaks up, with some flowing along each parallel branch and re-combining when
the branches meet again. The voltage across each resistor in parallel is the same. The total
resistance of a set of resistors in parallel is found by adding up the reciprocals of the resistance
values, and then taking the reciprocal of the total:

I 1 1 1
Equivalent resistance of resistors in parallel: = + + +…,
RT R 1 R 2 R 3
 DOCUMENTATION:

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