Nt at & 8 The Voltage Divider Gass ——— READING Text, Sections 47 through 4-10 OBJECTIVES After performing tis experiment, you will be able to: 1, Apply the voltage divider rule to series resistive circuits. 2. Design vole divider to meet specific voltage output 3, Confirm experimentally the ciruit designed in step 2 4. Determine the range of voltages available when ava le resistors used in a voltage divider MATERIALS NEEDED Resistors: One 320 0, one 470 0, one 680 0, one 1.0 KO One 1.00 poteniometer ‘SUMMARY OF THEORY ‘A voltage divider consists of two or more resists connected in series with a votage sours, Voltage dividers ae used to obtain smaller voltage from a larger source voltage, As you saw in Experiment 7, the voltage drops in a series circuit equal the source voltage. Ifyou have two equal resistors in series the voltage across cac3 willbe one-half of the source voltage. The voltage bas thus been divided between the {wo resistors. The idea canbe extended to eicuite with more than two resistors and with dtferent values Consider the series circuit ilutated in Figure 8-1. I the resistor are yu, the voliage across 2; will be oneal the source voluge. But what happens if one of the resistors i larger than the other? ‘Since both resistoms must have the same curent, Oh’ la tells us that he large resistor must drop & Jargee voltage. In fc, the Voltage aross any resistor in a series circuit canbe found by finding the fraction of the tot resistance represented by the resistor in question. For exam, i series resistor represents one-thd ofthe total resistance, the vollage across it willbe one-third of the source voltage. ‘Tosfind the voliage across R,the rato of Ro Ris multiplied by te sauce voliage, Thats Figure 6-1“The voltage divider formula can be extended to find the voltage in a series circuit between any number of resistors, Call the resistance that is between the oust terminal Ry. Then the voltage acres this =a vl) “where Ry represents he resistance between the output tema “This equation is a general form ofthe voltage divider equation. can be sated as “The output voltage from a voltage divider is equal tothe iat voltage multiplied by the ratio ofthe resistance ‘between the output terminal othe total resistance.” When several resistors are used, the ouput is _everally taken with respect to the ground reference forthe divider, as shown in Figure 8-2. In this case the ouput voltage can be found by substiting the value of Ry snd Ry for Ry as shown Figures-2 ‘Voltage dividers can be made to obtain variable voltages by using a potentiometer The full ange ofthe input voltage i avaiable atthe output, silusieated in Figure 8-3) If one desires to limit the ‘output voltage, this can be done by using fixed resistors in sericea illustrated in the example shown in Figure 830), Figures-3PROCEDURE 1. Obtain the resistors listed in able 8-1. Measure each resistor and record the measured value in ‘Table 8-1, column 3, Compute the totl resistance for a series connection by adding the measured values. Enter the computed total resistance in Table 8-1 masts vee Pees Jean) reir | Sie_[ at | Y¥ | seen % | ae me | ae [ea =| ore 2 Connect the resistors inthe series circuit arated in Figure 8-4, With the source disonnectd, ‘measure the total resistance of the series connection and verify thet it agrees with your computed valve, 3. Apply te voltage divider rule to each resistor, one a time, to compute the expected voltage oss that resisior. Use the measured values of resistance and a source volge of +10V. Revond the computed voltages (VY) in Table 8-1, columa 4 4, ‘Tumon the power and measure the voltage across each resistor. Recor the measured voltage ‘drops in Table 8-1, column 5. Your measured voltages should agree with your computed values. 5. Observe the voltages measured instep 4. Inthe space provided, draw the vokage divide, showing how you could aban an output of +638 V. Circuit for step10. Using the 330 1, 680-0, and 1.00 resistors, design a voltage divider with 2 +5.0 V output from source voltage of +10 V. Draw your design inthe space provided below. Construct the circuit you designed and measure the actuel output voltage. Indicate the measured valve on your drawing, Use to ofthe resistors fom this experiment to desiga a divider witha +10V input and a 175 V output, Draw your design in the space provided. Circuit for step 6 uit for step 8 “The circuit shown in Figure 8-3() wes a 1.0 kA potentiometer and Rand Rt imi the range of voliages. Assume Vis *10 V. Use the voltage divider formula to compute the minimum and ‘maximum voltages avallabl fom this ict: Vian = Yuan = (Construct the circu: computed in step 9. Measure the minimum and maximum output volages Voaus = Youn CONCLUSION 0EVALUATION AND REVIEW QUESTIONS 1 (@)__ Hall theesistos in Figure 8-4 were 10 times larger than the specified values, what would happen othe output voiage? (©) What would happen tothe power dissipated in the voltage divider? 2 Refer Figure 8-3(). Assume Vsis 10.0 V. (@) TER, is open, what is the output vollage? ©) TFRs open, whats the output voltage? 3. Hastudent sed a potentiometer in the circuit of Figure 8-3(b) tat was 10 k instead of 1.00, ‘what woald happen to the range of ouput voltages? 4. Focthe circa in Figure 8-5, comput the outpat voltage foreach position ofthe swith Vv ——___ % Ye % Compute theminimum and maximum voltage avalabe from the creat shown in Figure 8-6: Yaa nFOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION ‘The voltage dividers in this experiment were unfoaded—that is, they were not required to furish current to a lad, If load is pt on the output, then current is supplied wo the Load and te output voltage of the Aivider changes. Investigate this effect by placing some load resistors on the voltage divider fom this experiment (Figure 8-4). What size load resistor causes a 10% or less effect? Does the sie of the resistors in the divider sting atfect your results? Why would you choose one se of resistors over another? ‘Summarize your findings in a shor laboratory report. ee “This experiment hs four Malisim fs onthe website (wr pearsonhighered comMoyd). Thre of the four fils contain a simulated “aul; one has “no faut. The file with no fal is named EXPS-3-nf. You may want o open this ile to compare your results withthe compute simulation. Then open eat ofthe fils with faults Use the simulated instrament to investigate the circuit and determine the problem. The following are the filenames for circus wath woubleshootng problems fr this experiment EXPESIL Faulk EXPE: aul EXPES-B Fault: n