EEE Lab 4

Experiment Name:
Loading Effect of Voltage Divider Circuit
Objectives:
i. To analyze how the voltage divider circuit behaves when there is no load resistance connected.
ii. Evaluate the performance of voltage divider circuit due to loading.
Apparatus:
i. Trainer Board
ii. DMM
iii. 2 × 5602 resistor
iv. 1 × (0-10kΩ) variable resistor
Theory:
Voltage Divider Rule: The voltage divider rule is a fundamental concept in electrical
engineering used to determine the voltage across a resistor in a series circuit. It states that the
voltage across any resistor in a series circuit is proportional to the ratio of its resistance to the
total resistance in the circuit.
Mathematically, the voltage divider rule is expressed as:
Vout = ( Vin * Rout ) / Rtotal
Where:
i. Vout is the voltage across the resistor of interest.
ii. Vin is the total voltage applied to the circuit.
iii. Rout is the resistance of the resistor of interes
iv. Rtotal is the total resistance in the circuit, which is the sum of all resistances in series.
This equation shows that the voltage across a particular resistor is determined by the ratio of its
resistance to the total resistance, multiplied by the total voltage applied to the circuit.
Loading Effect of Voltage Divider Circuit: The loading effect occurs in a voltage divider
circuit when the presence of the load (such as another resistor or a device) affects the output
voltage of the circuit. This effect occurs because the load draws current from the circuit, which
alters the effective resistance seen by the source voltage, thus affecting the voltage across the
divider resistors.
When the load resistance is relatively low compared to the divider resistors, it can significantly
change the total resistance of the circuit. As a result, the voltage across the load will be lower
than expected due to the voltage drop across the internal resistance of the circuit.
In other words, the loading effect reduces the output voltage accuracy of the voltage divider
circuit because the presence of the load changes the effective resistance, leading to a deviation
from the calculated voltage using the voltage divider rule. To mitigate this effect, one approach
is to use a buffer amplifier or impedance matching techniques to isolate the load from the voltage
divider circuit, ensuring a more accurate voltage division.
Circuit Diagram:
Resistor Color Code:

Formula: AB * 10^c (+-) Tolerance
Experimental Procedure :
1. Setting up the Circuit:
i. Connecting all resistors according to the circuit diagram on a breadboard.
ii. Using wires to establish connections between the resistors and the power supply.
2. Measuring Resistance:
i. Using the Digital Multimeter (DMM) to measure the resistance of each resistor individually.
ii. Also recording the values of resistance for each resistor.
3. Applying Voltage:
i. Connecting the power supply to the circuit and setting it to a specific voltage.
ii. It is necessary to ensure the power supply is off initially to prevent any short circuits.
4. Measuring the output voltage without applying load:

i. Using DMM to measure Vout and then recording in table 1.
5. Measuring the output voltage after applying load:

i. Using DMM to measure Vout each time after charging variable resistors 1k, 4k, 7k and 10k.
Results:
We can see from the experimental, theoretical and the simulated value that the theoretical and
simulated values are same and the experimental value of output voltage (Vout) is increasing with
the increment of value of variable resistors. The percentage of error are too less and so we can
say that the experimental output voltage equal to theoretical output voltage. Therefore, it can be
said that this parallel circuit validates the loading effect of voltage divider rule.
Questions and Answers (Q/A):

1. Initially before the addition of variable resistors (load), unloaded Vout was measured. Addition
of the first variable resistor has triggered major change in Vout. That is because the load draws
current from the circuit which alters the effective resistance seen by the source voltage, thus
affecting the voltage across the divider resistors. Applying 1k load we see Vout drops to 4.00V.
Then replacing with 4k, we notice increase in Vout. As we increase the value of the variable
resistors from 1k all the way to 10k, the value of output voltage increases.
2. We are given 4 variable resistors of 1k, 4k, 7k and 10k.
R1 = 560 ohm
R2 = 560 ohm
When there is no load resistance,

VR2 = ( R2 × E ) / ( R2 + R1 )
= ( 560 × 10 ) / ( 560 + 560 )
= 5V
When load resistance is 1k,

R2eq = ( 1 / R2+ 1 / RL )^-1
= ( 1 / 560 + 1 / 1000 )^-1
= 358.97 ohm
VR2 = ( R2eq × E ) / ( R2eq + R1 )
= ( 358.97 × 10 ) / ( 358.97 + 560 )
= 3.91V

R2eq = ( 1 / R2+ 1 / RL)^-1
= ( 1 / 560 + 1 / 4000 )^-1
= 491.22 ohm
VR2 = ( R2eq × E ) / ( R2eq + R1 )
= ( 491.22 × 10 ) / ( 491.22 + 560 )
= 4.67V

R2eq = ( 1 / R2+ 1 / RL )^-1
= ( 1 / 560 + 1 / 7000 )^-1
= 518.51 ohm
VR2 = ( R2eq × E ) / ( R2eq + R1 )
= ( 518.51 × 10 ) / ( 518.51 + 560 )
= 4.81V
R2eq = ( 1 / R2+ 1 / RL )^-1
= ( 1 / 560 + 1 / 10000 )^-1
= 530.30 ohm
VR2 = ( R2eq × E ) / ( R2eq + R1 )
= ( 530.30 × 10 ) / ( 530.30 + 560 )
= 4.86V
3. In order to compare the experimental and theoretical values of output voltage, we must
calculate error.
We know,
Error = ( Experimental value - Theoretical value ) × 100 ÷ Theoretical value
For no load,
Error = ( 5.03 - 5 ) × 100 ÷ 5
= 0.60%
For 1k load,
Error = ( 4.00 - 3.91 ) × 100 ÷ 3.91
= 2.30%
For 4k load,
Error = ( 4.71 - 4.67 ) × 100 ÷ 4.67
= 0.856%
For 7k load,
Error = ( 4.84 - 4.81 ) × 100 ÷ 4.81
= 0.623%
For 10k load,

Error = ( 4.89 - 4.86 ) × 100 ÷ 4.86
= 0.617%
We can see that that the percentage of error are too less and so we can say that the experimental
output voltage equal to theoretical output voltage.To minimize the loading effect, we need to
choose the load resistor to be much larger than its parallel resistor.
Discussion:
The results of the experiment demonstrated the successful application of loading effect on the
current divider circuits. By systematically applying these principles, we were able to accurately
predict the effect on the circuit and determine the voltage across various branches. Additionally,
the application of the voltage divider rule facilitated the prediction of output voltage based on
their respective load resistances. This allowed us to understand how the load draws current from
the circuit, which alters the effective resistance seen by the source voltage, thus affecting the
voltage across the divider resistors. In circuit we found that the output voltage after adding
different values of variable resistors all came out different from each other. That proves that our
circuit is affected by the variable resistors or load.
Name: Tanvir Alam Fahim ID: 2311477042
Name: Nafis Adnan ID: 2312447042

Name: Shraboni Biswas ID: 2312432042
Name: Tashfia Haque Shailee ID: 2222426642

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Experiment Name:

Loading Effect of Voltage Divider Circuit

Mathematically, the voltage divider rule is expressed as:

Vout = ( Vin * Rout ) / Rtotal

Resistor Color Code:

4. Measuring the output voltage without applying load:

5. Measuring the output voltage after applying load:

Questions and Answers (Q/A):

2. We are given 4 variable resistors of 1k, 4k, 7k and 10k.

When there is no load resistance,

When load resistance is 1k,

When load resistance is 4k,

When load resistance is 7k,

For 10k load,

Name: Tanvir Alam Fahim ID: 2311477042

Name: Nafis Adnan ID: 2312447042

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