EXPERIMENT THREE

Series and Parallel Circuits

I. OBJECTIVES:

1. To calculate and measure the equivalent resistance of resistors connected in

series and in parallel.
2. To verify experimentally the characteristics of series and parallel circuits.

II. THEORY:

In any electrical or electronics 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.

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 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 branch 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
= + + …
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3 𝑅4 𝑅𝑛
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III. MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT:

1 Regulated DC Power Supply

1 Digital Multimeter / VOM
1 Breadboard
3 Carbon Resistors (1W)
1 100Ω
1 150Ω
1 220Ω
Connecting Wires

IV. PROCEDURES:

SERIES CIRCUIT

1. Connect the resistor is series as shown in Figure 3.3. Set the DC power
supply to 30V.
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 thee measured value of the total resistance, calculate the total current,
𝑉
𝐼 = 𝑇 . Use this current to calculate the voltage drop in each resistor.
𝑅𝑇
Record the results in Table 3.1.
5. Compute the percent difference between the measured and the computed
values of current and voltages. Use the measured values as the true values.

PARALLEL CIRCUIT

6. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 3.4. Set the DC power supply to 10V
7. Turn ON the power supply and measure the total voltage and the current in
each resistor. Record the results in Table 3.2.
8. Turn OFF the power supply. Using your multimeter, measure the total
resistance of the circuit.
9. Using the measured value of the total resistance, calculate the voltage, 𝑉𝑇 =
𝐼𝑇 𝑅𝑇 . Use this voltage to calculate the current in each resistor. Record the
results in Table 3.2.
10. 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.
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 Figure 3. 3

Figure 3.4

V. DATA AND RESULTS:

V1 V2 V3 V4 V5
Measured
Values
Computed
Values
% Difference

TABLE 3.1

I1 I2 I3 I4 I5
Measured
Values
Computed
Values
% Difference

TABLE 3.2

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VI. COMPUTATIONS:

VII. CONCLUSIONS:

VIII. GUIDE QUESTIONS:

1. What is the effect of the total resistance of the following:

a. increasing the number of resistors in series.
b. decreasing the number of resistors in series.
c. increasing the number of resistors in parallel.
d. decreasing the number if resistors in parallel.

2. A 12V generator has an 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?

3. Three resistors are connected in series to a 120V generator. The first has a
resistance of 50Ω, 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.

4. What disadvantage does the “series string” type of Christmas tree lamp possess
as compared to the 110V parallel type of Christmas tree lamp?

5. Explain why the kitchen light becomes a bit dimmer when a toaster is turned
on.

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