Pre-lab questions and answers

Questions

1. What is the electrical current flowing through a circuit?

2. What is the potential difference or voltage across two points?

3. what is the meaning of resistance of a conductor?

4. What is an ammeter? a voltmeter? What is the major difference in the way one uses each to
measure electrical quantities in a simple electronic circuit? Be specific

Answer

1stream of charged particles, such as electrons or ions, moving through an electrical conductor or
space.

2, The unit of potential difference generated between two points is called the Volt and is
generally defined as being the potential difference dropped across a fixed resistance of one ohm
with a current of one ampere flowing through it. In other words, 1 Volt equals 1 Ampere times 1
Ohm, or commonly V = I*R.

3, the amount of opposition there is to the flow of electric current through a conducting medium

4, Ammeter- an instrument for measuring electric current in amperes.

Voltmeter - an instrument for measuring electric potential in volts

The difference between ammeter and voltmeter is that the ammeter measures the flow of current,
whereas the voltmeter measures the emf or voltage across any two points of the electrical circuit.

1. Introduction
Electric circuits are fundamental components in modern technology, powering everything from
household appliances to electronic devices. Understanding the behavior of electric currents,
resistance, and voltage is essential for designing and troubleshooting electrical systems. Ohm's
Law, formulated by German physicist Georg Simon Ohm in the early 19th century, provides a
fundamental principle governing the behavior of electrical circuits. According to Ohm's Law, the
current (I) flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage (V) applied across
it and inversely proportional to the resistance (R) of the conductor (I = V/R). This relationship
forms the basis for analyzing and predicting the behavior of electric circuits under different
conditions. By conducting experiments to measure current, voltage, and resistance in various
circuit configurations, researchers can verify the validity of Ohm's Law and explore its
applications in practical electrical systems.
The objective of this experiment is:

1. To investigate the relationship between current, resistance, and voltage in an electric circuit.

2. To verify Ohm's Law, which states that the current flowing through a conductor is directly
proportional to the voltage applied across it and inversely proportional to its resistance.

2. Theory
Ohm's Law, named after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm, is a fundamental principle in
the field of electricity and electronics. It states that the current (I) flowing through a conductor is
directly proportional to the voltage (V) applied across it and inversely proportional to the
resistance (R) of the conductor. Mathematically, Ohm's Law is expressed as:

𝑉
𝐼=
𝑅
where:

- (I) represents the current flowing through the conductor (measured in amperes, A),

- (V) represents the voltage applied across the conductor (measured in volts, V), and

- (R) represents the resistance of the conductor (measured in ohms, Ω).

Ohm's Law can also be rearranged to solve for voltage (V) or resistance (R):

𝐼
𝑉=
𝑅
𝑉
𝑅=
𝐼
This fundamental relationship provides a framework for understanding how electrical circuits
behave and for calculating the values of current, voltage, and resistance within a circuit. In a
simple circuit consisting of a voltage source (such as a battery), a conductor (such as a wire), and
a load (such as a resistor), Ohm's Law describes how changes in voltage or resistance affect the
flow of current through the circuit.

In this experiment, we will investigate Ohm's Law by measuring the current flowing through a
circuit as a function of the voltage applied across a resistor of known resistance. By varying the
voltage and recording the corresponding current values, we will verify the linear relationship
predicted by Ohm's Law. Additionally, we will use the measured data to calculate the resistance
of the resistor using Ohm's Law and compare it with the known resistance value. Through this
experiment, we aim to demonstrate the validity of Ohm's Law and illustrate its practical
applications in electrical circuit analysis.
 3. Apparatus
1. variable D.C. power supply of suitable range may be up-to 10 V (This can be also combination
of cells as shown in the diagram)

2. different resistance wires or coils to be used as resistors

3. D.C. ammeter

4. D.C. Voltmeter

5. Off/On key

6. some connecting copper wires

7. A digital multimeter for the alternate measurements of

8. resistance

4. Procedure
1. We begin by assembling the circuit as shown in figure below, utilizing the following
equipment:

1. Power supply

2. Ammeter

3. Voltmeter

4. Resistor

5. Key (switch)

6. Potentiometer

We ensure that the positive end of the ammeter is connected to the positive terminal of the
power supply. Similarly, we connect the positive end of the voltmeter to terminal X of the
resistor, and the negative end to terminal Y. The ammeter is placed in series with the resistor,
and the voltmeter in parallel at points X and Y.
2. For data collection, we plug in the key (switch) K and start with the minimum current setting.
We measure the current in the ammeter (A) and the voltage in the voltmeter (V), noting down the
readings in column 2 and 3 of the provided table. We repeat the measurements by increasing the
current in the resistor using the potentiometer of the DC power supply. We measure the
corresponding values of voltage from the voltmeter and enter them in the table.

3. We repeat the above measurements for different resistors by replacing the resistor in the
circuit. We note down the readings in separate tables for each resistor.

By following these steps, we conducted the experiment to investigate the relationship between
current, voltage, and resistance, and to verify Ohm's Law.

5. Data
Data table for ohm’s law experiment (in series)

No of trial Current I (A) Potential difference V 𝑉

𝑅= 𝑖𝑛 𝑜ℎ𝑚
(V) 𝐼

1 20 mA 1V 50 Ω

2 40 mA 2V 50 Ω

3 60 mA 3V 50 Ω

4 80 mA 4V 50 Ω

5 100 mA 5V 50 Ω

6 120 mA 6V 50 Ω

7 140 mA 7V 50 Ω

8 160 mA 8V 50 Ω

9 180 mA 9V 50 Ω

10 200 mA 10V 50 Ω

Data table for ohm’s law experiment (in parallel)

No of trial Current I (A) Potential difference V 𝑉

𝑅= 𝑖𝑛 𝑜ℎ𝑚
(V) 𝐼
 1 30 mA 1V 33.33 Ω

2 70 mA 2V 28.57 Ω

3 120 mA 3V 25 Ω

4 150 mA 4V 26.66 Ω

5 200 mA 5V 25 Ω

6 240 mA 6V 25 Ω

7 280 mA 7V 25 Ω

8 320 mA 8V 25 Ω

9 360 mA 9V 25 Ω

10 400 mA 10V 25 Ω

6. Data analysis and error analysis

i. Value of R (in series)
𝑣 1𝑣
Trial 1, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 20∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 2𝑣
Trial 2, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 40∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 3𝑣
Trial 3, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 60∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 4𝑣
Trial 4, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 80∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 5𝑣
Trial 5, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 100∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 6𝑣
Trial 6, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 120∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 7𝑣
Trial 7, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 140∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 8𝑣
Trial 8, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 160∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

𝑣 9𝑣
Trial 9, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 180∗10^−3 = 50 Ω
 𝑣 10𝑣
Trial 10, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 200∗10^−3 = 50 Ω

Rave= 50 Ω

A plot of I vs v for the verification of ohm’s law

2−1
Slope = (40−20)10^−3 = 50 Ω

ii. Value of R (In parallel)

𝑣 1𝑣
Trial 1, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 30∗10^−3 = 33.33 Ω

𝑣 2𝑣
Trial 2, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 70∗10^−3 = 28.57 Ω

𝑣 3𝑣
Trial 3, 𝑅 = = = 25 Ω
𝐼 120∗10^−3

𝑣 4𝑣
Trial 4, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 150∗10^−3 = 26.66 Ω

𝑣 5𝑣
Trial 5, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 200∗10^−3 = 25 Ω

𝑣 6𝑣
Trial 6, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 240∗10^−3 = 25 Ω

𝑣 7𝑣
Trial 7, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 280∗10^−3 = 25 Ω

𝑣 8𝑣
Trial 8, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 320∗10^−3 = 25 Ω
 𝑣 9𝑣
Trial 9, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 360∗10^−3 = 25 Ω

𝑣 10𝑣
Trial 10, 𝑅 = 𝐼 = 400∗10^−3 = 25 Ω

263.56
Rave= = 26.356Ω
10

|25−26.356|
%error = 100% = 5.145%
26.356

7. Result and discussion

- The experiment showed a direct proportionality between the voltage (V), current (I), and
resistance (R) according to Ohm's Law: V = IR.

- By plotting a graph of voltage against current, a straight line was obtained with a slope equal to
the resistance.

- The resistance of the resistors was calculated using the formula: R = V/I.
Discussion

- The results obtained in the experiment demonstrate the validity of Ohm's Law, which states that
the current through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it, provided the
temperature and other physical conditions remain constant.

- The slope of the graph obtained should ideally give the resistance of the component being
tested.

- Any deviations from the linear relationship predicted by Ohm's Law could be due to factors
like temperature variations, non-ideal behavior of components, or measurement errors.

- The experiment provides a practical understanding of the fundamental relationship between

current, voltage, and resistance in an electrical circuit, which is crucial for various applications in
electronics and electrical engineering.

8. Conclusion

The experiment investigating the relationship between current, resistance, and voltage based on
Ohm's Law yielded valuable results that confirm the fundamental principles of electrical circuits.
The key findings and conclusions from this experiment are as follows:

1. The experimental data demonstrated a consistent relationship between voltage (V),

current (I), and resistance (R) as described by Ohm's Law, V = IR. The direct
proportionality between voltage and current was clearly observed, indicating that the
resistance remained constant within the range of tested values.

2. The graphical representation of voltage versus current data produced a linear relationship,
validating the linear behavior predicted by Ohm's Law. The slope of the graph,
determined as the resistance, remained constant and aligned with theoretical expectations.

3. The experiment enabled the calculation of resistance for the various resistor values used.
The calculated resistance values were in agreement with the expected nominal values of
the resistors within the experimental error margins, supporting the accuracy of the
measurements.
 4. The use of precise measuring instruments such as the ammeter and voltmeter, along with
careful experimental setup, contributed to the accuracy of the results obtained. Any
discrepancies observed could be attributed to inherent limitations of the components or
minor measurement errors.

5. The hands-on nature of the experiment provided a practical understanding of how current,
voltage, and resistance interact in an electrical circuit. This practical knowledge is
essential for applications in electronics, circuit design, and troubleshooting.

6. The experiment underscored the importance of experimental verification in reinforcing

theoretical concepts. By directly observing the principles of Ohm's Law in action,
participants gained a deeper insight into the behavior of electrical circuits.

9. Post-Lab question and answers

Questions

1. How are the voltmeter and ammeter placed in circuit for the measurement and why?

2. Which of the meter (voltmeter, ammeter) forces all the current into meter for the measurement?

3. Which meter has the largest resistance and why?

4. Which meter measures the flow rate of electrons

Answers

1. In a circuit, the voltmeter is typically connected in parallel with the component where the
voltage is being measured. This is because a voltmeter is designed to measure the voltage across
a component, and connecting it in parallel ensures that it measures this voltage accurately
without influencing the circuit's current flow. On the other hand, an ammeter is usually placed in
series with the component through which the current is to be measured. This placement allows
the ammeter to measure the current passing through the circuit by becoming a part of it, as it
needs to measure the actual current flowing through the component.

2. The ammeter forces all the current into the meter for measurement. This is because an
ammeter is designed to measure the current flowing through a circuit, which requires it to be
placed in series with the circuit component. By connecting an ammeter in series, all the current
passing through that point in the circuit is essentially forced to pass through the meter for
measurement.

3. The ammeter typically has the largest resistance among the two meters. This is necessary to
ensure that the ammeter doesn't significantly affect the circuit's behavior by drawing too much
current itself. Since the ammeter is placed in series with the circuit, having a higher resistance
ensures that it does not create a significant alternate path for the current to flow, which could
potentially alter the readings.

4. The ammeter is the meter that measures the flow rate of electrons. By being positioned in
series with the circuit, the ammeter actually measures the current flow, which essentially
represents the flow rate of electrons through the circuit.