TITLE: Current, Resistance and Ohm’s law

INTRODUCTION
In the study of electrical circuits, understanding the fundamental concepts of current,
resistance, and Ohm's Law is essential. These principles form the foundation of circuit analysis
and are widely applied in both theoretical and practical contexts. This experiment aims to
explore these key concepts and validate the relationship described by Ohm's Law. It provides a
practical approach to reinforcing theoretical knowledge, enabling a deeper understanding of how
current, resistance, and voltage interact in real-world scenarios.

OBJECTIVE
 To determine the unknown resistance of the given material of the wire and hence to
verify the ohm’s law
 Measure the electrical resistance of a conductor and verify the ohm’s law

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Current: Electric current is the flow of electric charges, typically electrons, through a conductor
under the influence of an electric field. Measured in amperes (A), current can be described as the
rate at which charge flows through a cross-section of the conductor.

Resistance: Resistance is the property of a material that opposes the flow of electric current. It is
measured in ohms (Ω) and depends on the material’s properties, dimensions (length and cross-
sectional area), and temperature.

Ohm's Law: Ohm's Law establishes a relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and
resistance (R) in a circuit. It is expressed as:

THEORY
The concepts of current, resistance, and Ohm's Law are fundamental to understanding the
behavior of electrical circuits. These principles describe how electric charge moves through a
conductor, the opposition it encounters and the relationship between voltage, current, and
resistance.

Electric Current: Electric current is the flow of electric charges.

Q
I= T

Current can be of two types:

1. Direct Current (DC): Charge flows in one constant direction.

 2. Alternating Current (AC): Charge flow periodically reverses direction.

In a conductor, current is driven by an applied potential difference (voltage) across the circuit.

Resistance

Resistance (R) is the property of a material that resists the flow of electric current. It is governed
by the equation:

L
R= p A

Resistance depends on:

 The material of the conductor (e.g., copper has low resistance, while rubber has high
resistance).
 Its physical dimensions (length and cross-sectional area).
 Temperature (resistance generally increases with temperature for most materials).

Ohm's Law

Ohm's Law provides a linear relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R). It
is mathematically expressed as:

V=I.R

This law implies:

1. Current is directly proportional to the voltage applied.

2. Current is inversely proportional to the resistance, provided physical conditions such as
temperature remain constant.

Connecting Ammeter and Voltmeter

1. Ammeter: is a device used to measure current flow.

o Connect the ammeter in series with the resistor to measure the current flowing
through it.

o Positive terminal of the ammeter connects to the power supply or preceding

component, and the negative terminal connects to the resistor.

2. Voltmeter: is a device used to measure electric potential difference between two points.
o Connect the voltmeter in parallel across the resistor to measure the voltage drop.
o Positive terminal of the voltmeter connects to one side of the resistor, and the
negative terminal connects to the other side.
 Diagram 1.1 Diagram 1.2

APPARATUS
 Variable D.C. power supply of suitable range may be up to 10V (This can be also
combination of cells as shown in the diagram)
 Different resistance wires or coils to be used as resistors
 D.C. ammeter
 D.C. Voltmeter
 Off/On key
 Some connecting copper wires
 A digital multimeter for the alternate measurements of resistance

PROCEDURE
1. Make the circuit as shown in diagram 1.1 and 1.2 using the equipments stated above. The
positive end of the ammeter should be connected to the positive terminal of the power
supply. Similarly the positive end of the voltmeter should be connected to the positive
terminal X of resistor and negative to the Y terminal. Ammeter is to be connected in
series with the resistor and voltmeter in parallel at points X and Y.
2. For the data connection plug in the key K and start from minimum current. Measure the
current in ammeter (A) and voltage in voltmeter (V) note down the readings in column 2
and 3 in the above table. Repeat them measurements by increasing the current in resistor
by varying the potentiometer of d.c power supply. Measure the corresponding values of
voltage from voltmeter and enter in the table.
3. Such measurements can be repeated for different resistors and readings can be noted in
different tables.

DATA
TABLE 1.1 Data Table for Ohm’s Law Experiment
 S. NO Current ‘I’ in (A) Voltage difference ‘V’ in V
R1= in ohm
(volt) I
1. 0.05 A 0.4 V 8.0 Ω
2. 0.1 A 0.8 V 8.0 Ω
3. 0.15 A 1.0 V 6.66 Ω
4. 0.2 A 1.4 V 7.0 Ω
5. 0.25 A 1.8 V 7.2 Ω
6. 0.3 A 2.0 V 6.66 Ω
7. 0.35 A 2.4 V 6.85 Ω
8. 0.4 A 2.8 V 7.0 Ω
9. 0.45 A 3.0 V 6.6 Ω
10. 0.5 A 3.4.V 6.8 Ω

TABLE 1.2 Data Table for Ohm’s Law Experiment with resistance 100 Ω
S. NO Current ‘I’ in (A) Voltage difference ‘V’ in V
R2= in ohm
(volt) I
1. 0.01 A 0.8 V 80.0 Ω
2. 0.02 A 1.8 V 90.0 Ω
3. 0.03 A 2.8 V 93.0 Ω
4. 0.04 A 3.8 V 95.0 Ω
5. 0.05 A 4.8 V 96.0 Ω
6. 0.06 A 5.8 V 96.7 Ω
7. 0.07 A 6.8 V 97.1 Ω
8. 0.08 A 7.8 V 97.5 Ω
9. 0.09 A 8.8 V 97.8 Ω
10. 0.1 A 9.8 V 98.0 Ω

DATA OR ERROR ANALYSIS

The truth value of R1 and R2 is 6 Ω and 100 Ω.
Absolute error= measured value-Accepted value

R1 Absolute error=7.077-6=1.077 Ω

R2 absolute error=94.11-100=-5.89 Ω

Absolute error
Relative error=
accepted value

1.077
R1 Relative error= = 0.1795
6
 5.89
R2 Relative error= =0.0589
100

Percentage error= Relative error ×100%

R1 Percentage error= 0.1795×100%=17.95%

R2 Percentage error= 0.0589×100%=5.89%

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

V
Using the formula R= , we have calculated resistance R1 and R2. As shown in table 1.1 and
I
table 1.2 above, the average resistance we have got is R1= 7.077 Ω and R2= 94.11 Ω.

Current versus voltage Current versus voltage

4 12
10
3
8
voltage
voltage

2 6
4
1
2
0 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
Current current

FOR TABLE 1.1 FOR TABLE 1.2

CONCLUSION
The experiment demonstrated the fundamental relationship between current, resistance, and
voltage as defined by Ohm's Law. The results confirmed that current is directly proportional to
the applied voltage across a resistor when the resistance remains almost constant, aligning with
the linear relationship V=I.R. Additionally, the calculated resistance values were consistent
with theoretical expectations, illustrating the resistor's ability to oppose the flow of current. The
proper use of an ammeter in series and a voltmeter in parallel ensured accurate measurements of
current and voltage, allowing for precise verification of Ohm’s Law. Overall, the experiment
successfully validated the theoretical principles and emphasized their importance in
understanding and designing electrical circuits.

QUESTION AND ANSWERS

1. How are the voltmeter and ammeter placed in circuit for the measurement and why?
 The voltmeter is placed in parallel with the component whose voltage is to be measured.
Because, voltmeter is designed to measure the potential difference between two points
without altering the circuit’s operation. It has a very high internal resistance to minimize
the current it draws, ensuring the circuit's current flow remains unchanged.

 The ammeter is placed in series with the circuit element where current needs to be
measured. Because an ammeter measures the flow of current through the circuit. To do
so, it must be part of the current path. It has a very low internal resistance to avoid
introducing a significant voltage drop, ensuring the circuit's operation is not disrupted.

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

The ammeter forces all the current into the meter for measurement. This is because an
ammeter is connected in series with the circuit element, making it part of the current path.

3. Which meter has the largest resistance and why?

The voltmeter has the largest resistance. This is because a voltmeter is connected in parallel
with the component whose voltage is being measured. To ensure accurate measurement and
to avoid altering the current flow in the circuit, the voltmeter must draw as little current as
possible.

4. Which meter measures the flow rate of electrons?

The ammeter measures the flow rate of electrons, which is referred to as electric current.