OBJE CTIVES

 To give the appropriate resistance value from the resistor’s color bands.
 To exhibit correct and proper implementation of a circuit diagram.
 To calculate the effective resistance of resistors connected in series and parallel.

I N T R OD U C T I O N
A circuit is a closed conducting network Resistors are in parallel when their ends
that provides a continuous flow of are connected together by wires.
current throughout the path. A complete
For any combination of resistors one
circuit includes a source of
can always find a single resistor that
electromotive force (emf) that supplies a
could replace the combination. The
fixed current at a constant voltage called
resistance of this single resistor is called
direct current (DC).
the effective resistance.
A circuit element that is made to have a
For resistors connected in series, the
specific resistance value between its
effective resistance of the circuit is:
ends is called a resistor. The resistance
is marked with a standard code using Reff  R1  R2  R3  ...  Rn (1)
three or four color bands according to
the color scheme given below. For resistors connected in parallel, the
effective resistance of the circuit is:
Black Brown Red OrangeYellow Green Blue Violet Gray White
1 1 1 1 1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9     ...  (2)
Reff R1 R2 R3 Rn
Table 1. Numerical Equivalents of the Resistor
Color Bands

Resistors are in series when they are

M A T E R I A LS
Power Supply/Batteries

Connectors
Resistors Circuit Board Digital
(Breadboard) Multimeter

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PR OCED URE
resistor, calculate the theoretical
effective resistance (Reff) for circuits
! WARNING 1, 2, 3 and 4, and record in Data
Table 2.
 To avoid damage to the meters, always
start with the meter on its least sensitive 4. Setup R1, R2 and R3 according to the
scale. Increase the sensitivity of the meter diagram for circuits 1, 2, 3 and 4.
only as needed for accurate measurement, Without connecting yet the 5-V
and remember to return the meter on its power supply or the batteries,
least sensitive scale before making another measure the effective resistance
measurement. (Reff) across points P and Q using an
 Voltages are measured across (connected ohmmeter and record the value in
in parallel to the circuit element). Currents Data Table 2. Compare this with the
are measured through (connected in theoretical value by obtaining the
series with the circuit element). percentage deviation.
 Always disconnect any power supply 5. Connect the 5-V power supply into
and other meters when measuring the resistor network to make a
resistance.
complete circuit. Measure the
voltage across and current passing
1. Read the color bands indicated in through each resistor for each
the resistor and tabulate the circuit, and record the values in Data
corresponding resistance values (Ri) Table 3. With the measured voltage
in Data Table 1. and current values calculate the
resistance (Ri) using Ohm’s Law.
To read the resistance value using
the color bands, follow the 6. Calculate the effective resistance for
illustration below, with the bands as each circuit with the resistance
A, B, C and D. values obtained from Data Table 3.
Record the values in Data Table 4,
and compare with the theoretical
effective resistance from Data Table
A B C D 2 by calculating the percentage
deviation.
The resistance is R = 7. Measure the effective voltage (Veff)
C
[(10A+B)×10 ] ± D. The values of and effective current (Ieff) for each
A, B and C are read according to circuit and record them in Data
Table 1, while D known as the Table 5. From these values
tolerance value can be Silver (10%), calculate the effective resistance
Gold (5%) or No Color (20%). (Reff) and compare with theoretical
2. Measure the resistance of each value in Data Table 2. Get the
resistor using an ohmmeter and percentage deviation.
record the value in Data Table 1.
3. Using the resistance values
indicated by the color bands for each

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Circuit Diagrams

R1 R2 R3 R1 R2
P P

+ +
V V R3
 

Q Q V = 5.0 V
Circuit 1 Circuit 3
R1 = 1.0 k
R2 = 1.2 k
P P
R1 R2
R3 = 1.5 k
+ R1 R2 R3 + R3
V V
 -
Q Q
Circuit 2 Circuit 4

R E FE RE N CE S A ND A C K N OW L E D G E ME N T
 Gutierrez, R. et. al., Physics 72.1 Laboratory Manual, 2 nd ed. (2001).
 Tipler, P., Physics for Scientists and Engineers, 4 th ed., W.H. Freeman & Co. USA
(1999).
 Young, H., University Physics, 8th ed., Addison-Wesley Publishing Co. USA (1992).

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Name: Score:
Group Members: Date Performed:
Date Submitted:
Instructor: Section:

D A TA S UMMAR Y
Data Table 1. Resistance values of the resistors.

Resistor Color Bands Values Indicated Measured

R1

R2

R3

Data Table 2. Effective resistance values.

Circuit Theoretical Effective Measured Effective Percent Error

Calculations of the theoretical effective resistance for Data Table 2

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Data Table 3. Experimental resistance values from voltage and current measurement.

Circuit V1 I1 R1 V2 I2 R2 V3 I3 R3
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
1
2
3
4

Calculations of the resistance values of Data Table 3

Data Table 4. Calculated effective resistance values from resistance in Data Table 3.

Circuit Calculated Effective Percent Error

Calculations of the effective resistance values of Data Table 4

Data Table 5. Experimental effective resistance values from effective voltage and
effective current measurement.

Circuit Veff ( ) Ieff ( ) Reff ( ) Percent Error

Calculations of the effective resistance value of Data Table 5

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QU E S TI ON S
1. From Data Table 3, what can you conclude about the currents and voltages for
resistors connected in series? For resistors connected in parallel?

2. From your conclusion in the previous question, derive the equations for the effective
resistance for resistors in series and parallel.

3. Maintaining the effective resistance of a circuit, which resistor combination, series or

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4. Explain the discrepancy between the computed and measured values for the
resistance of the circuits. What are the sources of error in the experiment? Discuss.

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