DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS

COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCES

ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY

SAMPLE LAB REPORT

Experiment 7

CURRENT, RESISTANCE AND OHM’S LAW

Date of experiment: 16|06|22

Date of submission: 20|06|22

Group No.5

Group members

name ID No.
1.Ermias Gezehegn UGR|1886|14
2.Ermiyas Tesfaye
3.Emran
4.Henok

Name of instructor: K∕mariam

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 CURRENT, RESISTANCE AND OHM’S LAW

Abstract

The experiment was performed to find the resistance by measuring the current through the resistor.

The resistance was determined by measuring current and voltage across the resistor. The ammeter
connected in series with the resistor and the voltmeter connected in parallel to the resistor. The circuit
formed correctly with power supply. When the voltage of the power supply varies the current flow
through the resistance also varies with the voltage. By recording the ammeter and voltmeter reading the
resulting values of resistance is 56.96± 0.72Ω. This result properly followed the Ohm’s law with high
limits of accuracy.

Objectives

In this experiment we intended:

 To verify ohm’s law and experimentally verify the relationship between current, voltage and
resistance in a circuit.
 To determine the unknown resistance of the given material of the wire.
 Measure the electric resistance of a conductor and verify the ohm’s law.
Equipment
 Resistance box
 Dc. Power supply
 Voltmeter
 ammeter
Theory
A current flowing through the conductor (resistor) directly proportional to the voltage .When
the resistance is stable (if the physical conditions of conductors remain the same). In other way
the ratio of voltage to current is constant. This constant denoted by (R) known as the resistance
of the conductor and it’s unit is ohm denoted by Ω .V represent voltage and it’s unit is volt (v)
and current (I) is in Ampere (A). V∕I = R is a relation between the three quantity.

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 Now in order to comprehend ohm’s law is to imagine current in the circuit as the water flow in a
tube. We have DC. Power supply then the current flowing through and meet the resistance. Is
that if the resistance is bigger the current flow through the resistor is less and vice versa.
Therefore for a given voltage and depending how big the resistance is then it will depend how
the current will flow through the resistor. This is simply done by changing the voltage and
measure the current flow through the resistor.

Apparatus

Or. Equipment needed quantity

1 Variable DC. power supply 1
2 Different resistance wire 2
3 Ammeter 1
4 Voltmeter 1
5 Connecting copper wires 4
6 A digital multi-meter 1

Procedure

1. First set up as shown below using power supply, ammeter (A), voltmeter (V) and the resistor.
The positive end of ammeter is connect to positive terminal of power supply and similarly the
positive terminal of voltmeter is connected to positive terminal of resistor and the ammeter
should be connect in series with the resistor and the voltmeter connect in parallel with the
resistor.

 In this we said battery instead of power

supply

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2. Next set the output voltage of power supply to 10v and record the ammeter and voltmeter
reading. Repeat this measurement by varying the voltage of power supply from 10v-500v.
3. Take the ammeter and voltmeter reading in column on the table for six trials.
4. Such measurement can be repeated for different resistor and reading can be noted on different
table.
Q uestions:
1. Is an ammeter is connected in series or parallel with a circuit component? Explain
2. Is voltmeter connected in parallel or in series with the circuit component? Explain
3. Which meter measure the flow rate of current?
4. Which meter has the largest resistor? And why?

Data

sr.no. Current(A) Voltage(V)

1 0.02 1.2
2 0.06 3.4
3 0.07 4
4 0.11 6
5 0.14 8
6 0.16 9

Data analysis
` The true value=56.67

sr.no. Ammeter(A) Voltmeter(V) v∕I (Ω)

1 0.02 1.2 60
2 0.06 3.4 56.67
3 0.07 4 57.14
4 0.11 6 54.55
5 0.14 8 57.14
6 0.16 9 56.25

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 10
9
8
7
6

voltage(V)
5
4 voltage(V)
Linear (voltage(V))
3
2
1
0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18
current(A)

Questions:

Do the resistors satisfy ohm’s law? Explain

Error analysis
6

Average resistance(R) = i=1

∑ Ri = 60+56.67+57.14+ 54.55+ 57.14+56.25 =56.96Ω
6
6

√∑
n
R−Rav ¿2
Standard deviation (SR) = i =1
=
¿
n−1

√ ( 60−56.96 )2 + ( 56.67−56.96 )2 + ( 57.14−56.96 )2+ ( 54.55−56.96 )2 + ( 57.14−56.96 )2 +(56.25−56.96)2

=1.77
6−1

SR 1.77
Standard error (uncertainty) = = =0.72
√ N √6
Our measurement result =56.96±0.72Ω

Absolute error= |56.96-56.67|=0.29

0.29
Relative error= =0.005
56.67

Percentage error=0.005(100)% =0.5%

Result

Average resistance=56.96Ω

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The percentage error=0.5%

The straight nature of the above graph verify the ohm’s law

True value Measured value Absolute error Percentage error

56.67Ω 56.96±0.72Ω 0.29Ω 0.5%

Discussion

In the experiment the ammeter’s positive terminal connect with the positive terminal of power supply
and the positive terminal of voltmeter should connect with positive end of resistor and the negative
terminal should connect with the negative end of the resistor. The voltmeter connected in parallel with
the resistor and the ammeter should connect in series with the resistor. After doing this when the power
supply turned on the current start flowing through the circuit. The ammeter measure the current flow
through the resistor and the voltmeter measure the potential difference across the resistor. When we
change the voltage of power supply the current also change across the resistor. During the experiment
we observed this by looking the ammeter and voltmeter reading. While the current and voltage vary but
the resistance of resistor is constant. This is true because the true value of resistance is 56.67Ω and the
measured value is 56.96±0.72Ω.

Conclusion

Based the slope of the graph of the voltage versus current and the data collected with the percentage
error firm the experiment values of resistor’s resistance pretty accurate and the experiment successfully
accomplished. The experiment indicate that when the resistor’s resistance higher the amount of current
flow through the resistor’s slow (smaller). This confirms ohm’s law.

Solutions

1: An ammeter must connect in series. as ammeter measures current in circuit it must be connected
with a circuit element.

2: A voltmeter measure voltage across the circuit element. Hence it must be connected parallel to the
element that we have to measure voltage.

3: An ammeter used to measure the flow rate of current

4: Voltmeter has high resistance

3: The resistors satisfy ohm’s law.