Physics Laboratory Report

Title PHYS 121A –Ohm’s Law-

Current, voltage and resistance
measurement.
Lab number and Title: LAB 215
Ohm’s Law-Current, voltage and
resistance measurement.
Name: Alvaro Heredia Gil Group ID:

Date of Experiment: 03 /07/ 2024 Date of Report Submission: 03 /21/ 2024

Course & Section Number: Instructor’s Name: Matias Daniel de

Almeida
Phys121A-032
Partners’ Names: Marwa Ibrahim,
Daniel Chica and Nick Davis.

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this experiment are to measure current with an ammeter,
voltage with a voltmeter and resistance with an ohmmeter. Also to study the
properties of Ohm’s law and circuits of series, parallel and combination of
both. The last objective of the lab is to study the characteristics of non-
Ohmic device (LED) by measuring the voltage and correspondent current.

1.2 THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

For this experiment you need to know Ohm’s law (1) where v is the voltage
measured in volts, I is the intensity of the current measured in amperes and R
is the resistance measured in ohms.

V=I·R (1)

In electrical circuits, series and parallel configurations exhibit distinct

behaviors concerning resistance (R), current (I), and voltage (V). In series
circuits, the total resistance is the sum of individual resistances, resulting
in a higher total resistance. Current remains constant throughout all elements,
while voltage is divided among components in proportion to their individual
resistances. Conversely, in parallel circuits, total resistance is inversely
proportional to the sum of the reciprocals of individual resistances, leading
to a total resistance lower than any individual resistance. Total current is
divided among the available paths, while voltage remains the same across all
elements connected in parallel. These fundamental differences in the
distribution of R, I, and V between series and parallel circuits are crucial
for understanding and effectively designing electrical systems.

2 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

In this experiment, an array of electronic components and tools were employed to

explore the principles of Ohm's Law and the behavior of electrical circuits.
The setup included an electronic connection board and a DC power supply, which
provided the necessary voltage for the experiments. Electronic board connectors
and banana cables facilitated the connections between various components. A
selection of resistors with values of 1 kΩ, 5-6 kΩ and 5.6 kΩ were used to
create different levels of resistance within the circuits. For the
visualization of current and voltage, two digital multimeters were used; one
with a yellow probe for precise voltage measurement and another with a black
probe for accurate current measurement. Additionally, an LED was included to
study the characteristics of non-Ohmic devices.

Part I: Ohm’s Law and Measuring Current through an Electric Circuit

The first part of the laboratory focused on the verification of Ohm's Law by
measuring current flow through a resistor. Using the provided resistors and
setting up the circuit as per the instructions, we ensured that the multimeters
were properly connected, one for measuring voltage and the other for current.
The power supply was set to provide specific voltages, and the resulting
current was recorded. The relationship between the voltage applied and the
current measured through the resistors was analyzed and used to calculate the
resistance, demonstrating Ohm's Law in practice. These findings were plotted
and the slope of the voltage-current graph was compared to the expected
resistance value. We used a 5600Ω resistance.

Part II: Series Circuits

In the second part, resistors were connected in series to examine how current
flows through each component. The total resistance was determined by measuring
the voltage drop across each resistor and using Ohm’s Law. The experiment
required careful assembly of the circuit and precise measurements of voltage
and resistance to understand the series configuration. We used a 5-6kΩ,1kΩ and
5.6kΩ resistances and 12V constant power supply.
Part III: Parallel Circuits

The third part investigated the characteristics of parallel circuits. The same
resistors used in the series circuit were now connected in parallel, and the
digital multimeter was used to measure the total current. The voltage applied
across each resistor was the same, 12V; however, the current through each
resistor was different, highlighting the principles governing parallel
circuits.

Part IV: Combined Series and Parallel Circuits

The final part combined the elements of the previous two configurations into a
single circuit with resistors in both series and parallel arrangements. This
required computation and measurement of the total effective resistance,
followed by a verification of the current and voltage across the circuit when
connected to the power supply. This part bridged the concepts learned in the
earlier sections, providing a comprehensive understanding of circuit behavior.
We used a power supply of 12 V and same resistances as before.

Part V: Non-Ohmic Devices

The experiment started with a low voltage to safeguard the LED and
incrementally increased the voltage while observing the change in current, thus
illustrating the LED’s unique voltage-current relationship. By measuring the
voltage across and the current through the LED at different points, the
resistance was calculated, highlighting its variance with voltage and
challenging Ohm’s Law’s applicability to non-linear devices.
3 EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Measured values of the resistances:

5-6 kΩ resistance=is 5400 kΩ.

Part I: Ohm’s Law and Measuring Current through an Electric Circuit

The value obtained by measuring the resustance with the Ohmeter is 5540Ω,but
its specifications say it is 5600Ω. We use 5540Ω for calculations.
We obtained the following relationships of Ohm’s law:
Volts I - mA
3.98 0.718
6.01 1.084
8 1.442
10.03 1.808

Part II: Series Circuits

Measured values
Itotal=0.966mA
Vtotal=11.73V
V at 5.6 kΩ resistance=5.39V
V at 1 kΩ resistance= 0.96V
V at 5-6 kΩ resistance=5.36V

Part III: Parallel Circuits

Itotal=15.93mA
Vtotal=11.73V
I at 5.6 kΩ resistance=2.13mA
I at 1 kΩ resistance= 11.73mA
I at 5-6 kΩ resistance=2.12mA
Part IV: Combined Series and Parallel Circuits

Itotal=1.811mA
Vtotal=11.82V
 I at 5.6 kΩ resistance=1.811mA
V at 5.6 kΩ resistance=10.26V

I at 1 kΩ resistance= 1.518mA
V at 1 kΩ resistance= 1.5V

I at 5-6 kΩ resistance=0.278mA
V at 5-6 kΩ resistance=1.5V

Part V: Non-Ohmic Devices

Potential V 0 2.3 2.5 2.61 2.69 2.79 2.9 3

Current I 0 0 0.004 0.44 1.99 5.1 11.05 19.54

4 CALCULATIONS
V2=V3=1.587V
 Error calculation:

Part 1

Experimental Value Theoretical value Error %

0.718 0.718 0
1.084 1.085 0.09
1.442 1.444 0.14
1.808 1.810 0.11

Part 2
Experimental Value Theoretical value Error %
V1 5.36 5.5 2.55
V2 0.96 0.994 3.42
V3 5.39 5.37 0.19

Part 3
Experimental Value Theoretical value Error %
Itotal 15.93 16.39 2.81
I1 2.13 2.166 1.53
I2 11.73 12 2.25
I3 2.12 2.22 4.5

Part 4
Experimental Value Theoretical value Error %
Itotal 1.811 1.88 3.67
I1 1.811 1.88 3.67
V1 10.2 10.415 2.07
I2 1.518 1.587 4.34
V2 1.5 1.587 5.48
I3 0.278 0.294 5.44
V3 1.5 1.587 5.48

5 ANALYSIS and DISCUSSION

Our tests showed that what we expect from Ohm's Law usually matches what
actually happens. We did find a few small differences between our results and
what we predicted. These could be because of little things like the wires or
tools we used not being perfect, or the room being hotter or cooler than we
thought. Also, the meters we used to measure things might need a bit of tuning.
When we looked at the LED, it was clear that it didn't follow Ohm's Law the way
a normal resistor does. It changed a lot depending on how much voltage we used.
This tells us that when we're using LEDs in real life, we have to be careful
about how much current we send through them.
6 CONCLUSIONS

This lab was a great way to learn more about how circuits with resistors work.
Understanding the difference between series and parallel circuits is key. We
used Ohm's Law well in this experiment and met the goals of the lab. It was
definitely a useful experiment that gave us a better grasp of Ohm’s Law. The
lab even included a part with a device that doesn't always follow the law,
showing us that the rules don't always fit every situation. I think that was
interesting.