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IN_CLASS_Circuit_lab_No_Multimeters_Lab_Report

The lab report investigates the effects of adding bulbs in series and parallel circuits on brightness using a 6 V battery and various components. Results show that bulbs in a series circuit become dimmer with each addition due to increased resistance, while bulbs in a parallel circuit maintain brightness regardless of the number added. Key differences between the two circuits include current flow characteristics and voltage distribution.

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8 views

IN_CLASS_Circuit_lab_No_Multimeters_Lab_Report

The lab report investigates the effects of adding bulbs in series and parallel circuits on brightness using a 6 V battery and various components. Results show that bulbs in a series circuit become dimmer with each addition due to increased resistance, while bulbs in a parallel circuit maintain brightness regardless of the number added. Key differences between the two circuits include current flow characteristics and voltage distribution.

Uploaded by

jyodeepkrishan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Electric Circuits – No Multimeters Lab Report

Procedure:

In the lab, we looked at how adding bulbs in a parallel and series circuit affected the brightness
of the bulbs. In this lab we used about a dozen light bulbs, a 6 V battery, alligator clips, a wire
cutter, and a switch. Firstly, we looked at a series circuit. We first started it off with a single bulb
and kept on adding bulbs until we had 3 of them. We then note what the brightness was when
each bulb was added. Next, we looked at a parallel circuit. We first started off with 2 bulbs
parallel to each other, then we kept adding one bulb for each trial and noted the brightness of the
bulbs. Additionally, we also added 2 batteries after performing each trial once for both series and
parallel circuits.

Results:

When the bulbs were in a series and a bulb was added after each trial, the bulbs got dimmer and
dimmer. But in the parallel circuit, all the bulb’s brightness stayed the same even though more
light bulbs were added to the circuit. These results stayed the same even though a second battery
was added to the circuit.

Questions:

1) Give two differences between parallel and series circuits

a. In a series circuit, all the current passes through the components and is the same.

b. In a parallel circuit, the current gets divided when it hits a junction.

2) Draw a circuit with a battery, a switch, and three resistors in parallel with one
another.
3) Draw a circuit with a battery, a switch, and three resistors in series with one
another.

4) Why are the lights dimmer in a series circuit compared with lights in a parallel
circuit?

a. In a series circuit, all the bulbs are in a line and have the same voltage. Because of
this, when a bulb gets added to the circuit, the resistance increases. As the
resistance increases, the voltage that flows to the bulbs decreases, and the bulbs
become dimmer. However, in a parallel circuit, the voltage from the battery goes
to each bulb. Due to this they don’t diminish when a new bulb is added to the
circuit, and all the bulbs light up with the same brightness.

5) You have a circuit with two resistors in parallel. Explain (qualitatively) the amounts
of current going through each resistor and why.

a. In a parallel circuit, the voltage through each resistor is the same. But the amount
of current that gets through each resistor gets divided at each junction. For
example, if the current in the circuit flows at 8 amps. When it hits a junction
where the bulbs are parallel to each other, the current gets divided evenly (4
amps) and passes through them.

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