Download Ohm Zone: Series Circuit I

Ohm Zone: Series Circuit I
Name:
In this activity you will work through a guided exploration of how a simple electric circuit
works.
Goals; To model a simple circuit utilizing OhmZone shockwave circuit
simulator.
To find the relationship for current in a simple circuit
The web site we will use is “OhmZone” located at
http://www.article19.com/shockwave/oz.htm
Below is the menu from OhmZone. Click on the “popups” button that is the question mark.
This will give you a description of each of the components as your mouse moves over them.
You will find this very useful.
Modeling a complete simple circuit.
A complete circuit requires at least three distinct types of components. Start OhmZone and
build a functional circuit with only one path that contains two light bulbs.
What are the three required components?
OhmZone uses traditional current, rather than electron flow.
Place an ammeter in at least three different places in the circuit and record the current values
below.
Measure the current at the battery, this is the total current for the series circuit.
Location 1.
What is the symbol for current?
Location 2.
Location 3.
, what are the units?
What can you conclude about magnitude of the current in this type of circuit?
What would you consider a correct mathematical model for the current in series circuit? (Hint:
use only the current symbol; don’t express using Ohm’s law)
478173736
DjB
Updated: 02/26/08
Select the voltmeter and drag it to the circuit board. Notice that it jumps around connecting
across two wiring pegs. Why does it do that?
What supplies the electrical potential energy to make this circuit function?
Light bulb
wire
ammeter
voltmeter
battery
Draw a cartoon diagram and a corresponding circuit diagram of the circuit you created in the
boxes below. Move the voltmeter over each of the parts i.e. Components and write the value
of the “voltage drop” across them.
Cartoon Diagram
Circuit Diagram
Have your instructor check your circuit before continuing,
teachers’ initials.
What can you conclude about the voltage in a series of circuit?
What is the mathematical relationship between the V total and the voltage across each
component in the circuit? (Hint: use only the current symbol; don’t express using Ohm’s law)
478173736
DjB
Updated: 02/26/08