Download GRAPHING RESISTANCE Goal • Find the relationship between

GRAPHING RESISTANCE
Goal  Find the relationship between voltage, current and resistance.
What to Do
Use the following link to obtain data to fill in the chart below:
http://phet.colorado.edu/sims/ohms-law/ohms-law_en.html
Potential Difference V
Current I (A)
1.0
3.4
3.0
10.5
6.0
20.5
8.0
20.5
11.0
38.00
Resistance R (Ω)
Average Resistance
1. Plot a graph of potential difference (y-axis) versus current (x-axis) on the grid below. Remember to label the
axes and title the graph.
Copyright © 2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited
2. Calculate the slope of the line in questions 2. Remember to include units in your answer. Slope =
rise
=
run
change in y (current) divided by change in x (voltage)
3. Compare the slope in question 3 to the average resistance in question 1.
4. From this investigation, what is the mathematical relationship between potential difference, current and
resistance? This is called Ohm’s Law.
5. Not all resistors follow this law, Look at the following graph. There is only a certain range of data that this
nichrome wire is considered an ohmic resistor. What is this range of data in current?
Copyright © 2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited
Copyright © 2002 McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited