Download questions to answer

VIRTUAL CIRCUITS LAB
Answer on the left side page adjacent to 16.2 notes on circuits. Do answer the questions, but more
importantly write down information that is useful for your understanding of these concepts.
Go to the class website and take the link to series and parallel circuit virtual lab
SERIES CIRCUITS
1) Using a battery and two wires, state which items from the “grab bag” conduct electricity:
2) Set up a circuit with one bulb and one battery. Select “show values” and/or use the non-contact ammeter, and
voltmeter to record the voltage drop across the light bulb _____________ , current in the circuit
_______________, and the resistance of the bulb __________________
3) Add another light bulb in series (just like yesterday) and record the voltage drop across light bulb 1 ___________
and light bulb 2 _______________ , current in the circuit _______________, and the total resistance of the 2
bulbs (add the resistances together in a series circuit)__________________. Sketch your circuit and label the
current, voltage, and resistance of each part.
4) Predict what these values will be for if there are three bulbs in a series circuit: voltage drop across light bulb 1
___________ , light bulb 2 _______________ , and light bulb 3 ______________, the current in the circuit
_______________, and the total resistance of the 3 bulbs (add the resistances together in a series
circuit)__________________. Test your prediction by constructing this circuit and note anything that was
different from your prediction.
5) What happens to the current and brightness of the bulbs when you add another battery to your 3-bulb series
circuit?
6) Ohm’s Law states that Voltage (V) = Current (A) X Resistance (Ω). Is this true for your 3-bulb series circuit?
7) What happens when you replace your batteries with an AC (alternating current) power source, like the
electricity that comes from the outlets in your home?
8) It is called a short circuit when there is no or little resistance in a circuit. Construct one and state why this would
not be a good thing to have happen in the electrical wiring in your home:
PARLALLEL CIRCUITS
1) Construct a 2 bulb parallel circuit with one battery. Test the voltage drop across light bulb 1 ____________ and
light bulb 2 ____________. As you pass the non-contact ammeter over the whole circuit, what do you notice
about the current? Sketch your circuit and label the current, voltage, and resistance of each part.
2) Construct a 3 bulb parallel circuit with one battery. As you pass the non-contact ammeter over the whole circuit,
what do you notice about the current? Compare this to the 2-bulb parallel circuit.
WHEN FINISHED, you may experiment using the simulation or begin vocab and notes on 16.4 using the online book.