Download Circuit Simulations Activity

Circuit Simulations
Name: ________________
Objective: To model circuits using the circuit simulator on the computer.
Go to http://www.article19.com/shockwave/oz.htm and allow the page to load.
The commands that you can give are located in the lower left part of the screen.
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Clear button: clears the circuit board
Visualize: demonstrates the direction of the current and indicates the speed of
charge flow.
The hand: Constructs various circuit types and gives explanations for each.
Also demonstrates various laws and mathematical relationships.
Pop-ups: Identifies the object that the curser rests on. (recommended)
Activities:
1. Construct a circuit with a switch, a light bulb, a voltmeter, an ammeter and a
battery. Press visualize.
What is the current in the circuit?
What is the voltage drop across the resistor?
What is the voltage across the battery? Explain the difference.
2. Construct a circuit with a switch, 2 light bulbs in series, a voltmeter, an ammeter
and a battery. Press visualize.
What is the current in the circuit?
What is the voltage drop across each resistor?
What is the voltage across the battery? Explain the difference.
3. Construct a circuit with a switch, 2 light bulbs in parallel, a voltmeter, an ammeter
and a battery. Press visualize.
What is the current in each branch of the circuit?
What is the voltage drop across each resistor?
What is the voltage across the battery? Explain the difference.
4. Construct a circuit with a switch, 2 light bulbs in series, a voltmeter, an ammeter
and a battery and then short circuit the resistors so the closed loop with the battery
is complete without any resistance. Place the ammeter in different locations and
measure the various currents. Press visualize.
What is the current in the circuit?
What is the voltage drop across each resistor?
If a 20 amp circuit breaker was in the circuit what would happen?
If there was a fuse in the circuit, explain how it would break the circuit.
Make your own unique circuit and draw it below. Label all currents and voltage drops
across resistors, bulbs or batteries.