Download Series cirucits

Product: Inquiry Lab Template
Two labs that are nicely paired that allow students to develop the laws that
govern series and parallel circuits
Grade Level/Subject
Physics
Unit
Circuits
Enduring
Understanding
Charge exists everywhere in a circuit. A power supply gives these
charges energy, which may then be converted to other forms of
energy
SOL Objectives
PH.11 The student will investigate and understand how to
diagram,
construct, and analyze basic electrical circuits and explain the
function of various circuit components. Key concepts include
a) Ohm’s law;
b) series, parallel, and combined circuits;
c) electrical power; and alternating and direct currents.
Series and Parallel Circuits
Title
Lesson Objective
Determine the mathematical relationships that exist in parallel and
series circuits
Inquiry Level
2
Materials Required
Circuit building supplies (wires, multiple resistors, at least 1
voltmeter and ammeter per group)
Note: Although multiple meters are shown, students are verbally
directed before the lab to move the meter from location to location
Note: Be sure the wires that you use have small enough resistance
so that the parallel circuit shows the proper relationship. Skinny
wires often cause enough loss that the relationship is lost,
Series circuits
Part A
a) Build the following circuits and observe the brightness of the light bulb in each case. All
light bulbs should be the ROUND light bulbs.
Circuit 1:
Circuit 2:
R1
Circuit 3:
R2
R3
R4
R5
R6
Questions:
1. How does the brightness of R2 compare with R1?
2. How does the brightness of R2 compare with R3?
3. How does the brightness of R5 compare with R3?
4. How does the brightness of R6 compare with R4?
5. Based on your observations, how does the amount of current flowing in a circuit change as light bulbs
are added? Explain your thoughts.
6. Based on your observations, compare the amount of current flowing through R4 compare with R5 and
R6? Explain your thoughts.
Part 2:
Abatt
Set up the following circuit. Record the resistor sizes in
the chart below. For each circuit, measure the current at
each of the marked locations. Record the data in the
table below.
A1
A2
A3
Part 3:
V1
Change the meters but keep the resistors the
same. For each circuit, measure the voltage at
each of the marked locations. Record the data in
the table below
Vbatt
V2
V3
Battery
R1=
R2=
R3=
Current
Voltage
Questions:
1. What general trends can you see/observe about current in a series circuit?
2. What general trends do you see/observe about voltage in a series circuit?
Parallel circuits
Part A
b) Build the following circuits and observe the brightness of the light bulb in each case. All
light bulbs should be the ROUND light bulbs.
Circuit 1:
Circuit 2:
R1
Circuit 3:
R2
R4
R3
Questions:
7. How does the brightness of R2 compare with R1?
8. How does the brightness of R2 compare with R3?
9. How does the brightness of R5 compare with R3?
10. How does the brightness of R6 compare with R4?
R5
R6
Abatt
Part 2:
Set up the following circuit. Record the resistor
sizes in the chart below. For each circuit, measure
the current at each of the marked locations. Record
the data in the table below.
A2
A1
R2
R1
Part 3:
Change the meters but keep the resistors the same. For each circuit, measure the voltage at each of the
marked locations. Record the data in the table below
Vbat
R2
V1
Battery
R1=
R1
R2=
Current
Voltage
Questions:
3. What general trends can you see/observe about current in a parallel circuit?
4. What general trends do you see/observe about voltage in a parallel circuit?
V2