University of Technology, Jamaica

Faculty of Education and Liberal Studies

TVET Industrial Technology

Electrical Principles

Mr. Lewis

Lab # 4 Report

Understanding of Circuit

Rushanda Buchanan

1803538

October 15, 2019

Lab # 4

Title: Understanding of Series Circuits

Objectives/Purpose: To further understanding of a series circuit.

Equipment: resistors, digital multimeter, meg ohmmeter

Procedure:

1. For the circuit shown:

A. RT, IT, and the Voltage drop across each resistor were calculated. The values were

entered in the table below.

B. VCE, VBD, and VDA were calculated and entered in the table below.
2. The circuit was constructed shown and RT, IT, VR1, VR2, VR3, VR4, VCE, VBD, and VDA, was

measured. The values were entered in the table below, and the percent difference was

determined and recorded in table 1.

Discussion:

A series circuit is a closed circuit in which the current follows one path, as opposed to a parallel

circuit where the circuit is divided into two or more paths. In a series circuit, the current through

each load is the same and the total voltage across the circuit is the sum of the voltages across

each load. Ohm's law applies where the total resistance is equal to the sum of the individual

resistances: RT = R1 + R2 +… + RN. The total capacitance of capacitors in series is equal to the

sum of the reciprocals of their individual capacitances: RT = R1 + R2 +… + RN. Unlike a parallel

circuit, a series circuit will not function if one part is broken; that is, the current will not flow

through the rest of the circuit.

The series circuit lab was conducted to observe how voltage was shared within a circuit. The lab

was conducted to identify what the voltage at a given point within the circuit was. While doing
the calculation when Identifying the calculated voltage drop utilizing the formula (V= I * R)

where we were able to see that the voltage drop began to increase when the resistance value

increase and the largest value for the voltage drop was recorded where the most resistor or group

of resistor were quantified within the circuit.

Data Table:

PARAMETER CALCULATED MEASURED % DIFFERENCE

RT 1.7699 KΩ 1.768 KΩ - 0.1074
IT 0.0028 mA -2744 ƝA -2
VAB 0.28 V 269 mA -3.93
VBC 0.663 V 0.645 V -2.71
VCD 3.1052 V 3.027 V -2.51
VDE 0.912 V 0.888 V -2.63
VCE 4.017 V 3.917 V -2.489
VBD 3.77 V 3.676 V -2.573
VDA 4.044 V 3.942 V -2.52

Data Analysis:

The data was collected and compared to the results which was proven that when the resistance

increase the higher the voltage drop.

Error:

1. Incorrect use of prefix’s from the digital multi-meter reading.

2. The recorded resistors were placed incorrect on the circuit.
3. Default in resistors.

Conclusion:

A series circuit is a closed circuit in which the current follows one path. In a series circuit, the

current through each load is the same and the total voltage across the circuit is the sum of the

voltages across each load. To objective of the lab was so that researcher could have a better
understanding of a series circuit and that could be shown in the data collected and the data

analysis.