EXPERIMENT NO.

110 KIRCHHOFF’S LAWS

INTRODUCTION

Many resistor circuits cannot be reduced to simple series-parallel combinations. In Figure 1 for example,
two DC power supplies V1 and V2, and three resistors R 1, R2, and R3 are connected in a circuit that cannot be solved
by simple parallel or series combinations. We don’t need new principles to compute the currents in such a circuit.
There are some techniques that can be used to solve such problems systematically. One such technique is called
Kirchhoff’s Laws developed by the German physicist Gustav Robert Kirchhoff (1824-1887)

OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the current through resistors in a DC circuit work using Kirchhoff’s laws and compare the
values obtained with the observed ones.
2. To determine the voltage across resistors in a DC circuit using Kirchhoff’s laws and compare the values
obtained with the observed ones.

MATERIALS

3 pc resistor box
1 pc voltmeter
1 pc ammeter
10 pcs connecting wires
1 pc digital multimeter
4 pcs battery

THEORY
Kirchhoff’s Laws consists of the Junction Law and the Loop Law. A junction is a point in a circuit where 3
or more conductors are connected. In Figure 1, points B and E are junctions. A loop is a closed part of a circuit.
In Figure 1, ABEFA is a loop. BCDEB and ACDFA are also loops.
Junction Law: The algebraic sum of currents through any junction is equal to zero.
Lo I = 0
at To
Loop Law: In any loop, the sum of potential drops and voltages from the sources is equal to zero.
L
V= 0
The junction lawat
is Tbased on the law of conservation of charge while the loop law is based on the law of
conservation of energy. L

The change in length ΔL is the difference of the final length from its i
Figure 1

ΔL=L−Lo (eqn. 1)

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 To use Kirchhoff’s laws, a diagram of the network is drawn and arbitrary current directions are
marked on the diagram. The current flowing through each resistor is labeled I 1, I2, etc. The junction law is
applied to each junction to derive the junction equation. The junction equation/s that can be used to analyze
the circuit is always one less the number of junctions.

R1 R3
A B C
Wire 1 Wire 3

I1 I3

V1 I2 R2 V2

F E D
E Wire 2 Figure 1

SIGN CONVENTIONS:

Junction Law: Current entering a junction is positive and current leaving the junction is negative.
Loop Law:
Voltage source or battery: As you go around a loop, if the loop direction enters the negative terminal of the
battery, voltage is positive, otherwise voltage is negative.

Resistor: As you go around a loop and through a resistor, if the loop direction is in the same direction as the
current through the resistor, it is considered a potential drop and IR is negative. If the loop direction is
opposite the direction of the current through the resistor, it is considered a potential rise and IR is positive.

SETUP

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GUIDE QUESTIONS: (For Group Report)

1. For junction B in Figure 1, write the equation for Kirchhoff’s Junction Law.
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 EXPERIMENT NO. 110: KIRCHHOFF’S LAWS

TABLE 1. KIRCHHOFF’S LAWS

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 Experimental Computed Percentage Difference
%
I1 A A

%
A A
I2
%
I3 A A

V
Power Supply 1 Voltage (V1)
V
Power Supply 2 Voltage 2 (V2)

Resistance 1 (R1)

Resistance 2 (R2)

Resistance 3 (R3)

NOTE:
Use the link below for the virtual set-up of the experiment. You need to take a screenshot of the set-up and
include them in the lab report under the Analysis part.

https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab/
latest/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab_en.html

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