Class Group : S27

Lab Group’s : No 4

CENTRE OF FOUNDATION STUDIES

FOUNDATION PHYSICS II
LABORATORY REPORT

Experiment Ohm’s Law Experiment

Lab Instructor’s Name Madam Nurul Huda Binti Mohd Noor

Date of Experiment 3 March 2021

Member 1 Nur Alia binti Zamzuri (2020877984)

Member 2 Noor Zattynaimi Binti Zullanizan (2020464026)

Member 3 Syahidatul Asreen Binti Khairudin (2020882336)

Marks

Comment
 ABSTRACT

This experiment is conducted virtually through a website with a readily circuit and adjustable
length of conductor with an objective to determine the conductor’s resistance, R of different
lengths 0.5 and 1.0 m. The R is obtained through a formula of Ohm's Law,
V = IR
V : potential difference
I : current

The graph of V versus I is plotted for the two different lengths to determine the value of R
obtained is constant for each length throughout the virtual experiment. The persistent value of R
from the gradient produced a graph with a straight line and thus the conductor is proved to obey
Ohm's Law. The differences in R values for the m of the length of wire, shows that R is directly
proportional to L . R also inversely proportional to area, A which is kept constant throughout the
virtual experiment. This relation is obtained from the formula of resistivity,ρ,
𝑅𝐴 𝐿
ρ = 𝐿 ,R=ρ 𝐴

INTRODUCTION

Ohm’s law states that current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to
the potential difference or voltage across two points and inversely proportional to the resistance.
the equation that describes the relationship is

𝑉
I= 𝑅

I represent the current in the unit of ampere, V is the potential difference measured across the
resistance in the unit of volts and R is the resistance of the conductor in the unit of ohms.

The law was introduced by German physicist Georg Ohm and was published in 1827. He
discovered that for metallic conductors there is a substantially constant ratio of the potential
difference between the end conductor.

A digital ammeter and voltmeter is a commonly used device in measuring the current and
potential difference in a circuit.Rheostat is included in this experiment to provide variable
resistance and as result it varies the potential difference and current in the circuit.

On the other hand, the use of two different lengths of wire may vary the resistance in the circuit
as the relationship between the resistance and length of wire is proportional. The resistance of a
thin wire is greater compared to a thick wire because thin wire has fewer electrons to carry the
current.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the resistance, R with two different lengths of conducting wires made of the same
material.
 METHODOLOGY

The circuit diagram can be seen by clicking on the 'Show circuit diagram' checkbox seen inside
the simulator window. The slider is used to select the length of the resistance wire which is 0.5m.
Connections can be made as seen in the circuit diagram by clicking and dragging the mouse from
one connecting terminal to the other connecting terminal of the devices to be connected. The
0.5m wire is dragged and placed on the voltmeter to have it connected. Lastly, once all
connections are made, the key at the center is inserted into the switch. Slowly move the rheostat
contact to change the current flow which are 1.50V, 2.00V, 2.50V, 3.00V, 3.50V and 4.00V. The
readings are shown both in Voltmeter and Ammeter. The experiment is repeated using different
lengths of wire which is 1.0m.

RESULT

Length of Experiment Voltmeter reading, Ammeter reading, I Resistance, R (ohm)

wire (m) V(V) (A) R = V/I

0.5 1 1.50 0.75 2.0

2 2.00 1.00 2.0

3 2.50 1.25 2.0

4 3.00 1.50 2.0

5 3.50 1.75 2.0

6 4.00 2.00 2.0

Table 1

Length of Experiment Voltmeter reading, Ammeter reading, I Resistance, R (ohm)

wire (m) V(V) (A) R = V/I

1.0 1 1.50 0.38 3.95

2 2.00 0.50 4.00

3 2.50 0.63 3.97

4 3.00 0.80 3.75

5 3.50 0.90 3.89

6 4.00 1.00 4.00

Table 2
 ANALYSIS GRAPH

Graph of I versus V (0.5m wire )

Graph of I versus V (1.0m wire )

 CALCULATION

● Example calculation on how to find R from the graph

Length of the wire = 1.0m

1 = y2 - y1
R x2 - x1
R = x2 - x1 = V6 - V1
y2 - y1 I6 - I1
= 4.00 - 1.00
1.50 - 0.38
= 2.68Ω

Average resistance value :

R = 3,95 + 4.00 + 3.97 + 3.75 + 3.89 + 4.00
6
= 3.92Ω

Experimental resistance value = 2.68Ω

Actual resistance value = 3.92Ω

● Percentage error

= Actual value - Experimental value x 100%

Actual value
= 3.92 - 2.68 x 100%
3.92
= 31.63%

DISCUSSION

Ohm’s law is named after a German physicist , Georg Simon Ohm (1787-1854), is a formula
used to determine the relationship of potential difference,V and current,I. according to it, V is
directly proportional to I, while resistance,R is the constant throughout the changes of V and I
values. R has SI units of volt per ampere, called ohms (Ω)because R is the ratio of V to the I.
This formula is essential to determine the R value because R cannot be determined directly from
an operating circuit. The conductor that obeys the Ohm’s Law (results in linear of the graph V
versus I) is said to be ohmic. Most conductors are ohmic such as aluminium, zinc and copper.

R in a circuit results from the collisions between electrons carrying the current. The difference
of R values for two different lengths is due to the rising of electrons’ collision because the
distance travel is increasing. Diameter of conductor is kept constant to uncease the area, A of the
conductor. If the A is increased, the collisions of electrons is decreased due to the large capacity
of the electrons pathway and thus result in an increasing amount of current.
 CONCLUSION

The virtual experiment that we have conducted resulted in the constant resistance throughout
the changes of potential difference and the graph potential difference versus current plotted
resulted in a linear form which conveys that the conductor is ohmic for each length of wire. The
length of 1.0 m has higher resistance than 0.5 m. The 0.5 m length of wire shows no error of
experimental value of resistance while the 1.0 m length shows 31.63% of error from the actual
resistance value.

REFERENCES

- College Physics, 11th edition, Global Edition, (2018) Raymond A. Serway,

Chris Vuille: United States.
- Fluke Corporation (2021, Jan 12) What is Ohm’s Law? [Blog post], Retrieved
from https://www.fluke.com/en-my/learn/blog/electrical/what-is-ohms-law.
- Amrita University. OLABS.[Lab Simulation], Retrieved from
http://amrita.olabs.edu.in/?sub=1&brch=4&sim=99&cnt=4.
PRE-LAB QUESTIONS

1. What do you understand by the term “ohmic material”?

● Any material, component, or device that obeys Ohm's law, where the current through the
device is proportional to the voltage applied.

2. Sketch a graph of current, I versus voltage, V for an ohmic material. What does the gradient of
the graph indicate?
● The gradient indicates the resistance, R

3. If you are given two different lengths of wires, a unit of voltmeter, a unit of ammeter, a unit of
power supply and a rheostat, how does the value of the wire resistance be determined? Show your
experimental setup based on the stated apparatus.

POST-LAB QUESTIONS

1. Suppose that the conducting wire in this experiment is replaced with a semiconductor
wire. Does the Ohm’s Law can be observed in this situation? Explain your answer.
● Semiconductor materials characteristics are between conductors; and insulators’. The
resistance is not a constant. Therefore, the graph of its potential difference versus current
would not result in a linear form.

2. Besides the wire length, how does area affect the resistance of the wire?
● The cross-sectional area of the wires will affect the amount of resistance. Wider wires
have a greater cross-sectional area. The less resistance that there will be to the flow of
electric charge.