Applied Physics Lab (DL Mode)

Report # 3

Submitted by: Group A4

ME-12 (C)

Members:
 Syed Tallay Haider
 Syed Muhammad Hassan Kazmi
 Muhammad Haroon

Submitted to: Madam Ayesha Zaheer

School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SMME)

National University of Sciences and Technology
(NUST) H-12, Islamabad

Experiment#1
 Verification of Kirchhoff's Rules

Abstract:
In this session of lab, Kirchhoff’s current as well as voltage rules are verified. This
can be easily achieved using an arrangement of resistors in the form of a mesh
which is known as the wheat-stone bridge. The current at junction points in wheat-
stone bridge as well as voltage in loops across various resistance thus observed can
be used to verify the two rules mathematically.

Theory:
Certain complex circuits cannot be solved using series-parallel techniques or ohm’s
laws developed in resistors in Series and Parallel There are, however, two circuit
analysis rules that can be used to evaluate any kind circuit, simple or complex. These
rules are special cases of the laws of conservation of charge and energy. The rules are
known as Kirchhoff’s rules.

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Rule:

Kirchhoff’s second rule which is related to the voltage of a loop can be stated as follows:
“The algebraic sum of voltages in a closed circuit loop is always equal to zero.”
ΣV =0
Kirchhoff’s second rule is simply an application of law of conservation of energy.

Kirchhoff’s Current Rule:

Kirchhoff’s first rule which related to current is also known as the point rule. It is stated
as follows:
“The sum of all currents entering a junction must equal the sum of all currents
leaving the junction.”
Σ I =0
This rule is simply an application of law of conservation of charge.

Procedure:

 Make connection of the resistances in the mesh like arrangement as

shown in the circuit diagram.
 Using voltage measuring function of multi-meter, measure voltage across
each resistance.
 Similarly, using current measuring function of multi-meter measure
current flowing through each resistance.
 Using the recorded data, we now verify the above mentioned rules.
Data Analysis:

Resistor Resistance(kΩ) Voltage(V) Current(μA)

R1 100 0.335 2
R2 100 0.442 2
R3 576 -0.335 0.5
R4 576 -0.442 0.5
R5 0.30 0 0.001

Calculations:
For Kirchhoff’s Voltage Rule:

Kirchhoff’s voltage rule for the various loops of wheat-stone bridge can be verified as
follows using the measured values of potential differences across the resistors.
Loop ACDA:
ΣV =V 1+ V 5+ V 3=( 0.335 ) + ( 0 ) + (−0.335 )=0

Loop CBDC:
ΣV =V 2+V 4+V 5=( 0.442 ) + (−0.442 ) + ( 0 ) =0

Loop ABA:
ΣV =V 1+ V 2+V 4+V 3= ( 0.335 )+ ( 0.442 )+ (−0.442 ) +(−0.335)=0

For Kirchhoff’s Current Law: States that current flowing into a junction must be
equal to current flowing out of that junction.
At Junction C:
I 1=I 2 + I 3
2 μ A ≈ 0.001 μ A +2 μ A
2 μ A ≈ 2.001 μ A

At Junction D:
I 4=I 3 + I 5
0.5 μ A ≈ 0.5 μ A+ 0.001 μ A
0.5 μ A ≈ 0.501 μ A

Conclusion:
Kirchhoff’s rule is verified by checking the summation of different currents at junctions
B and D which showed that the current flowing towards these junctions is exactly equal
to current flowing away from them. Similarly for voltage rule, the sum of various
voltages across the resistances was added and in all three circuit loops, the sum of
voltages was found to be zero. Hence, both rules have been verified experimentally in
this manner using measured values of currents and voltages.
 Experiment#2
Capacitors
Abstract:
In this experiment, the behaviour of a capacitor in an electrical circuit is studied. The
theoretical time for charging and discharging is calculated by means of various given
values of resistances and capacitances.
Theory:

When a battery is connected to a series resistor and capacitor in an RC circuit, the initial
current is high as the battery carries charge from one plate of the capacitor to the other.
The charging current approaches zero as the capacitor becomes charged up to the
battery voltage. Charging the capacitor stores energy its electric field between the
plates of the capacitor which originate at is positively charged plate and terminate at
the negatively charged one. The time taken for charging is given as.

T c =−RC × ln 1−( V
E )
Procedure:
 Various values of capacitance and resistance have been taken.
 Time taken for charging T c is calculated using these values.
 A graph between various values of resistances R against values of T c is plotted.
 Similarly, a graph of various values of capacitances C against T c is plotted as well.

Data Analysis:

Sr  Resistance   Capacitor  Tc 

1  100kΩ  100µF   9.90s
2  100kΩ  330µF   32.67s
3  100kΩ  470µF   46.53s
4  220kΩ  470µF   102.58s
5  370kΩ  470µF   172.16s

Calculation:

1) R=100kΩ , C=100µF , V=0.95V , E=1.5V

T c =−RC × ln 1−( V
E )
(
T c =−(100 × 103 × 100× 10−6 )C ×ln 1−
0.95
1.5 )
T c =−10 × ln ⁡(0.37)
T c =9.9 s

2) R=100kΩ , C=330µF , V=0.95V , E=1.5V

T c =−RC × ln 1−( V
E )
(
T c =−(100 × 103 × 330× 10−6 )C ×ln 1−
0.95
1.5 )
T c =−33 × ln ⁡(0.37)

T c =32.67 s

3) R=100kΩ , C=470µF , V=0.95V , E=1.5V

T c =−RC × ln 1−( V
E )
(
T c =−(100 × 103 × 470 ×10−6)C × ln 1−
0.95
1.5 )
T c =−47 × ln ⁡( 0.37)

T c =46.53 s

4) R=220kΩ , C=470µF , V=0.95V , E=1.5V

T c =−RC × ln 1−( V
E )
(
T c =−( 220× 103 × 470 ×10−6) C × ln 1−
0.95
1.5 )
T c =−103.62× ln ⁡(0.37)

T c =102.58 s

5) R=370kΩ , C=470µF , V=0.95V , E=1.5V

T c =−RC × ln 1−( V
E )
(
T c =−( 370× 103 × 470 ×10−6)C × ln 1−
0.95
1.5 )
T c =−173.9 × ln ⁡(0.37)

T c =172.16 s
Graph:
Graph of R against Tc:

Graph of C against Tc:

Conclusion:
In this experiment, various values of time required for charging of capacitors were
found using different values of given resistors and capacitors. Thus greater is the value
of capacitance and resistance in an RC- circuit, greater will be the time which will be
consumed for charging such a system. This is clearly demonstrated from various values
of Tc found by using the given data