Electricity 261

ACTIVITY ZONE

ACTIVITY 1 Check Yourself

Objective 1. Name the physical quantity whose unit is volt/ampere.
To verify Ohm’s law. Ans Resistance is the physical quantity whose unit is
volt/ampere.
Materials Required 2. Identify the resistor used in the activity.
Nichrome wire XY of length 0.5 m, ammeter, voltmeter and Ans Nichrome wire is used as resistor in the activity.
four cells each of 1.5 V. 3. What kind of graph is obtained by plotting the values of
Procedure V and I?
1. First use only one cell as the Ans Graph obtained is a straight line.
+V V V V–
source in the circuit. Note the
reading in the ammeter I for the
current and reading of voltmeter
V for the potential difference X R Y
I
+ –
A
K
ACTIVITY 2
across the nichrome wire XY in V
the circuit. Tabulate them in the
+ – Objective
given table. To observe the flow of current for different components.
2. Next, connect two cells in the circuit and note the readings Materials Required
of the ammeter and voltmeter for the values of current and Nichrome wire, torch bulb, 10 W bulb, ammeter, plug
potential difference across the nichrome wire. key, connecting wire and four dry cells.
3. Repeat the above steps using three cells and then four cells
in the circuit separately. Procedure
4. Calculate the ratio ofV to I for each pair. 1. Set up the circuit by connecting four dry cells of 1.5 V
5. Plot a graph betweenV and I and observe the nature of the each in series with ammeter leaving a gap XY as
graph. shown in the circuit.
Potential + –
Number of Current through A
difference across X Y
cells used in the nichrome V/I
nichrome wire,
the circuit wire, I (ampere) Nichrome wire 10 W Bulb
V (volt)
+ – K –
1 0.1 0.4 4 +
1.5 V Torch bulb
2 0.2 0.8 4
3 0.3 1.2 4 2. Complete the circuit by connecting the nichrome wire
4 0.4 1.6 4 in the gap XY .
3. Plug the key. Note the ammeter reading. Take out the
Sample graph is given as below: key from the plug.
4. Replace the nichrome wire with the torch bulb in the
difference (V)

1.6
circuit and find the current through it by measuring
1.2 the reading of the ammeter.
Potential

0.8 5. Now, repeat the above steps with the 10 W bulb in the
0.4 gap XY .
0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 Discussion/Conclusion
Current (A )
Ammeter reading is different for different components
Discussion/Conclusion because components may offer easy flow of electric
The graph V – I is a straight line. Thus, it verifies Ohm’s law. current or may offer resistance to the flow.
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Check Yourself Discussion/Conclusion

It is concluded that the resistance of a wire depends on the
1. The current is different for different components. Why? following factors:
Ans It is so because certain components offer an easy path for (i ) Length of the wire (l ) (ii ) Area of cross-section (A)
the flow of electric current, while others resist the flow.
(iii ) Nature of material of wire
2. Name a component used to regulate current without
changing the voltage source.
Ans Variable resistance (rheostat) is used to regulate current Check Yourself
without changing the voltage source.
3. Which instrument is used for measuring current? 1. Does the current depend on the length of the conductor?
Ans Ammeter is used for measuring current. Ans Yes, the current depends on the length of the conductor.
2. If current/ammeter reading decreases to half, what happens
to the length of the wire?
ACTIVITY 3 Ans The length of the wire is doubled.
Objective 3. Is there any change in current when a wire of different
materials of same length and area of cross-section is used?
To study the factors on which the resistance of conductor Ans Yes, there will be a change in current.
depends.
Materials Required
Cell, ammeter, nichrome wire and plug key.
ACTIVITY 4
Objective
Procedure
To understand resistors in series combination.
1. Complete the electric circuit consisting of a cell, an
ammeter, a nichrome wire of length l at point 1, a plug Materials Required
key as shown in circuit diagram. Three resistors of different values, battery, ammeter, plug key,
(1) K voltmeter and connecting wire.
(2)
(3) Procedure
(4)
1. Join three resistors of different values in series. Connect
them with a battery, an ammeter and a plug key.
– + + – 2. Plug the key and record the ammeter reading.
A
Electric circuit of X R1 R2 R3 Y

conducting wires –
A +V –
2. Now, plug the key and note the current in the +
ammeter.
+ – K
3. Replace the nichrome wire by another nichrome ( )
wire of same thickness but twice the length that is 2l at
point 2. 3. Change the position of ammeter to anywhere in between
4. Note the ammeter reading. the resistors and record the ammeter reading each time.
5. Now, use thicker wire of nichrome but of same length Discussion/Conclusion
l marked at point 3. The value of current in the ammeter is same, if it is placed
6. A thicker wire has a larger cross-sectional area. Note anywhere in the circuit.
the ammeter reading.
7. Replace nichrome wire with copper wire of same Check Yourself
length and same area of cross-section at point 4. Note
the value of the current. 1. What is the resistance of an ideal ammeter?
8. Record the differences in current in all cases. Ans The resistance of an ideal ammeter is zero.
Observations 2. What is the resistance of an ideal voltmeter?
1. The current I flows in case 1. Ans The resistance of an ideal voltmeter is infinite.
2. The current I flows in case 2. 3. In series combination, which physical quantity current or
3. The current I increases in case 3. voltage remains constant?
Ans Current is constant because in series combination current
4. The current I decreases in case 4.
remains same throughout all the resistor.
 Electricity 263

On adding Eqs. (i), (ii) and (iii), we get

ACTIVITY 5 V 1 + V 2 + V 3 = IR1 + IR 2 + IR 3
⇒ V = I (R1 + R 2 + R 3 )
Objective
 V
To study the relationship between current and potential ⇒ R = R1 + R 2 + R 3 QR = 
 I
difference when resistors are connected in series.
Materials Required
Three resistors of different values, battery, ammeter, three
Check Yourself
voltmeters, plug key and connecting wires. 1. In a circuit, three resistors of 5 Ω ,10 Ω and15 Ω are
connected in series, compare the current passing through
Procedure three resistors.
1. Join three resistors of different values in series. Connect Ans The current in series combination is same. So, the ratio of
them with a battery, an ammeter, plug key and voltmeter current will be 1:1:1.
across the ends X and Y of the series combination of 2. In a circuit, two resistors of 20 Ω and 4 Ω are connected in
three resistors.
series, find the total resistance.
+
V1
– +
V2
– +
V3
– Ans R = R1 + R2 = 20 + 4 = 24 Ω
3. What do you conclude from this activity?
X R1 P Q R2 S T R3 Y
Ans We conclude that the resistance of the combination is equal
to the sum of their individual resistances.
I I

+ –
K
–
A
+
ACTIVITY 6
Relationship between current Objective
and potential difference in
series combination To study the relationship between current I and resistance
R in a parallel circuit.
2. Plug the key in the circuit and note the voltmeter Materials Required
reading. It gives the potential difference across the series Three resistors of different values, battery, ammeter,
combination of resistors. Let it beV . voltmeter, connecting wire and plug key.
3. Now, measure the potential difference across
the two terminals of the battery. Compare the two Procedure
values. 1. Make a parallel combination XY of three resistors
4. Take out the plug key and disconnect the voltmeter. having resistances R1 , R 2 and R 3 . Connect it with a
5. Now, insert the voltmeter across the ends X and P of the battery, a plug key and an ammeter. Also, connect a
first resistor. voltmeter in parallel with the combination of resistors.
6. Plug the key and measure the potential difference across 2. Plug the key and record the ammeter reading I and also
the first resistor. Let it beV 1 . take the voltmeter readingV across the combination.
L R1 M
7. Similarly, measure the potential difference across the
R2
other two resistors. X Y
P R3 Q
Discussion/Conclusion S T
V
1. The potential difference V is equal to the sum of I + – I
potential differencesV 1 , V 2 andV 3 . K
+ –
∴ V = V1 + V 2 + V 3 ( )
– A +
Relationship between current and
resistance in parallel combination
2. Ammeter reading I remains constant throughout the
circuit. 3. Take out the plug from the key.
∴ R = R1 + R 2 + R 3 4. Remove the ammeter and voltmeter from the circuit.
V = IR and V 1 = IR1 …(i) 5. Insert the ammeter in series with the resistor R1 and
V 2 = IR 2 …(ii) record the ammeter reading I 1 .
V 3 = IR 3 …(iii) 6. Similarly, measure the current through R 2 and R 3 and let
their current be I 2 and I 3 .
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Discussion/Conclusion
1. Ammeter reading when connected in series to the circuit
I = I1 + I 2 + I 3
2. Voltmeter reading remains constantV = IR
To get equivalent resistance in the circuit,
V
I1 = …(i)
R1
V
I2 = …(ii)
R2
V
I3 = …(iii)
R3
On adding Eqs. (i), (ii) and (iii), we get
V V V 1 1 1
I1 + I 2 + I 3 = + + , I =V  + + 
R1 R 2 R 3  R1 R 2 R 3 

1 1 1 1
⇒ = + +
R R1 R 2 R 3

Check Yourself
1. What is the relationship between the currents?
Ans The total current I is equal to the sum of the separate currents through each branch of the combination.
2. Two resistors of 30 Ω and 60 Ω are connected in parallel in an electric circuit. How does the current passing through the two
resistors, compare?
Ans 2:1, as current in 30 Ω resistor is two times in comparison to that in 60 Ω resistor.
3. What do you conclude from this activity?
Ans We conclude that the reciprocal of the equivalent resistance of a group of resistances joined in parallel is equal to the sum of the
reciprocals of the individual resistance.