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OhmZone
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Objective: Construct a Parallel Circuit with four loads (4 lamps in parallel) and measure voltage and current in the circuit. Identify the Parallel Circuit rules for current and voltage.

Procedure: Log on to the web site listed above.

Construct a parallel circuit with four lamps (loads in parallel). To the circuit add a single battery and a single switch in series. Place connecting wires appropriately to complete the circuit. Draw a schematic diagram of the circuit you built below.

 

 

 

Have your instructor view your circuits before continuing and initial your worksheet. ______

Measurements: Voltage

Place the voltmeter to measure the source voltage from the battery. Record the total voltage below. Measure the voltage drop across each lamp. Record data.

Vs = Total Voltage from the Battery = _________Volts

Location

Voltage (Volts)

  

Lamp #1

  

L1

Lamp #2

L2

Lamp #3

  

L3

Lamp #4

L4

What is the relationship between the Source Voltage (Vs) and the Sum of voltage drops across each lamp (Vt)?

Do you agree for a parallel circuit that Vs = V1 = V2 = V3 = V4 = ……Vn? ___________

Measurement: Current

Use the ammeter to measure the current flowing from the battery and out of each lamp (load). Be careful to measure only the flow out of each lamp. Press the "Visualize" button on the screen to view the flow of electrons.

Record all data in the table below:

Location

Current (amps)

Battery (flowing out) = Is

  

Lamp #1 (flowing Out) = I1

  

Lamp #2 (flowing Out) = I2

  

Lamp #3 (flowing Out) = I3

  

Lamp #4 (flowing Out) = I4

  

What pattern do you see to all the current measurement in a parallel circuit? ___________

 

Write an equation to show this pattern using the symbols Is, I1, I2 , I3 , and I4.


How are the voltmeter and ammeter placed in the circuit to make a correct measurement?

____1) voltmeter         b) connected in parallel to provide another path for electrons to follow.

____2) ammeter         c) connected in series to maintain only one path for electrons to follow.

Which meter forces all the current into the meter for the measurement? ______________

Which meter creates an alternate path for the electrons to follow? __________________

Which meter measures the flow rate of electrons? ______________________

Which meter measures the energy per charge used by each load? ___________________

 

Briefly describe a parallel circuit and summarize the facts about this type of circuit in the space below:

A parallel circuit has ____________ path(s) for the charge to flow through. 
If one lamp burns out what happens to the other lamps? ______________________

Adding more lamps to a parallel circuit will increase the total  __________ and
decrease the total _________________.

The total current in a parallel circuit is _____________________ through the lamps.

Each lamps has a voltage drop.  How does the lamp voltage compare to the battery voltage in a parallel circuit?

How is the total resistance calculated in a parallel circuit?

Are you lamps in your home wired in Parallel with each other? _________  Explain how you know
the way they are wired.