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School of Engineering
Laboratory Exercise
I.D. #
Date of Submission:
Total = 35 Marks
First prepared by: Steve Baker, January 2015. Latest update by: Leonard Daley, September 2017
Objective
Introduction
One of the first people to research electricity was Gorge Simon Ohm, a German physicist who
taught mathematics. His experiments showed that a current is directly proportional to the applied
voltage and inversely proportional to the circuit's resistance. Based on his studies, Ohm proposed
an equation linking voltage, current and resistance, known as Ohm's law,
𝑉
𝐼=
𝑅
where:
𝑉 =𝐼×𝑅
𝑉
𝑅=
𝐼
Parts List
- Variable DC Supply
- Digital Multimeter
- Resistor Decade Box (to be varied to R1 = 330 Ω, R2 = 1 kΩ and R3 = 3.3 kΩ)
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Procedure
1. Set the decade box to the different resistor values indicated in Table 1, then measure and
record the actual resistances in Table 1.
Resistor Values
2. Using the circuit shown in Figure 1 below, calculate the current flowing for each value
of resistances (R1, R2, and R3) using the measured value of the resistors, and the
voltage values shown in Table 2. Record your results in the respective ‘Calculated’
columns of Table 2.
1V R1
330Ω
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Table 2: Calculated and measured current for different resistance values
3 x (1+ 1) = 6 Marks
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4. Construct the circuit shown in Figure 1 (shown repeated below) using the equipment
provided.
5. Use the digital multimeter (DMM) to measure the current flowing for each value of
resistance at each voltage shown in Table 2, and record your results in the respective
‘Measured’ columns of Table 2.
6. Show Sample Calculations of Percentage Error between Calculated and Measured values
of Currents for:
3 x (1+ 1) = 6 Marks
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7. Plot the Current vs. Voltage graph for the 330 Ω resistor for the measured values using
the graph grid below.
(2 marks)
8. Indicate on the graph the approximate value of the current if Vs = 5.5 V. No calculations
necessary.
(2 mark)
9. Indicate on the graph the approximate value of the voltage if the current I = 20 mA. No
calculations necessary.
(2 mark)
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Discussion:
Discuss in detail, providing supporting evidence, whether or not your findings (results) in this
laboratory exercise, supports or contradicts Ohm’s Law.
(6 marks)
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Conclusion
Make concluding statements about this laboratory exercise. Here you should reiterate what the
objectives were, how you went about trying to achieve these objectives, what were your
findings, what are you views on these findings, for example, state whether or not the findings
support or contradicts the theoretical expectations, and provide the evidence(s) that support
your views.
(5 marks)
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