Kella A. Ortega
BS-Psychology Undergraduate, College of Liberal Arts, De La Salle University-Manila
Taft Ave., Malate Manila, NCR, 1004
k_ort1@hotmail.com
Abstract This paper will give a report about the A. Resistors in Series
experiment Resistors in Series and Parallel, wherein the
main objectives were to differentiate between series and The main theory concept resistors in series is that,
parallel connected resistors, to identify the direction of since the resistors are connected in a series, the current
the currents and the polarity of passive devices, and to that flows through each resistor should be equal, and
determine the relationship between currents and the total voltage used in the set-up should be equal to
voltages through resistors. The experimenters were able the sum of all of the voltages of the set-up.
to accomplish all the stated objectives through the
This theory is seen put into equation through:
experiment conducted.
(1) I T =I 1+ I 2 + I 3 and (2)
Keywords Resistors, Series, Parallel, Voltage, Current
V T =V 1+V 2+V 3 .
I. INTRODUCTION
The equivalent resistance of this set-up is supposedly
A resistor determines how a current flows in an VT
electric circuit. It can regulate and resist current. The computed through (3) RT = , as derived from
degree in which resistors can perform these tasks is
IT
measured in Ohms [1]. The resistor used in this the equations (1) and (2).
experiment was the Decade Resistance Box.
In order to compute for the individual resistance
There are two main ways in which resistors can of the resistors from the set-up, the formula
be arranged or connected, namely in series and in I T R T =I 1 R 1+ I 2 R 2+ I 3 R 3 is used. Following
parallel. Resistors in series involve arranging each this, since the total current is equal to the individual
resistor one after the other to create what would seem currents that pass through each resistor, the formula
to be a line. The ends of this 'line' will be what are (4) RT =R1 + R2 + R3 is derived, indicating that
connected to the power supply [2]. An example of this the total resistance of the set-up is the sum of all the
would be a hallway filled with lights, and if one light individual resistors connected in the series [4].
were to run-out, the rest would follow [3].
B. Resistors in Parallel
Whereas, resistors arranged in parallel would
mean that the two ends of each resistor would have to In resistors in parallel, the resistors are connected
be connected to the power supply [2]. If the lights in parallel to the battery unlike resistors in series. As
the hallway mentioned earlier were connected in this such, unlike resistors in series the total current is not
manner then, even if one light were to stop working, equally flowing throughout the whole set-up, while
the rest would not follow [3]. Other than series and the voltage on the other hand is equal. This can be
parallel, there is also a type of arrangement that seen through the equations (6) I T =I 1+ I 2 + I 3
involves a combination of both series and parallel.
and (5) V T =V 1+V 2+V 3 . Also the, the total
This experiment was performed with 5 main VT
objectives in mind. The first is to be able to current may be expressed as (7) I T = .
differentiate between two kinds of connections of RT
resistors, parallel and series. Second is to be able to
know what direction of the currents and the polarity of From equations (6) and (7), this equation (8)
the passive devices used in simple DC circuits. Next is V T =V 1 +V 2 +V 3
is derived, wherein the
to be able to determine and experimentally ascertain RT =R1 + R2 + R3
the relationship between currents and voltages through
each kind of resistor. Last is to be able to calculate,
I T in equation (6) is substituted by its equivalent
through theoretical and experimental means, the in equation (7), and so forth. Then, from the derived
resistance of all kinds of resistors [4]. equation (8), the derivation of (8)
until the set-up was approved by the professor. The circuit was then re-setup in accordance to
what was indicated (Fig. 4). The positive terminal of
Fig. 1 Set-up for resistor in series the power supply was again unconnected until the
approval of the professor for the set-up was given.
After receiving the approval and connecting the
positive terminal, the voltages required (V1 or Vab, Fig. 4 Set-up for resistor in series and parallel combination
V2 or Vbc, V3 or Vcd, VT or Vad) were measured
V T =1.5 volts I T =0.023 A
TABLE 2
Table of Calculations for Resistance in Resistors in Series
VT RT =R1 + R2 + R3 % Difference
RT =
IT
62.5 60 =10 +20 +304.08
A. Resistors in Series
R2=20 V 2=0.5 volts I 2 =0.024 A Table of Calculations for Current in Resistors in Series
I 3 =0.024 A 0
R3=40 V 3=1.6 volts I 3 =0.04 A From the data acquired in the series and parallel
combination circuit (Table 9), the value of RT
Measured V T =1.6 Measured
voltswasI Tcomputed.
=0.16 A To compute for the RT , two
V
formulas were used, RT = T and
TABLE 6
IT
R R
Table of Calculations for Resistance in Resistors in Parallel RT =R1 + 2 3 . From the formula,
R2 + R3
1 % Difference V
R = RT = T , the computed resistance was
V T
1 1 1 IT
RT = T + + R R
IT R1 R2 R3 24 . From RT =R1 + 2 3 , it was
R 2 + R3
10 8.06 21.5 22 . The percent difference of 8.7 was
computed (Table 10). The difference may be due to
The proposed formula of I 1 + I 2+ I 3 was human error in reading the indicated values from the
voltmeter and the ammeter.
used to calculate for IT shows similar results as
the measured I T . As such, the % difference TABLE 9
acquired was 0% (Table 7).
Table of Measurements Acquired for Resistors in Series and Parallel
Combinations
TABLE 7
Decade Box's Measured Voltage Measured
Table of Calculations for Current in Resistors in Parallel Resistance Current
Measured I T =I 1+ I 2 + I 3 % Difference
R1=10 V 1=0.05 volts I 1 =0.05 A