Virtual Laboratory: Circuit Construction Kit - DC: Instructions

VIRTUAL LABORATORY: CIRCUIT CONSTRUCTION KIT – DC
INSTRUCTIONS:
 For this activity you will use the online simulator from by clicking on the
link:https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/circuit-construction-kit-dc/latest/circuit-construction-kit-
dc_en.html
 Put your recorded data and answers in a separate word file. Include screenshots of your circuits in your
word file.
 Refer to figures below for circuit diagram symbols:

I. Observing Voltage and Current Relationships with Resistors
Use Circuit Construction Kit (CCK) to build the circuit below. Vary the voltage of the battery at least 5 times. Record the
battery voltage and the current in a table.
Resistance: 10 ohms
voltage current
5 0.5
10 1
15 1.5
20 2
25 2.5
Guide Questions:
a. Explain what causes the change in current.
-When the voltage of the battery changes, that causes to change the current as well.
b. How are current and voltage related?
- Current are related through ohm’s law which states that electric current is directly proportional to voltage and
inversely proportional to resistance.
Change the position of the voltmeter (refer to the figure below). Vary the value of the resistor at least 5 times. Record in
a data table: resistance, current, and voltage for each trial.
voltage Resistance current

10 5 2
10 10 1
10 15 0.67
10 20 0.50
10 25 0.40
Guide Questions:
a. Describe the relationship of current and resistance
- The relationship between current and resistance is inversely proportional to each other.
b. Describe the relationship of voltage and resistance.
- There is no relationship between the voltage and resistance. When either one is changed, nothing happens to
the other.
II. Using Voltage in Series Circuits
Use the CCK to build the circuits below with a battery at about 12 volts and light bulbs. Turn on the voltmeter
and ammeter to measure the voltage of the battery and current into it. Record your data on the table below.
Describe bulb brightness with descriptive language.
# of bulbs Battery voltage (V) Current into battery (A) Brightness of bulbs
1 12 1.20 Bright
2 12 0.60 Less bright
3 12 0.40 Least bright
Guide Questions:
a. Summarize the relationships you observed and explain what you think is happening.
-The current that is released from the battery is being divided between the different lightbulb, causing its
brightness fall/fade of the bulbs with each addition.
b. Test to see if changing the battery voltage causes you to modify any of your conclusion.
- We tested the current at a different voltage, and came to the same conclusions
c. What happens when you take a wire out of a circuit? Explain what you think is happening.
-Nothing will change since the wire doesn’t have its own voltage and its purpose is only a transportation for a
charge
d. Test using the voltmeter in different ways. (For example: Does it matter if you take the reading on the left or
right of the battery? Switch the meter ends?) Describe your tests and results.
-No matter where we test it, the voltage and the current are constant/consistent throughout the system. Hence,
all of the tests conducted were consistent
III. Using Voltage in Parallel Circuits

Redo Part II but use figures 4-6 for the circuits.
# V A brightness
1 12 1.20 Bright
2 12 2.40 Bright
3 12 3.60 Bright
Guide Questions:
a. Summarize the relationships you observed and explain what you think is happening.
- Its lightbulb brightness was not affected by the number of bulbs attached to the system.
b. Test to see if changing the battery voltage causes you to modify any of your conclusion.
-It only strengthens it because the lightbulbs make the same adjustments. Therefore, it does not change our
conclusion.
c. What happens when you take a wire out of a circuit? Explain what you think is happening.
-The lightbulb connected to the break turns off and the part of the circuit breaks while the others continue to
light up.
d. Test using the voltmeter in different ways. (For example: Does it matter if you take the reading on the left or
right of the battery? Switch the meter ends?) Describe your tests and results.
-Since each bulb is given the same amount of energy, they glow in unison. Though, it changes through the circuit
since some of the energy is given to the light bulb.
IV. Resistors in Series Circuits

Construct the circuit in Figure 1. Assign different values for each resistor and record the value of each resistor.
Use the ammeter moving it to take readings in the different places seen in Figure 2. Then, use the voltmeter to
take voltage readings. Record your readings on the table below. Use Ohm’s Law (V = IR, where V=voltage,
I=current, R=resistance) to calculate for the total resistance in the last column.
Battery voltage: 10 volts
resistor Voltage (v) Current (a) resistance

1 1.67 0.56 3
2 3.33 0.56 6
3 5.00 0.56 9
t Vt = 10 At = 0.56 Rt= 17.86(v divided by
a)
Guide Questions:
a. How is the total resistance related to the individual resistances? Total current to the individual currents? Total
voltage to the individual voltages?
-The total resistance and all of the resistances are added together. The current will stay consistent and the volts
are totalled up to the equal voltage of the battery.
b. Explain why these relationships occur in a series circuit.

-These happens because the circuit is in a circle that in effect goes around and keeps the current in one place.
V. Resistors in Parallel Circuits
Construct the circuit in Figure 2 with the same value of resistors that you used in part IV. Use the ammeter
moving it to take readings in the different places seen in Figure 2. Then, use the voltmeter to take voltage
readings. Record your readings on the table below. Use Ohm’s Law (V = IR, where V=voltage, I=current,
R=resistance) to calculate for the total resistance in the last column.
Battery voltage: 10 volts
resistor Voltage (v) Current (a) resistance

1 10 3.33 3
2 10 1.67 6
3 10 1.11 9
t Vt = 10 At = 6.11 Rt =1.64 (v divided by
a)
Guide Questions:
a. How is the total resistance related to the individual resistances? Explain why.
- The total resistance is the average of all the resistances because it is related.
b. Look up for the formula to calculate total resistance in a parallel circuit. Show that your data fits the equation by
computing for the percent error.
-Vt/At =Rt (10/6.11=1.64)

Virtual Laboratory: Circuit Construction Kit - DC: Instructions

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Virtual Laboratory: Circuit Construction Kit - DC: Instructions

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Virtual Laboratory: Circuit Construction Kit - DC: Instructions

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

VIRTUAL LABORATORY: CIRCUIT CONSTRUCTION KIT – DC

 Refer to figures below for circuit diagram symbols:

b. How are current and voltage related?

voltage Resistance current

III. Using Voltage in Parallel Circuits

IV. Resistors in Series Circuits

Battery voltage: 10 volts

resistor Voltage (v) Current (a) resistance

b. Explain why these relationships occur in a series circuit.

V. Resistors in Parallel Circuits

Battery voltage: 10 volts

resistor Voltage (v) Current (a) resistance

You might also like