EXPERIMENT 5

SERIES- PARALLEL CIRCUIT

Objectives:

After performing this experiment, you will be able to:

1. Apply the concept of equivalent circuits to simplify series-parallel circuit analysis.
2. Compute the currents and voltages in a series-parallel combination circuit and compare
your computation with circuit measurements.

Summary

Most electronic circuits are not just series or just parallel circuits. Instead they may contain
combinations of components. Many circuits can be analyzed by applying the ideas developed for
series and parallel circuits to them. Remember that in a series circuit the same current flows
through all components, and that the total resistance of series resistors is the sum of the
individual resistors.by contrast, in parallel circuits, the applied voltage is the same across all
branches and the total resistances is given by the reciprocals formula.

Materials Needed:

Resistors:
R1- 1.5 kΩ, 9 V battery
R2- 2.0 kΩ, Multimeter
R3- 1.0 kΩ,
R4- 1.2 kΩ,

Procedure:

1. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 5-1.

2. Measure the voltages of the resistors and record in Table 5.1.
3. Measure all the currents in the circuit and record in Table 5.1.

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 Figure 5-1

TABLE 3-1
RESISTO VOLTAGE CURRENT
R
Vmeasured Vcalculated Vmeasured Vcalculated

R1 5.36V 5.3V 3.57mA 3.53mA

R2 3.74V 3.7V 1.87mA 1.85mA
R3 1.7V 1.68V 1.7mA 1.68mA
R4 2.04V 2.02V 1.7mA 1.68mA

Conclusion:
If the resistor is open in a series connection the current will not flow
but if the resistor is in a parallel connection the current will still flow but it
will decrease. When a resistor in parallel circuit is shorted the total resistance
will decrease.

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Questions:

1. If R1 is open, will there be a current in the circuit?

 When R1 is open there will be no current in the circuit.

2. If R2 is open, what happens to the total current in the circuit? (Increase or decrease)
 If R2 is open the total current of the circuit will decrease

3. When R2 is shorted, what will happen to the total resistance of the circuit?
 When R2 is shorted the total resistance of the circuit will decrease

4. Calculate the total current of the circuit when R2 is shorted.

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