Review the circuit diagram symbols on the first page of the investigating series and parallel circuits worksheet with the students. Series and parallel circuits explained voltage current resistance. Required practical investigating series and parallel circuits there are different ways to investigate resistor networks. Included in this zip file is a powerpoint for use with the students. Ppt series and parallel circuits powerpoint presentation. To examine the voltage and current flow in a series and parallel circuit of resistors. The defining characteristic of a parallel circuit is that all components are connected between the same set of electrically common points. Compare series and parallel circuits using this worksheet to support a practical activity.
Conductors and insulators an electrostatic force will cause for charges to move. Exploring the similarities and differences between the two types of electrical circuits. Investigating circuits bchydro power smart for schools. Chapter 9 household wiring parallel circuits for homes and buildings the electrical circuits in homes and buildings are parallel circuits. Circuit with a switch, battery, ammeter and two resistors in parallel with a voltmeter figure 3. In series circuits, current can only take one path. For holiday lights, this means one bulb can burn out and not affect the rest of the circuit. And then theres a third path from 1 to 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 to 6 to 7 to 8 and back to 1 again. Review the circuit diagram symbols on the first page of the investigating series and parallel circuits worksheet with the students and clarify what the symbols represent. Investigating series and parallel circuits bchydro power. The student is able to apply conservation of energy concepts to the design of an experiment that will demonstrate the validity of kirchhoffs loop rule v0 in a circuit with only a battery and resistors either in series or in, at most, one pair of parallel branches. Iv curves should show similarity between groups, and be labeled and titled correctly. Data will vary, but should show consistency between groups collecting data at the same time. High ability h bulb requires 3 loop parallel circuits, measuring current and finding links.
In a series circuit, the resistance increases as more resistors are added in series. An introduction on how to teach the basics of parallel and series circuits, including how to do a simple lab on the difference between parallel and series circuits for light bulbs. Rules of series and parallel circuits are very important for students to comprehend. Physic lab 5 series and parallel circuits please h. In a series circuit, the current is the same at all points in the circuit. In a series circuit, there is only one path for the current to flow therefore all parts of. Usually, we find circuits where more than two components are connected together. Series parallel circuits series parallel circuits can be more complex as in this case. If the following resistors were replaced with the values indicated. When two or more devices are connected in a circuit with a variable power supply, they can be arranged in two different ways. This sort of series and parallel combination of resistors works forpower ratings, too.
Investigation in investigation 17d you will create circuits of lamps wired in parallel and series page 491. They wire two bulbs in parallel and find that many bulbs can be made to shine brightly on a single dcell when they are wired in parallel. Parallel circuits are set up so that the current has an independent path to take through each piece. Students are introduced to a switch and a motor and make a circuit that they can turn on and off. Central challenge in this investigation, students explore simple series and parallel resistor circuits with a voltmeter and ammeter and encounter. In a series circuit, there is only one path for the current to flow therefore all parts of a series circuit have the same current. In a parallel circuit, the current splits between the available paths.
Investigating series and parallel circuits worksheet. Electric circuits investigations level a investigations. A short comparison and contrast between series and parallel circuits was made in an. Seriesparallel dc circuits analysis power calculations in a seriesparallel circuit effects of a rheostat in a seriesparallel circuit knowledge check 1. The current in a series circuits splits through each parallel branch such that the total current in the main circuit is equal to the sum of the currents in each branch. Florida solar energy center series and parallel circuits page 3 understanding solar energy answer key series and parallel circuits answers laboratory manual 1. Students will work hard to memorize the rules without really comprehending why the rules are true, and therefore often fail to recall or apply the.
The current in a series circuit goes through every component in the circuit. Where series components all have equal currents running through them, parallel components all have the same voltage drop across them series. Answer the following questions about the circuit below. In this required practical activity, it is important to. Investigating series and parallel circuits teaching. Series and parallel circuits investigation instruction sheet. Increasing the number of cells connected in series, increases both the current strength through the circuit and the potential difference across the cells.
Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Investigating series and parallel circuits 102 2004, president and fellows of harvard college series circuit batteries in series 1 does the bulb light. In the series circuit the voltage across the bulbs is 3. Current in series and parallel circuits investigation youtube. The physics classroom, the laboratory, series versus parallel lab students explore series and parallel circuits in a very conceptual manner in order to determine how they are similar and how they are different. In gr 9 we will look at the other factors that influence resistance. Series circuits series and parallel circuits siyavula. Ammeters are connected in series with the circuit so all current must run through them, while voltmeters are connected in parallel giving the current another path. If charges can move through a substance, it is called a conductor. In a parallel circuit, all loads are connected in parallel to one another, forming junction points where the current can split and combine. In a series circuit, two or more bulbs are connected in a line, or a series.
Jun 10, 2010 two different student worksheets that guide them through setting up different series circuits in order to explore how the number of bulbs affects the brightness. Investigating the voltage in a series circuit and a. In this investigation, students learn how to calculate total resistance in a series circuit. V what are the advantages and disadvantages of series versus parallel circuits. Series and parallel circuits students find ways to operate more than one lightbulb in a circuit. However, a trend i have noticed in many students is the habit of memorizing rather than understanding these rules. Resistor circuits how do conservation laws apply to a simple series or parallel resistor circuit. Apparatus equipment to examine the voltage and current flow in a series and parallel circuit of resistors.
Using the diagram shown to you in step 9 for series circuit. Increasing the number of resistors in a series circuit increases the overall resistance of the circuit. Seriesparallel circuits seriesparallel circuits can be more complex as in this case. Series and parallel circuits are some of the most commonly taught concepts in units on electrical circuits. They also use ohms law to determine the resistance of a bulb at different levels of current using a potentiometer. Effect of breaking series parallel circuits at various places 1604 analogy 237 components 220 vri. C2 parallel circuits how do parallel circuits work. Buidling parallel circuits students learn that they can connect two bulbs in a way that allows both to shine brightly using a single dcell.
Also contains a teacher description of how to set up a model of a circuit using the students as electrons. There are two great advantages of parallel circuits that make them a better choice than series circuits. Therefore, all of the components in a series connection carry the same current. We will look at the difference between these two setups in circuits, specifically looking at the effects of adding resistors in series or in parallel and observing the change in brightness of bulbs. Series and parallel circuits 1 series and parallel circuits. Students use a circuit and a collection of objects to determine which materials can complete the pathway conductors and which cannot insulators. This lesson will explain and develop scientific explanations for observations.
Two different student worksheets that guide them through setting up different series circuits in order to explore how the number of bulbs affects the brightness. Laboratory in wave motion, electricity, magnetism and optics phys 2240 uploaded by. The amount of current is the same at all points in a series circuit. In a series circuit, the parts of the circuit are in a row, one after the other so current flows through them. They discover that the resistance of the bulb increases as current increases. What happens when you connect more components in series or in parallel. Each individual path through r 1, r 2, and r 3 is called a branch. Series and parallel circuits give students lots of practice working out resistance, current and potential difference in a range of circuits. Series circuits i i parallel circuits in a parallel circuit the electric current can split apart and come back together again. To investigate the effect of adding resistors to a series circuit. Circuits consisting of just one battery and one load resistance are very simple to analyze, but they are not often found in practical applications. A simulation is used to visualize electron flow through both circuit types. Creating a series circuit and a parallel circuit a student driven, handson investigation to observe light bulbs connected in a series and parallel circuit.
Investigating series and parallel circuits bchydro power smart for. Mid ability m resistor are similar to l but have slightly different qs. Tabulating current, resistance, voltage and power is a useful way. A parallel circuit has more than one pathway for the electrons to travel through. Jun 10, 2014 lower ability l cells starts with series recap and begins to set up simple parallel. It was found that through proper equipment and resistor calibration, we can calculate the measured equivalent resistances of series and parallel circuits with sufficient precision and accuracy. The use of ammeters has also been included in this chapter.
Series and parallel circuits investigation instruction. Required practical investigate resistor networks electric circuits. Central challenge in this investigation, students explore simple series and parallel resistor circuits with a voltmeter and ammeter and encounter kirchhoffs rules through inquiry. Building and comparing current intensities of series, parallel, and complex circuits stephanie marsh, moose lake high school, moose lake, mn, based upon an original activity by peggy schweiger rice high school and cathy ezrailson oak ridge high school and montgomery county college. Using the diagram shown to you in step 9 for series circuit as a reference, can you draw a circuit diagram showing 2 resistors in parallel. Andersen contrasts series and parallel electrical circuits. The wire from the negative contact of the battery goes to a bulb, and a wire from that bulb goes. The effect of a single bulb being removed and the effect of bulbs being added are investigated. In a series circuit all component have the same current amps flowing them even if the resistors have different values. In circuit b we have resistors r 1 and r 2 combined to get. Investigating series and parallel circuits some investigations and questions.
In the next picture, we again see three resistors and a battery. Show your students how to measure voltage and current and compare the two types of circuits using this simple method sheet. Investigating series and parallel circuits teaching resources. Besides being more compact, this notation is much simpler than the ordinary form when manipulating wide ranging values. Physics 2240 10 9 17 experiment 5 series and parallel circuits austin ciervo fabstract in the experiment, we performed resistor and ammeter calibration, as well as calculated the equivalent resistances of series and parallel circuits. There are two basic ways in which to connect more than two circuit components. For this entire investigation you will use the a phet circuit construction kit. A series circuit has only one path in which its current can flow. Required practical investigating series and parallel circuits. Series and parallel circuits investigation instruction sheet printout. A series circuit provides only one pathway for the electrons to move through the circuit.
Circuit construction kit series of three activitites inquiry based using phet in electricity unit. Parallel dc circuits practice worksheet with answers. Grade 9 textbook, chapter 18 on series and parallel circuits covering series. They devise a series circuit to operate two bulbs with one dcell, but the lights are dim. A key distinction between series and parallel circuits is the effect of a malfunction in one component on the rest of the circuit. Series circuits are sometimes referred to as currentcoupled or daisy chaincoupled. When multiplying, simply multiply the precision portions and add the exponents. You will be building circuits similar to the ones you will be working with in homework and exam problems.