DISCUSSION:
Simple circuits are part of everyday life. While electricity is dangerous and should be respected, it is important to understand how to handle. Be careful not to leave the circuit on too long and try to avoid touching the resistor as it will get very HOT.

PURPOSE:
During this lab you will investigate the Ohm's Law Experiment. You need to determine the relationship of current, resistance, and potential difference through experimentation and graphing. You will also determine the resistance of TWO resistors and determine your experimental error.

PROCEDURES:

Go to the website http://phet.colorado.edu/web-pages/index.html

Click on "Go to the simulations"

Click on "Circuit Construction Kit"

1) Create a circuit with one battery, one resisitor, and one ammeter. You need to click the Ammeter and Voltmeter on in the "Tools" section.

2) Look at your resistor. Using the color code, determine and record the actual resistance for your resistor.

3) Measure the voltage "across" the resistor. Record the Current and the voltage. If anything reads 0 check that you have a complete circuit and that you are measuring in the correct place.

4) Remove the resistor and replace it with a light bulb.

5) Measure the voltage and current again across and through the light bulb.

6) Click on the "Grab Bag"

7) Remove the light bulb and pick something from the grab bag to replace it with.

8) Measure the voltage and current again across and through the object.

9) Repeat for two more objects from the grab bag.

Caluclation: Use 5-steps to calculate the resistance of each item in the circuit. You only need to show ONE sample 5-step calculation. Record all resistances in the data table. Calculate % relative error for actual resistor.

QUESTION 1: Why is the voltmeter not connected to the circuit? What would it measure if it was?

QUESTION 2: Why is the ammeter withing the circuit? What would it read if it was placed across the resistor like the voltmeter?

QUESTION 3: Why is the voltmeter in parallel and the ammeter in series?

QUESTION 4: Which object had the most resistance? Why do you think that is?

QUESTION 5: As the resistance goes up what changes?

QUESTION 6: As the resistance goes up what stays the same?