FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING

(ELE291)

EXPERIMENT 2

DC CIRCUIT ANALYSIS (SIMULATION)

OBJECTIVES
1. To understand the concepts of Ohm’s Law and DC circuit analysis.
2. To understand the concepts of circuit connection in circuit analysis.

LIST OF EQUIPMENTS
1. Psim @ Multisim software
2. Breadboard – 1 unit
3. DC power supply – 1 unit
4. Digital Multimeter – 1 unit
5. Wires
6. Resistors: R1=1 kΩ, R2= 2.2 kΩ and R3= 6.8 kΩ

THEORY

OHM’S LAW
Ohm's Law deals with the relationship between voltage and current in an ideal conductor. This
relationship states that: The potential difference (voltage) across an ideal conductor is proportional to
the current through it. The constant of proportionality is called the "resistance", R.

Ohm's Law is given by: V  IR

where V is the potential difference between two points which include a resistance R and I is the
current flowing through the resistance.

In a series and parallel connections of resistor, there are certain conditions relating to each type of
connection. In a series circuit, the sum of the voltage across all the series component is equal to the
applied voltage, and for parallel networks, the sum of the currents in the branches is equal to the
supply current. These two conditions can be described using Kirchhoff’s Law.
CIRCUIT CONNECTION
Series Connection
For impedances that is connected in series, addition of the impedances can be calculated by adding
each of the impedance.

Parallel Connection
For impedances that is connected in parallel, addition of the impedances must be calculated by using
parallel concept from right to left part of the circuit.

Figure 2.1 shows different type of circuit connections, series, parallel and series parallel
combinations.
Series Parallel Series parallel combination

R1 R4

R1
+ +
+ V R2 R3 R5
R2 R1 R2 R3 V
V -
- -

RT  R1  R2  R3 1 1 1 1 RT  [(R4  R5 ) || R2 || R3 ]  R1
  
RT R1 R2 R3

Figure 2.1

DIVIDER RULE

Voltage Divider Rule (VDR): When the voltage must be divided among various resistor in series, the
voltage divided as follows:

𝑅1
𝑉1 = ×𝑉
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅2
𝑉2 = ×𝑉
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

Current Divider Rule (CDR): When a current must divide among various resistor connected in parallel,
the current is divided as follows:
 𝑅2
𝐼1 = ×𝑖
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

𝑅1
𝑖2 = ×𝑖
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL): The algebraic sum of the currents entering a node is zero.

I2
I1
I3

I4

Figure 2.2: Illustration of Kirchhoff’s Current Law

From Figure 2.2, the relationship between I1, I2, I3 and I4 can be described as:

 in  0
n 1

𝐼1 − 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 + 𝐼4 = 0 (2.1)

Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL): The algebraic sum voltage around the closed a loop is zero.

+ V1 -
+ V4 -

+ V2 -

+ V3 -

Figure 2.3: Illustration of Kirchhoff’s Voltage law.

From Figure 2.3, the relationship between V1 , V2 , V3 and V4 can be described as :

v
m 1
m 0

V1  V2  V3  V4  0 (2.2)
 LABORATORY REPORT:
COVER PAGE FACULTY OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PASIR GUDANG CAMPUS

COURSE: BASIC ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING ELE291

EXPERIMENT’S TITLE:
EXPERIMENT NO:
GROUP: EXPERIMENT DATE:
PROGRAMME CODE: SUBMISSION DATE:
LECTURER’S NAME: EQUIVALENT CODE:
STUDENT’S NAME ID NUMBER
1.
2.
3.
CRITERIA SUB-ATTRIBUTE WEAK POOR FAIR GOOD
SCORE WEIGTH MARK

(S) (W) (S x W)
0-2 3-4 5-6 7-8

Conducting simulation Meet at Meet at Meet at All criteria

least 2 least 3 least 4 successfully
1. Able to handle criteria criteria and criteria and achieved
equipment/software X0.5
and complete complete
2. Able to follow uncomplete the the
experimental procedure. the experiment experiment
3. Able to construct experiment
circuit/device/ hardware.
4. Proper use of tools.
5. Able to collect data
completely and
Demonstration achieved
setup experimental objectives.

Identify and solve Not able Able to Able to Able to

technical problem to identify identify the identify the identify
the technical technical the
technical problem problem technical X0.25
problem arise and arise and problem
arise solve 25 % solve 50 % arise and
of technical of technical solve all
the the technical
problem problem the
problem

Data collection Most data Most data Most data All data
are are correct are correct are X0.25
1. Able to collect data incorrect but correctly
Data completely. incomplete taken
2. Able to achieve
collection experiment
objectives
and analysis

Data analysis
X0.25
1. Ability to interpret and Weak Poor Fair Good
analyze the results
2. Able to relate
experimental results to
the theoretical
knowledge
TOTAL (MARKS)
1
/10

LECTURER’S COMMENT
PROCEDURE
PART A: OHM’S LAW
1. Construct the circuit shown in Figure 2.4 (a) by using Psim/ Multisim software. Set the value of
voltage is 0.01 V and resistor is 1 kΩ.
2. Measure the voltage and current by connecting voltmeter and ammeter through this circuit as
shown in Figure 2.4 (b). Record their values in Error! Not a valid bookmark self-reference..
3. Repeat step no 2 by replacing resistor to 2.2 kΩ and 6.8 kΩ, respectively.
𝑽
4. Calculate the value of resistor in the Table 2.1 using formula ohm’s law, 𝑹 =
𝑰

Figure 2.4 (a)

Figure 2.4 (b)

Table 2.1
Measured Calculated

Nominal (Ω) Voltage, V Current, I 𝑽

𝑹= (𝛀)
(Volt) (Amp) 𝑰

R1

R2

R3
PART B: CIRCUIT CONNECTION
a) Series connection and Voltage Divider Rule
1. Refer to Figure 2.5. Construct the circuit into Psim/ Multisim software. Then, draw a new circuit
next to Figure 2.5 showing the connection of mustimeters to measure the current I, the voltages V 1
and V2.

I1 R1

+ - I2
V1
+
VDC V2 R2

Figure 2.5

2. Set the source voltage to 8 V and measure the current I and voltage across R 1 and R2. Record
these results in Table 2.2.
3. Repeat the step above by decreasing the value of voltage, V to 6 V, 4 V, 2 V and 0 V.
4. Record your readings in Table 2.2.
5. From calculated value in Table 2.2, what can you conclude?

Answer: ………………………………………………………………………………………….

Table 2.2

Measured Calculated

Current I1 Current I2 Voltage V1 Voltage V2 Total Voltage (V1

V
(A) (A) (V) (V) + V2)

0V
2V

4V

6V
 8V

b) Parallel Connection and Current Divider Rule

I1 I2
+ +
VDC V1 R1 V2 R2
- -

Figure 2.6

6. Construct the circuit as shown in Figure 2.6.

7. Set the voltage to 10 V and connect ammeter and voltmeter through resistor, R1 and R2.
8. Measure the current I and voltage across R1 and R2. Record these results in Table 2.3.
9. Write down the answer by using CDR formula to solve the value of currents and voltages in Table
2.3 [Given: total current is 14 mA].
Table 2.3
Total
current Current I1 (A) Current I2 (A) Voltage V1 (V) Voltage V2 (V)
(A)
Measured
Calculated
14m

10. Based on the result in Table 2.2 and Table 2.3, complete the table below,
Value of Voltage V1 and V2 Value of Current I1 and I2
Series Connection Similar / Different Similar / Different
(Figure 2.5)
Parallel Connection Similar / Different Similar / Different
(Figure 2.6)
PART B: DIVIDER RULE
a) Voltage Divider Rule

R1

+
V R2
-
R3

Figure 2.7

1. Connect all resistors as shown in Figure 2.7 into required software.

2. Set the dc power supply to 15V.
3. Measure the voltages across R1, R2 and R3 and record in Table 2.4.
4. Measure the current flowing through each resistors and record in Table 2.4.

Table 2.4

Measured Calculated
R1 R2 R3 VTotal ITOTAL
Voltage (V)
Current (A)

5. Prove that V = V1 + V2 + V3

Answer: ………………………………………………………………………………………………….
b) Current Divider Rule

Itotal
1 2 3 4

+ + +
+
V IR1 R1 IR2 R2 IR3 R3
-
- - -

8 7 6 5

Figure 2.8

1. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 2.8 and set voltage source to 10V.
2. Connect voltmeter and ammeter at each resistor. Measure Itotal, IR1, IR2 and IR3 and record all
readings in Table 2.3.
3. Measure the voltage between point 1-8, 2-7, 3-6 and 4-5. Record the readings in Table 2.3.

Table 2.3
R1 R2 R3 Total

V Volts

I Amps

R Ω

4. Prove that Itotal = IR1+ IR2 + IR3

Answer:………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….