BASIC ELECTRICAL CIRCUITS LAB

EXPERIMENT NO – 01

PART 1: MEASUREMENT OF RESISTANCE &

CAPACITANCE

OBJECTIVE:
Introduction to the Measuring Methods of Resistance and Capacitance

EQUIPMENT/COMPONENTS REQUIRED:
1. Different Valued Resistors, Capacitors
2. VOM (Volt-Ohm-Milliammeter)
3. DMM (Digital Multimeter)
THEORY & PROCEDURE:

NOTE:
The purpose of this experiment is to acquaint you with the equipment, so do not rush.
Learn how to read the meter scales accurately, and take your data carefully. You must
become comfortable with the instruments if you expect to perform your future job function in a
professional manner.

“Resistance Measurement”

METHOD 1: Resistance Measurement using VOM/ DMM:

1. Resistance is never measured by an ohm-meter in a live network, due to the possibility

of damaging the meter with excessively high currents and obtaining readings that have
no meaning.
2. Always start with the highest range of the instrument and switch down to the proper
range successively.
3. Use the range in which the deflection falls in the upper half of the meter scale.
4. Try to ascertain the polarity of dc voltages before making the measurement.
5. Whenever measuring the resistance of a resistor in a circuit, note whether there are
any other resistive elements that could cause an error in the reading. It may be
necessary to disconnect one side of the resistor before measuring.
6. Check the zero and ohms adjustments each time the range is changed.
 7. When making measurements, grip the test prods by the handles as close to the lead end
as possible. Do not allow the fingers to touch the prod tips while measuring.
8. Keep the instruments away from the edge of the workbench, and away from heat and
dangerous fumes.

9. There is no zero adjustment on a DMM, but make sure that R=0 ohm when the leads are
touching or an adjustment internal to the meter may have to be made. Anyresistance
above the maximum for a chosen scale will result in an O.L. indication.
10. The ranges are usually marked as multiples of R. For example,

R x 1, R x 10, R x 100, R x 1 k
The value of the resistor can be found by multiplying the reading by the range setting.
For example, a reading of 11 on the R x 1 kΩ range is 11 x 1 kΩ= 11 k Ω, or 11, 000 Ω.
METHOD 2: Resistance Measuring Using Color Coding:
1. The resistance of many resistors can be determined by reading a series of colored bands
imprinted on the resistor body. In this scheme called “Resistor Color Code” each color
represents a different decimal digit, as shown in fig. 1 and Table 1.
Table 1: Resistor Color Code:
 The first three bands of the color code are used to specify nominal value of the resistance, and
the fourth, or tolerance band, gives the percent deviation from the nominal value that the actual resistor
may have. Due to manufacturing variations, the actual resistance may be anywhere in arange
equal to the nominal value plus or minus a certain percentage of that value.

Figure – 1
Capacitor Colour Code
A colour code was used on polyester capacitors for many years. It is now obsolete, but
of course there are many still around. The colours should be read like the resistor code, the
top three colour bands giving the value in pF. Ignore the 4th band (tolerance) and 5th band
(voltage rating).

For example: brown, black, orange means

10000pF = 10nF = 0.01µF.

Note that there are no gaps between the colours bands, so 2 identical bands actually
appear as a wide band.
For example: wide red, yellow means 220nF = 0.22µF.

NUMERICAL CODES

Numerical Codes are used with non - electrolytic capacitors to specify their
capacitance. Usually, these codes are 3 digit long, specifying the capacitance in Pico Farads;
the first two digits are Tens and Units, where as the third digit is power of 10.
For example: 102 means 1000pF = 1nF (not 102pF!)
For example: 472J means 4700pF = 4.7nF (J means 5% tolerance).
For example: 333K means 33000pF = 33nF (K means 10% tolerance).

Figure – 2: Capacitors
 2. The first two color bands specify the first two digits of the nominal value, and the third
band represents the power of 10 by which the first two digits are multiplied.

3- The example below demonstrates these computations.

Solution:-

Thus,
Nominal resistance = 47 x 103 Ω = 47k Ω
The possible range of actual values is:
47 k Ω ± (0.1) 47 k Ω = 47kΩ ± 4.7k Ω
Or From 42.3 kΩ to 51.7 k Ω

“Capacitance Measurement:”

CAPACITOR:

There are two types of capacitors, i.e. electrolyte and non - electrolyte capacitors. The
non-electrolytic capacitors use Paper, Mica, Ceramic, Mylar, Glass, Porcelain, Polycarbonate,
and Wax as Insulator. Figure 2 shows symbols of the two types of the capacitor. The difference
in the use of the two types of capacitors is that non-electrolytic capacitors can be charged in any
direction, where as the Electrolytic ones can only be charged in one direction. Electrolytic
Capacitors are Polar; i.e., one of its two plates is Positive and other is Negative, whereas in non-
electrolytic capacitors, both the plates are same, having no polarity.
OBSERVATION:-

TABLE –A
Resistors Colour Bands Colour Bands Nominal Maximum Minimum
1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 Resistances Resistances Resistances
Example Red, Red, Black, Gold 2 2 0 5 % 22Ω 23.1Ω 20.9Ω

TABLE - B

Resistor Measured Value Falls within specified

(VOM / DMM) tolerance
Example 23Ω Yes
1

5
 PART 2: VERIFICATION OF OHMS LAW
OBJECTIVE:
To Verify Ohms Law for a series resistive Network

EQUIPMENT/COMPONENTS REQUIRED:
1. DC Power Supply
2. Multi-meter
3. Bread Board
4. Resistors

THEORY:

Ohms Law simply states that:

"The current is inversely proportional to the Resistance. The Ohms law can be
combined mathematically to give the expression as I=V/R.
The Ohms law correctly expresses the relationship as for a fixed resistance, current increases when
voltage increases, and for a fixed voltage, Current decreases when Resistance increases.

FIGURE:

Circuit Diagram for Ohms Law Verification

PROCEDURE:

1. Construct the circuit as shown in figure.

2. Apply power to the circuit and by varying R1 measure and record the voltage drop across R2
in the Table
3. Now, break the circuit at the input and place ammeter and measure the current flowing through
the circuit and record in the table.
4. By measuring the voltage drop across , and the current through , the resistive circuit verify the
Ohms law with the equation (I=V/R)

TABLE:

Vs IT R1 R2 V

RESULTS:

ENG/ Abdulsalam alhaboob

 EXPERIMENT NO - 2
PART 1 :CHARACTERISTICS OF SERIES DC CIRCUIT
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the characteristics of a series DC circuit

EQUIPMENT/COMPONENTS REQUIRED:
1. DMM
2. DC Supply
3. Resistors of 220Ω(RR Br), 330Ω(Or Or Br) & 430Ω(Y, Or, Br).
THEORY:
In a series circuit, (Fig 4.1), the current is the same through all of the circuit elements.
The total Resistance RT =R1 + R2 + R3.
By Ohm’s Law, the Current “I” is

Applying Kirchoff’s Voltage Law around closed loop of Fig 4.1, we find.

Where,

Note in Fig 2.1, that I is the same throughout the Circuit.

The voltage divider rule states that the voltage across an element or across a series
combination of elements in a series circuit is equal to the resistance of the element divided by
total resistance of the series circuit and multiplied by the total imp4ressed voltage. For the
elements of Fig 2.1
 Figure – 2.1

Figure – 2.2
PROCEDURE:
1. Construct the circuit shown in Fig 2.2.
2. Set the Dc supply to 12V by using DMM. Pick the resistances having values 220Ω, 330Ω&
430Ω. Also verify their resistance by using DMM.
3. Measure voltage across each resistor with DMM and record it in the Table (b).
4. Measure Current I delivered by source.
5. Shut down and disconnect the power supply. Then measure input resistance RT across points
A-E using DMM. Record that value.

6. Now Calculate, respective currents (using ) and

7. Calculate V1 & V2 using voltage divider rule and measured resistance value.
8. Create an open circuit by removing R3& measure all voltages and current I.
Note: Use measured value of resistance for all calculations.
OBSERVATIONS:

a. Resistors
S.No Nominal Values Measured Values RT (Measured) RT (Calculated)
(Ω) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω)
1 R1=220 Ω
2 R2=220 Ω
3 R3=330 Ω
4 R4=430 Ω

b. Voltages

S.No Measured Value Calculated Value (V) Measured Values

(V) (VDR) When R3 is Open Circuited
(V)
1

C. Current

S.No Calculated Value (A) Measured Value of I Measured Value of I

Ohms Law (A) When R3 is Open Circuited
(A)
1

4
 PART 2 :CHARACTERISTICS OF PARALLEL DC
CIRCUITS
OBJECTIVE:
To Investigate the characteristics of parallel dc circuits

EQUIPMENT/COMPONENTS REQUIRED:
1. 15V DC Power Supply.
2. DMM.
3. 2x 1KΩ (Br, Black, Red).
4. 2KΩ(R, Black, Red).

THEORY:
In a parallel circuit (Fig 2.3) the voltage across parallel elements is the same.
The total or equivalent resistance (RT) is given by.

If there are only two resistors in parallel, it is more convenient to use.

In any case, the total resistance will always be less than the resistance of the smallest
resistor of the parallel network. For the network of Fig 2.3. The currents are related by the
following expression.

Applying current divider rule (CDR) & the network of Fig 2.4

And

Figure – 2.3
 Figure – 2.4

Figure – 2.5

For equal parallel resistors, the current divides equally and the total resistance is the value of
one divided by the ‘N’ number of equal parallel resistors, i.e.

For a parallel combination of N resistors, the current IK through RK is.

PROCEDURE:

1. Construct the circuit shown in Fig 2.5

2. Set the DC supply to 15V by using DMM. Pick the resistances values 1KΩ, 1KΩ, and 2KΩ.
Also verify their resistance by using DMM.
3. Measure voltage across each resistor with DMM and record it in the Table b.
4. Measure the currents IT, I1, I2, and I3.
5. Shut down & disconnect the power supply. Then measure input resistance ‘RT’ across points
A-B using DMM. Record that value.
6. Now calculate respective voltages (using V=IR) and RT (using equivalent resistance formula).
7. Calculate I1, I2 , I3 using CDR.
8. Create an open circuit by removing R2 and measure all voltages and currents.

Note: Use measured value of resistance for all calculations.

OBSERVATION:

a) Resistors:

S.No Nominal Values Measured Value RT Measured RT Calculated

(Ω) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω)
1 R1 = 1K
2 R2 = 1K
3 R3 = 2K

b) Voltages:

S.No Measured Values Calculated Value Measured Values when R2 is

(V) (Ohms Law) (V) Open Circuited (V)
1 V1 = V1 = V1 =

2 V2 = V2 = V2 =

3 V3 = V3 = V3 =
C) Current:

S.No Measured Values Calculated Value Measured Values when R2 is

(A) (CDR) (A) Open Circuited (A)
1 I1 = I1 = I1 =

2 I2 = I2 = I2 =

3 I3 = I3 = I3 =

4 IT = IT = IT =

ENG/ Abdulsalam alhaboob