Demonstrations

Series and Parallel Resistors

Code Number :	5F20.55
Disclaimer:	Reprinted by permission of Dick Berg, University of Maryland, for use on this website. The demonstrations contained and referenced herein are listed for the purposes of cataloging and describing physics demonstrations which should be conducted only under the direction of a trained instructional support professional or physicist. These demonstrations are not presented for the purpose of being conducted by persons unconnected to this Facility and/or persons not consulting with or being supervised by the recognized instructional support professional or physicist and his/her staff. The University is responsible only for those demonstrations carried out using its own equipment using established safety and scheduling policies, and bears no responsibility for those choosing to use this source material for their own purposes. All demonstrations described and contained herein are public domain, and can also be found in reference materials in libraries, bookstores, and electronic sources. Further information regarding legal liability in use of demonstrations and labs will be found on the web site Injuries in School/College Laboratories in USA. The University of Iowa Disclaimers: University of Iowa Disclaimer All Rights Reserved..
Condition :	Fair
Principle :	Series and Parallel Resisitors
Area of Study :	Electricity and Magnetism
Equipment :	Demonstration board, series and parallel resistor combinations, multimeter, batteries.
Procedure :	When using the Ohm meter the 100K resistors work best. With the series resistors you should have a reading of approx. 200 kilo-ohms, and with the parallel set the reading should be approx. 50 kilo-ohms. NOTE: Do not use the Ohm Meter on a live circuit, as this will damage the meter. We can also monitor Voltage and Current on these types of circuits. In this case the 10 K resistors seem to work the best. The voltage drops across the resistors can be measured as well as the current in each circuit.

References

"Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 45, # 3, March 2007, p. 179.

Tony Minich, "Conceptualizing Series and Parallel Circuits Through 3-D Modeling", TPT, Vol. 43, # 7, Oct. 2005, p. 448.

C. J. Efthimiou and R. A. Llewellyn, "Adding Resistances and Capacitances in Introductory Electricity", TPT, Vol. 43, # 6, Sept. 2005, p. 366.

Ronald Brown, "Series and Parallel Resistors and Capacitors," TPT, Vol. 41, # 8, Nov. 2003, p. 483

Thomas B. Greenslade Jr., "The Hydraulic Analogy for Electric Current," TPT, Vol. 41, # 8, p. 464, Nov. 2003.

W. K. Ching, M. Erickson, P. Garik, P. Hickman, J. Jordan, S. Schwarzer, and L, Shore, "Overcoming Resistance with Fractals", TPT, Vol. 32, # 9, Dec. 1994, p. 546.

"Figuring Physics", TPT, Vol. 31, # 3, Mar. 1993, p. 192.

Robert A. Morse, "Feeling" Series and Parallel Resistance", TPT, Vol. 31, # 6, Sept. 1993, p. 347.

Dale D. Long and Larry C. Bolling, "A Series / Parallel Circuit Demonstration", TPT, Vol. 19, # 1, Jan. 1981, p. 70.

B. J. Pernick, "Resistors in Parallel", TPT, Vol. 18, # 2, Feb. 1980, p. 148.

Mario Iona, "Mathematics or Common Sense", TPT, Vol. 18, # 6, Sep. 1980, p. 406.

Robert P. Bauman, "Hydraulic Models for Electrical Circuit Elements", TPT, Vol. 18, # 5, May 1980, p. 378.

Frederick A. Smith and Jerry D. Wilson, "Electrical Circuits and Water Analogies", TPT, Vol. 12, # 7, Oct. 1974, p. 396.

Antoni Amengual, "The Intriguing Properties of the Equivalent Resistances of n Equal Resistors Combined in Series and in Parallel", AJP, Vol. 68, # 2, p. 175, Feb. 2000.

"Resistors in Series and Parallel", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.

"Cells in Series and Parallel", Selective Experiments in Physics, CENCO, 1962.

Mail Questions and Comments to: Dale Stille