Introduction:

There are three basic types of circuits (series, parallel, and combination).  In this activity you will be constructing series and parallel circuits. Visit, review, and take the quiz at the end of the online instruction.  Record your answers to the first conclusion question in the write up for this lab.  Make sure you draw each circuit and use the correct symbols for circuit components provided below.

What type of circuits do we use in our homes?
 

• If current is passed through a series circuit, then the current will be ....... throughout the circuit.
• If current is passed through a parallel circuit, then the current will be ...... through out the circuit.

Materials:

Safety:  Make sure you have wired a switch into your circuit.  If the wires should become hot to touch, open the switch and wait a few minutes for it to cool.

Using the information from the BBC - Bitesize Physics site construct a series circuit using the batteries, ammeter, switch, (3) lights, and the (5) 3 cm pieces of copper wire. Draw this on your lab paper using the symbols provided in the materials section.  Be sure that the ammeter and the switch are wired in series in the circuit.

• Use the ammeters to register the amount of current at two locations (one before the lights and one after the lights).  Record these measurements on your schematic drawing.
• Take out the 7 cm piece of copper wire.  Touch the wire so you short circuit one light in series.  What happens to the bulb that was short circuited and to the brightness of the two other bulbs?
• Unscrew one light bulb and record what happens to the rest of the light bulbs.
• Using the information from the BBC - Bitesize Physics site construct a parallel circuit using the batteries, ammeter, switch, (3) lights, (2) 15 cm pieces of copper wire, (6) 3 cm pieces of wire.  Draw this on your lab paper using the symbols provide in the materials section.  Be sure the ammeter and the switch are wired in series in the circuit and the lights are in parallel.

• Use the ammeters to register the amount of current at two locations (one before the lights and one after the lights).  Record these measurements on your schematic drawing.
• Unscrew the first light in the series circuit.  What happens to the other two bulbs?
• Take out the 7 cm piece of copper wire.  Touch the wire so you short circuit one light in series.  What happens the bulb that was short circuited and to the brightness of the two other bulbs?
• Unscrew one light bulb and record what happens to the rest of the light bulbs.
• Design a combination circuit using the materials provided and sketch this on your lab paper.  Record ammeter reading at three locations in the circuit and record those on your schematic diagram.

1. Write the answers to the quiz at BBC.com from the introduction here.
2. What happened to the light bulb in the series circuit when you unscrewed the first light bulb?  What happened in the parallel circuit?
3. Which way would you wire lights in a room in your house, in parallel or series?  Why?
4. How were the ammeter readings different between parallel and series circuits?
5. Why did the ammeter and switch need to be wired in series and not parallel?
6. If you were to put a fuse or circuit breaker in your circuit would you wire them in series or parallel?  Why?
7. Which method/s of wiring will you use to run wire from the generator to the homes and businesses on EdVenture Island?  Why?