Simple CircuitsPhysical Science

Name _____________________________________________________ Date _____________

Objectives:1. Discuss basic electricity relationships2. Analyze the differences between real circuits and the simulated ones3. Build circuits from schematic drawings4. Use a multimeter to take readings in circuits.5. Provide reasoning to explain the measurements and relationships in circuits.

A. Observing Voltage Relationships

Procedure: Go to the following website: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/circuit-construction-kit-dc. Click on the play button to run the simulation. Click on the voltmeter tab on the right side of the screen. You should see what looks like the multimeter we use in class. You can use that to measure the voltage of the batteries. Drag three batteries onto the screen from the left side of the simulation. Measure the voltage of each separately and record the real voltage in a table like the one shown. Fill out the table on the next page with the data you collect.

Battery Voltage (V) Real Voltage (V) Simulation

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2

3

1+2

1+2+3

Analysis:

1. Describe the relationship between the number of batteries and the voltage and explain what you think might be happening.

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2. Using the simulation, what could you vary to test your description about the relationship between the number of batteries and the voltage? (Right click on the batteries to change characteristics.) Run several tests, recording your data in an organized table located on the next page.

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Number of Batteries Voltage

3. Talk to another group about their description, tests and results. Rewrite your description to include the more broad tests you did in question three.

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4. What do you see as the benefits of using the simulation?

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B. Using Voltagea. Part 1 - Virtual

Procedure: Use the simulation to build a circuit with a battery and a light bulb in the Lifelike visual mode. See below for an example.

Once again make sure the voltmeter tab is clicked so you can measure the voltage. If you need to measure the voltage of the light bulb, you can do exactly as you did for the battery. The red wire goes on one side of the bulb and the black wire goes on the other.

1. What do the little blue dots represent in the circuit?

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2. What would we call the motion of these blue dots?

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3. How does the voltage of the battery compare to the light bulb voltage? Explain what you think is happening.

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4. Right click on the battery and vary the voltage of the battery. Write observations about how the brightness is affected by voltage.

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5. What happened to the motion of the blue dots? Why did they change their motion?

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C. Using Voltage in Series CircuitsProcedure: Use the simulation to build the circuits below with a battery at about 12 volts (remember you can do this by right clicking the battery and changing it to 12) and light bulbs. Turn on the voltmeter and the non-contact ammeter to measure voltage of the battery and current into it (all you need to do hold the ammeter over top of the wire to measure the current). Record bulb brightness with descriptive language.

One Bulb Two Bulbs Three Bulbs

# of bulbs Battery voltage (v)

Current into battery (A) Brightness of bulbs

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2

3

1. Summarize the relationships between voltage, current, and brightness you observed and explain what you think is happening.

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2. Test to see if changing the battery voltage causes you to modify any of your conclusions. Explain what you measured and any conclusions you draw from your tests.

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3. What happens when you take a wire out of a circuit? Explain what you think is happening.

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D. Using voltage in parallel circuits

Procedure: Use the simulation to build the circuits below with a battery at about 12 volts (remember you can do this by right clicking the battery and changing it to 12) and light bulbs. Turn on the voltmeter and the non-contact ammeter to measure voltage of the battery and current into it (all you need to do hold the ammeter over top of the wire to measure the current). Record bulb brightness with descriptive language.

One Bulb Two Bulbs Three Bulbs

# of bulbs Battery voltage (v)

Current into battery (A)

Brightness of bulbs

1

2

3

4. Summarize the relationships between voltage, current, and brightness you observed and explain what you think is happening.

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5. Test to see if changing the battery voltage causes you to modify any of your conclusions. Explain what you measured and any conclusions you draw from your tests.

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6. What happens when you take a wire out of a circuit? Explain what you think is happening.

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