Electrical Circuits Portfolio
Series and Parallel Circuits
Name: Angelica Castro
Directions:
1. Go to the following website: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-ac-virtual-lab 2. Click “Run now.”
You now have the raw material to create a circuit. Take a moment to look over the site and find all the different materials. To build a circuit you will need several wires, a light bulb, a voltage source, a voltmeter, and a non – contact ammeter. Play with it to see how to grab and manipulate these tools.
Click the reset all button.
A. Series Circuits
Build a simple series circuit that consists of 4-6 pieces of wire, 1 light bulb, and 1 battery (voltage source). In order to complete the circuit, the red circles at the end of each must overlap. Please note that the light bulb also has TWO circles. Your circuit is complete and working when the light comes on and the blue dots begin moving.
What do you think that the moving blue dots represent? (2 points)
I think the moving blue dots represent the flow of electrons. They are moving because they are experiencing an electric current force within the wire.
Explain what a battery does in an electrical circuit? Refer to page 606 in your textbook. (3 points)
A battery provides a source of electrical energy. A battery also converts chemical energy to electrical energy. Batteries have two voltage sources that have terminals that connect to wires in a circuit. One terminal is positive and another one is negative.
Click in the Tools boxes to get a voltmeter and an ammeter.
Put the voltmeter near the battery and place the red tab at one end and the black at the other
What is the voltage (V)? (2 points)
Voltage:___9.00 V____
Place the ammeter crosshairs over the moving blue dots. How many Amps of current (I) is flowing through your circuit? (2 points)
Amperage:___0.90 amperes___
Using Ohm’s law V = I x R (page 607 in textbook) calculate the resistance of the light bulb. Don’t forget the units!
Name: Angelica Castro
Directions:
1. Go to the following website: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-ac-virtual-lab 2. Click “Run now.”
You now have the raw material to create a circuit. Take a moment to look over the site and find all the different materials. To build a circuit you will need several wires, a light bulb, a voltage source, a voltmeter, and a non – contact ammeter. Play with it to see how to grab and manipulate these tools.
Click the reset all button.
A. Series Circuits
Build a simple series circuit that consists of 4-6 pieces of wire, 1 light bulb, and 1 battery (voltage source). In order to complete the circuit, the red circles at the end of each must overlap. Please note that the light bulb also has TWO circles. Your circuit is complete and working when the light comes on and the blue dots begin moving.
What do you think that the moving blue dots represent? (2 points)
I think the moving blue dots represent the flow of electrons. They are moving because they are experiencing an electric current force within the wire.
Explain what a battery does in an electrical circuit? Refer to page 606 in your textbook. (3 points)
A battery provides a source of electrical energy. A battery also converts chemical energy to electrical energy. Batteries have two voltage sources that have terminals that connect to wires in a circuit. One terminal is positive and another one is negative.
Click in the Tools boxes to get a voltmeter and an ammeter.
Put the voltmeter near the battery and place the red tab at one end and the black at the other
What is the voltage (V)? (2 points)
Voltage:___9.00 V____
Place the ammeter crosshairs over the moving blue dots. How many Amps of current (I) is flowing through your circuit? (2 points)
Amperage:___0.90 amperes___
Using Ohm’s law V = I x R (page 607 in textbook) calculate the resistance of the light bulb. Don’t forget the units!