Current Electricity
Students will construct series and parallel circuits with both bulbs and resistors. The lab begins with bulbs, but since taking measurements with bulbs can often be imprecise, the measurement portion of the lab uses resistors and a DC power supply.
Click here for applicable science standards Required Equipment Alligator Leads, Mini Bulb Bases, Mini Bulbs, D Batteries, Battery Holder, DC Power Supply, Assorted Resistors.
Acknowledgements: Thank you to Dwight "Buzz" Putnam for his assistance in developing this lab. Buzz is a 25 year veteran physics teacher at Whitesboro High School, New York Science Teacher of the Year and Host of the Regents Physics Answers television show on PBS. You can also find him refereeing high school basketball games as well as presenting at the NSTA National Conferences.
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Recommended quantity per lab group: 1
The "Resistors" required for this lab is readily available at your Radio Shack or electronics supply store. These should be assorted resistances from 5 to 25 ohms. Each lab group would need at least two resistors.
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