An Electric Circuit Lab for General Physics Classes

TL;DR

This paper presents an electric circuit lab exercise designed for general physics classes that enables students to verify Ohm's law and compare resistances using practical measurements and analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a flexible lab setup with detailed instructions and suggestions for varying complexity to enhance student understanding of electrical resistance and Ohm's law.

Findings

Students can verify Ohm's law graphically.

The lab allows resistance comparison through measurements.

Flexible design accommodates different educational levels.

Abstract

This paper describes an electric circuit lab exercise that offers various ways of comparing the equivalent electrical resistance of three-resistor circuits. It requires the use of two multi-meters, a power supply, cables and connectors, an assortment of ceramic resistors, and breadboards. The lab lets students verify Ohm's law through graphical analysis, and perform comparisons with calculated counterparts. The lab can be shortened as well as be made more complex. Suggestions are presented on how to simplify the assignment, and on how to make it a more challenging task for students.