APPLIED ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

Morehead State University

Shane Holbrook
ITEC 141: DIRECT CURRENT CIRCUITS
LAB EXPERIMENT 3
Power in DC Circuits
INSTRUCTOR: MR. COMBS
GROUP MEMBERS:
Jordon Kurz
DATE: 09-17-2015

Objective:
The overall objective of this experiment is to gain a better understanding of power in the form of a
variable resistance, all the whilst showing an understanding of this knowledge by actively plotting power as
a function of its resistance. This involves an understanding of Ohms law, as well as Wattss law. Through
experimentation, we can show that we actively understand how the forces of current, resistance, and
voltage interact and form.
Materials and Equipment:

One 2.7k Resistor

One Agilent U1241A Multimeter

One Photo-Board PB-503 Trainer (Also acting as our required 10k Potentiometer and our DC
Voltage source)

One LED Lightbulb

Wires of various lengths

Procedures:
Our first step was to gather the required materials listed in our work instructions(Lab Book). Then
after bringing the materials to our table we began to read the instructions given, and map out our most
efficient way of completing the given assignment.
We began with our Table two portion of our assignment, which involved first setting the DC voltage
of the trainer to 12V. After this was confirmed we began running our wires on the breadboard to our 2.7k
resistor, and then to the 10k potentiometer available of the trainer. Then we began to find our
measurements, as you can imagine this took some time switching from resistance to volts over and over
again, checking the potentiometer and then the resistor with each required change. Until the entire table two
chart was completely filled out.

Then we moved on to the next step, which involved getting the voltages for the LED lightbulb.
Once again, this took quite some time as we had to switch from changing the overall DC voltage, and then
checking both the LED lightbulb and then the voltage across the 2.7k resistor.
The steps from here were simply fill out the remaining plots, and calculations of the needed parts of
the remaining sections. This included the evaluation questions, application problem, and the further
investigation. Although it is to be noted that in the lab setting me and my partner did gather the results for
the measurements, the remainder of the assignment was done separately.
Findings:
Table 1
Component
R1

Listed Value
2.7k

Measured Value
2.66k

Table 2
Variable Resistance

V1

V2

Power in R2:

Setting (R2)

(Measured)

(Measured)

0.5k
1.0 k
2.0 k
3.0 k
4.0 k
5.0 k
7.5 k
8.651 k

10.113 V
8.724 V
6.823 V
5.639 V
4.797 V
4.165 V
3.145 V
2.834 V

1.887 V
3.276 V
5.177 V
6.361 V
7.203 V
7.835 V
8.855 V
9.166 V

(V 2 )2
P2=
R2
7.12 mW
10.73 mW
13.40 mW
13.49 mW
12.97 mW
12.28 mW
10.45 mW
9.71 mW

Plot 1

Plot 1
15

10
P2 (In mW)
5

0
0

10

R2 (In k )

Conclusion:
Although the results that we did obtain during the lab did vary, for example in table 1, the
measurement for the resistor at 2.7k measured out to be 2.66k . This however has a valid explanation.
As we know resistors have either a gold or silver band on the end which is an allowance of either 5% or
10%. This more than explains why we came up with those measurements for the resistors. It is also to be
noted that power, voltage in the trainer seemed to dissipate when measuring, or sort of trickle off over time.
So as we measured it would slowly begin to fall a little bit by little bit in our multimeter. So that goes
without saying that to make the measurements equal 12V in table two and in the application problem on the
following pages, I had to allocate extra thousandths of numbers to the actual voltage measured to make the
equations valid.
With all of this being said, the basic concept of this experiment is to overall understand the
relationship of currents, voltages, resistance, and power. How all of these factors interact and play on and
off of each other. As can clearly be seen in the previous tables and plots, power as it appears as Watts, in
relation to resistance is quite erratic. It appears that the power was at its greatest when the voltage was
closest across the two resistors (2.7k and 10k potentiometer).
In the following application problem it is even more evident how other factors play their roles, such
as amperes in relation to Ohms and Watts. It is clearly evident that all of these factors are merely

equations in which can be flipped in almost a seemingly endless ways to find the other. They seem to be
almost reciprocal in ways. When using Ohms law and Watts law it is much easier to understand how each
factor changes based on the other once you clearly understand how each equation works and the difference
in the terminology of the factors.

Further Investigation:
Plot 2

Plot 1
10
8

Current (In mA) Also Voltage V

Current

Voltage

2
0
0 2 4 6 8 10
R2 (In k )

Application Problem:
Table 3
Vs
IT
V1
VLED
1.255 V
464.81 A
0V
1.255 V
2V
740.74 A
249 mV
1.751 V
3V
1.11 mA
1.193 V
1.807 V
4V
1.48 mA
2.165 V
1.835 V
5V
1.85 mA
3.147 V
1.853 V
6V
2.22 mA
4.132 V
1.868 V
7V
2.59 mA
5.120 V
1.880 V
8V
2.96 mA
6.109 V
1.891 V
9V
3.33 mA
7.099 V
1.901 V
10 V
3.70 mA
8.090 V
1.910 V
11 V
4.07 mA
9.082 V
1.918 V
12 V
4.44 mA
10.074 V
1.926 V
*Note that the colored line shows when the LED actually became visibly lit.
Plot 3

PLED
583.34 W
1.14 mW
1.21 mW
1.25 mW
1.27 mW
1.29 mW
1.31 mW
1.32 mW
1.34 mW
1.35 mW
1.36 mW
1.37 mW

Plot 1
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
Power of LED (In mW) 0.6

LED

0.4
0.2
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Voltage supply (In Volts)

Evaluation and Review Questions:

P=IV so 115 V ( 1.5 mA )=172.5 mW
1.
2. The power would then be allowed to increase.
3. It is the maximum amount of power a resistor can withstand without becoming damaged. Obviously
the Voltage, current, and resistance.
4. W=Work or Joules
5. 2.88kW because 24 m a2 ( 56 )=2.88 kW
P
500 mW
6.
I=
So
=7.07 mA
R
10 k