Resistors in Series and Parallel
Alphonse Rossaint V. Sambrano
General Physics 2
alphonse_sambrano@dlsu.edu.ph
Abstract— This experiment focuses on the voltages,
currents, and resistances in a series and parallel circuits.
This experiment aims to determine the relationship
between the currents and voltages across each individual
resistor in a series, parallel, and series-parallel
combination, verify them experimentally and at the same
time, calculate the equivalent resistance of a series, parallel,
and series-parallel combination of resistors theoretically
and experimentally. The experiment was divided into three
parts; the first part of the experiment, which made use of a
series circuit, yielded a 28.91% difference between
calculated and measured resistance, the second part of the
experiment, which made use of a parallel circuit, yielded a
14.92% difference between calculated and measured
resistance, and the third part of the experiment, which
made use of a series and parallel combination, yielded
16.67% difference between calculated and measured
resistance and 1.90% difference between calculated and
measured voltages. In all parts of the experiment, there was
no % difference between calculated and measured currents.
To minimize the percent difference in the three procedures,
proper reading of voltmeter and ammeter must be done and
the time expended for reading the devices must be
decreased to maintain the amount of the voltage source.
INTRODUCTION
I.
This experiment makes use of the Ohm’s law.
Most of the equations in this experiment are derived
from this concept. Ohm’s law shows the relationship
between the voltage and current in an ideal
conductor. The relationship states that “the potential
difference across an ideal conductor is proportional
to the current through it”. It can be expressed through
equation 1:
𝑉 = 𝐼𝑅 . . . (1)
where V is the potential difference between two
points, I is the current flowing, and R is the constant
of proportionality or resistance [1].
A circuit, simply speaking, is a closed loop
through which electricity can flow. It is composed of
individual electronic components, such as resistors,
transistors, capacitors, inductors and diodes,
connected by conductive wires or traces through
which electric current can flow. Resistors limit the
flow of electrons through a circuit. In resistance in a
circuit allows for an uninterrupted flow of electricity
from the source of power, passing through the
conductor or wire, towards the load and back again
to the source of power. The two most common types
of closed circuits are the series and parallel circuits
[2].
In a series circuit, there is only one path for
electrons to flow in a counter-clockwise direction. A
series circuit has resistors (labelled as R1, R2, and R3
and so on), connected in a long chain from one
terminal of the battery to the other. Figure 1. shows
an example of a series circuit. In a series circuit,
where resistors are arranged in a chain, the current
flows in only one direction. Therefore, the current is
the same through each resistor. However, the
potential difference is shared through the resistors.
Since the voltage is shared throughout the resistors,
when added, it makes up the total voltage. There are
different resistors, thus different values of resistance.
The total resistance can be obtained by adding all of
the individual values of the resistors’ resistance. All
of these are expressed through equations 2,3, and 4,
respectively [3]:
𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 = 𝐼2 = 𝐼3 . . . (2)
𝑉𝑇 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 + 𝑉3 . . . (3)
𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3 . . . (4)
Meanwhile, in a parallel circuit all components are
connected across each other, forming exactly two
sets of electrically common points. A parallel circuit
also has resistors (labelled as R1, R2, and R3 and so
on), but this time they form more than one
continuous path for electrons to flow. Each
individual path is called a branch. Figure 2. shows an
example of a parallel circuit [3]. In a parallel circuit,
resistors are arranged with their heads and tails
connected together. The current is distributed into
different branches of the circuit and then recombined
after being connected into the same wire, indicating
that the current may have different values when
travelling through the wire. The total current is
obtained by adding different current values
measured throughout the circuit. However, voltage
remains the same throughout the parallel circuit. The
total resistance is computed by adding the reciprocal
of the sum of reciprocals of the different resistor
values. These can be expressed using equations 5, 6,
and 7, respectively [3].
𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 + 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 . . . (5)
𝑉𝑇 = 𝑉1 = 𝑉2 = 𝑉3
. . . (6)
1 1 1 1
= + + . . . (7)
𝑅𝑇 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅3
The objective of the experiment is to determine the
relationship between the voltages and currents across
each individual resistor in a series, parallel, and
series-parallel combination and verify them
experimentally. The experiment also aims to
calculate the equivalent resistance of a series,
parallel, and series-parallel combination of resistors
theoretically and experimentally.
II. METHODOLOGY
The experiment requires the use of the following
materials; Three (3) Decade resistance boxes, 3V-
DC power supply, 3V-Voltmeter, 500mA-Ammeter,
VOM, and a set of wire connectors. The experiment
was divided into three parts; resistors in series,
resistors in parallel, and resistors in series-parallel
combination.
A. Resistors in Series
For the resistors in series, they were set to 10Ω (R1),
20Ω (R2), 30Ω(R3), respectively. The resistors were
set up in a series circuit as shown in figure 3.
Fig. 3 Setup for resistor in series circuit [3].
The voltage of each were then measured using the
voltmeter and were then recorded in Table 1 labelled
as V1, V2, V3 and VT. The currents were also
measured using the ammeter by connecting them at
the nodes labelled as a, b, c, e, and f on Figure 4 and
were then recorded labelled as I1, I2, I3 and IT.
The resistance, voltage and current were calculated
using the Equation 1, 2, 3, and 4 and were recorded
in Table 1b, 1c, and 1d.
B. Resistors in Parallel
For the resistors in parallel, they were set to 15Ω
(R1), 30Ω (R2), 40Ω(R3), respectively. The resistors
were set up in a parallel circuit as shown in figure 4.
Fig. 4 Setup for resistor in parallel circuit [3].
The voltage of each were then measured using the
voltmeter and were then recorded in Table 1 labelled
as V1, V2, V3 and VT. The currents were also
measured using the ammeter by connecting them at
the nodes labelled as a, i, e and g on Figure 5 and
were then recorded labelled as I1, I2, I3 and IT. The
resistance, current and voltage were calculated using
the Equation 1, 2, 3, and 4 and were recorded.
C. Resistors in Series-Parallel Combination
For the resistors in a series-parallel combination,
they were set to 10Ω (R1), 20Ω (R2), 30Ω(R3),
respectively. The resistors were set up in a series-
parallel circuit as shown in figure 5.
 be true for series circuits. The current, however, did
not vary across different resistors, with a value of
0.0355A, also equal to the calculated current using
equation 3, proving the equation true for series
circuits. Also, the calculated total resistance using
Fig. 5 Setup for resistor in series-parallel circuit [3]. the total measured voltage and current is 80.28Ω
while the measured resistance using Equation 4 is
The voltage of each were then measured using the 60Ω, generating a percent difference of 28.91%. This
voltmeter and were then recorded in Table 1 labelled may be to the manufacturing tolerance of the
as V1, V2, V3 and VT. The currents were also resistors and the time it took to measure the voltage
measured using the ammeter by connecting them at of the voltage source as the voltage decreases with
the nodes labelled as a, c, e, g and h on Figure 6 and time. This proves Equation 4 to be true for series
were then recorded labelled as I1, I2, I3 and IT. The circuits.
resistance, voltage and current were calculated using
the Equation 1, 2, 3, and 4 and were recorded. TABLE III.
RESISTORS IN PARALLEL CONNECTION
III. RESULTS AND D ISCUSSIONS
Decade Box Measured Measured
TABLE I.
RESISTORS IN SERIES CONNECTION Resistance, Ri Voltage, Vi Current, Ii
(Ω) (volts) (amperes)
Decade Box Measured Measured R1 = 10 V1 = 2.60V I1 = 0.15A
Resistance, Ri Voltage, Vi Current, Ii R2 = 20 V2 = 2.60V I2 = 0.075A
(Ω) (volts) (amperes) R3 = 30 V3 = 2.60V I3 = 0.055A
R1 = 10 V1 = 0.50V I1 = 0.0355A Measured Measured
R2 = 20 V2 = 0.85V I2 = 0.0355A VT = 2.60V IT = 0.28A
R3 = 30 V3 = 1.50V I3 = 0.0355A
Measured Measured
VT = 2.85V IT = 0.0355A 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑉𝑇 /𝐼𝑇 1 1 1 1 %
= 𝑅 +𝑅 +𝑅
𝑅𝑇
(Ω) 1 2 3 difference
(Ω)
𝑅𝑇 = 𝑉𝑇 /𝐼𝑇 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑅3 % 9.29Ω 8Ω 14.92Ω
(Ω) (Ω) difference
80.28Ω 60Ω 28.91%
Measured IT 𝐼𝑇 = 𝐼1 = 𝐼2 = 𝐼3 %
(amperes) (amperes) difference
Measured VT 𝑉𝑇 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 + 𝑉3 % 0.28A 0.28A 0%
(volts) (volts) difference
2.85 V 2.85 V 0%
Measured VT Measured Individual %
(volts) Voltage (volts) difference
Measured IT Measured Individual % V1 = 2.60V 0%
(amperes) Current (amperes) difference 2.60V V2 = 2.60V 0%
I1 = 0.0355V 0% V3 = 2.60V 0%
0.0355A I2 = 0.0355V 0%
I3 = 0.0355V 0% The data gathered in Table 2 is in contrast with that
of Table 1. Also, the measured voltage across the
As shown in Table 1, the measured voltage across three resistors and the total voltage is the same with
the three resistors varies with values 0.50V, 0.85V, a value of 2.60V, which is also equal to the
and 1.50V, respectively. By using Equation 2, the individual voltages of the resistors, proving equation
total measured voltage (VT) is 2.85V, which is also 5 to be true for series parallel circuits. The current,
equal to the calculated voltage, proving equation 2 to however, varies for every resistor with values 0.15A,
0.075A, 0.055A, respectively. The total measured measured current is 0.10A, same with the calculated
current is 0.28A, which is the same as the calculated currents, verifying Equation 3 and 6 to be true even
total current, proving equation 6 to be true for for series-parallel circuits. Also, the calculated total
parallel circuits. The calculated total resistance using resistance using the total measured voltage and
the total measured voltage and current is 9.29 Ω current is 26Ω while the measured resistance using a
while the measured resistance using Equation 7 is 8Ω, combined equation of 4 and 7 is 22Ω, generating a
generating a percent difference of 14.92%. The cause percent difference of 16.67%. This may also be
of the percent difference is the same as with the caused by the manufacturing tolerance of the
series circuit. This verifies Equation 7 to be true for resistors, improper reading of the voltmeter and
series circuits. ammeter and the time it took to measure the voltage
TABLE III. of the voltage source as the voltage decreases with
RESISTORS IN SERIES-PARALLEL COMBINATION time. This verifies Equation 4 and 7 to be true even
for series-parallel circuits.
Decade Box Measured Measured
Resistance, Ri Voltage, Vi Current, Ii IV. CONCLUSIONS
(Ω) (volts) (amperes)
R1 = 10 V1 = 1.20V I1 = 0.10A Ohm’s law states that the current on a conductor
R2 = 20 V2 = 1.45V I2 = 0.06A that is between two points is directly proportional to
R3 = 30 V3 = 1.45V I3 = 0.04A the voltage across the two points. The resistance is
Measured Measured independent from the value of the current and it is a
VT = 2.60V IT = 0.10A constant. This law was verified in this experiment
and was used to determine values for the series and
𝑅 𝑅 parallel circuit’s properties such as the voltage,
𝑅𝑇 = 𝑉𝑇 /𝐼𝑇 𝑅𝑇 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅 2+𝑅3 %
(Ω) 2 3 difference current and resistance. It was also verified that in a
(Ω) series circuit, the current is the same through each
26Ω 22Ω 16.67% resistor, the potential difference is shared through the
resistors, that when added, it makes up the total
voltage, and the total resistance can be obtained by
Measured 𝑉𝑇 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉3 %
adding all of the individual values of the resistors’
VT (volts) difference
resistance. On the other hand, it was also verified that
𝑉1 + 𝑉2 = 2.65V 1.90%
2.60V 𝑉1 + 𝑉3 = 2.65V 1.90% in a parallel circuit, the voltage is the same through
each resistor, the current is distributed into different
branches of the circuit that when added, the total
Measured IT Measured Currents I1 % current will be obtained, and the total resistance is
(amperes) and I2 and I3 (amperes) difference computed by adding the reciprocal of the sum of
𝐼1 = 0.10A 0% reciprocals of the different resistor values.
0.10A 𝐼2 + 𝐼3 = 0.10A 0%
REFERENCES
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total voltage is 2.60V, while the total calculated [2] Guhawati. Soclof, S. (2015). How Circuits Work.
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