Name: ______________________

Advisory: _____

Science Circuit Lab Instructions

These experiments will be completed in groups of 4.

Lab Report Instructions

Cover Page: Electric Circuits, name, advisory, date

Purpose: To determine the advantages and disadvantages of series circuits and

parallel circuits.

Hypothesis: Predict what will happen when you . . .

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Connect 2 bulbs in a series.

Disconnect a bulb from a series circuit.
Connect 2 cells in a series.
Connect 2 bulbs in parallel.
Disconnect a bulb from a parallel circuit.
Connect 2 cells in parallel.
Ex: I think that the bulbs will be brighter when . . .

Materials: 2 batteries (cells), copper wire (pathway), 2 lightbulbs

Procedures:
1. Set up a series circuit with 1 lightbulb and 1 cell. Record your
observations. This is your benchmark. All other circuits will be compared
to this one.
2. Set up a series circuit with 2 lightbulbs and 1 cell. Record your
observations. How are the lightbulbs different from your benchmark
experiment?

3. Remove 1 bulb from its socket in your series circuit. Record your
observations. What happens to the other lightbulb?
4. Set up a circuit with 1 lightbulb and 2 cells in series. Record your
observations. How are the lightbulbs different from your benchmark
experiment?
5. Set up a circuit with 2 lightbulbs in parallel. Record your observations.
How are the lightbulbs different from your benchmark experiment?
6. Remove one bulb from its socket in your parallel circuit. Record your
observations. What happens to the other lightbulb?
7. Set up a circuit with 2 lightbulbs in parallel and 2 cells in parallel. Record
your observations. How are the lightbulbs different from previous
experiments?

Data and Observations: Create a table to record your observations as you

experiment. You must draw your diagrams BEFORE you come to the lab and the
drawings must be included in your report.
Circuit Diagram and Description

Observations
What happens to the lightbulbs?

Analysis:
1. What happened when you put two lightbulbs in a series? Did you notice
anything different from your benchmark experiment?
2. What happened when you removed one of the lightbulbs from the series
circuit? Explain why.
3. What happened when you connected two cells in a series? Were the bulbs
different from your previous experiments? Explain why or why not.
4. What happened when you set up two lightbulbs in parallel? Were the bulbs
different from your previous experiments? Explain why or why not.
5. What happened when you removed one bulb from its socket in your parallel
circuit? Explain why.
6. What happened when you set up two cells in parallel? Were the bulbs
different from your previous experiments? Explain why or why not.

Conclusion:
1. Look at your hypothesis. Did your observations support, partly support
or not support it?
2. What do you think are the advantages of using a series circuit? What are
the disadvantages?
3. What do you think are the advantages of using a parallel circuit? What
are the disadvantages?