Introduction

This experiment has an objective to verify Ohm’s Law through experimentation of several given
resistors. Ohm’s law is used to calculate the relationships between current, voltage and resistance. The
calculations are required to design a safe circuit. Ohm’s law is applied in our every-day life in electrical
things that we use, such as light bulbs, electric stoves, and others. Ohm’s law was discovered by a
scientist named Georg Simon Ohm. It published in his paper titled “The Galvanic Circuit Investigated
Mathematically” in 1827. Ohm’s principal discovery was that the amount of electric current through a
metal conductor in a circuit is directly proportional to the voltage across it, for any given temperature.
Ohm expressed his discovery in the form of a simple equation, describing how voltage, current, and
resistance related to each other: V = IR.
In this experiment, a variable power supply was used to subject a resistor (of known resistance)
to a variety of voltages. A variable DC (direct current) supply provides variable output voltages. It
contains a rotary knob which can be rotated to achieve our desired output voltages. Its symbol is similar
to dc battery with the difference of an arrowhead over it.
It is important to note throughout the experiment that ammeters must be connected in series
so that the current flows through them. The ideal ammeter has a resistance of zero so that it has no
effect on the circuit. Real ammeters have some internal resistance. While voltmeters must be connected
in parallel to resistive elements in the circuit so that they measure the potential difference across (on
each side of) the element. The ideal voltmeter has infinite internal resistance. Our voltmeters have
approximately 10 MΩ (10x106 Ω) internal resistance so that only a minuscule amount of current can flow
through the voltmeter. This keeps the voltmeter from becoming a significant path for current around
the element being measured.

Recommendation

Basing from the results of the experiment, the following recommendations can be developed:
1. New resistors and apparatus shall be used to mitigate the errors throughout the experiment.
2. Make sure that the ammeter is in series and the voltmeter is in parallel with the circuit to avoid
short circuits and burnt resistors.
3. Make sure a consistent or non-fluctuating supply of current from the outlet in order to have a
consistent and reliable data.
4. Make sure that the multimeter has been calibrated before using for the experiment.

Hewitt, Paul G., 2006. Conceptual Physics. Pearson Addison Wesley, San Francisco.

(n.d.). Retrieved February 24, 2018, from http://www.phy.olemiss.edu/lab/genlab/labmanual

/2014Manual/OhmsLaw.pdf

Kurtus, R. (2013, December 6). Ohm's Law for Simple Electrical Circuits. Retrieved February 24,
2018, from https://www.school-for-champions.com/science/electricity_ohms_law.htm#.WpFy5aiWbIU