PHYS 103
LAB REPORT: SERIES AND PARALLEL ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
Laboratory reports are an essential component of a physics education.
INSTRUCTIONS
Take pictures of the setup when prompted by the assignment and put the photos into a Word
document. Label each step prior to the photo with the step in the instructions and include a
summary of your observations for each activity within the Word document. Make sure to
include photos of the entire circuits with batteries and with appropriate background as to be
able to see the conductors and the on/off status of the bulbs.
Activity 1
Submit Name and Date Photo
Photo of Single Bulb Connected to Battery
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Photo of two bulbs in Series Connected to Battery
Photo of two bulbs in Series with Battery Disconnected
Photo of three bulbs in Series Connected to Battery
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Photo of three bulbs in Series with Battery Disconnected
Discuss observations of series circuits here:
The single bulb would light up since the circuit is complete
The one with two bulbs would light up but were a little dimmer because of the resistance change
by adding one circuit
With three bulbs it was a lot more dimmer and when you remove one lamp the circuit is not
complete and won’t come on.
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Activity 2
Photo of two bulbs in Parallel Connected to Battery
Photo of two bulbs in Parallel with Battery Disconnected
Photo of three bulbs in Parallel Connected to Battery
PHYS 103
Photo of three bulbs in Parallel with Battery Disconnected
Discuss observations of parallel circuits here:
With two lamps they would both light up
When we disconnect the battery with two bulbs the circuit is broke and nothing will light up
3 lamps when connected parallel equals all of the lamps to light up
When you disconnect the battery you will break the circuit and nothing will light up
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PHYS 103
Activity 3
Photo of Serial/Parallel Circuit Connected to Battery
Photo of circuit with the single bulb (R1) that is in series with the parallel (R2, R3) bulbs
disconnected.
Photo of circuit when R2 bulb (one of the two lamps in parallel) is disconnected.
PHYS 103
Discuss observations of the combination circuits here:
Bulb one that is closer to the source is brighter than the other two which illuminates dimmer.
When you have three bulbs with 2 disconnected, the two bulbs will break the circuit and nothing
will be lit.
3 bulbs and have one disconnected, the other two bulbs will be very dim but stays lit.
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