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Experiment 1: Resistors

Getting to know the following components

  • Digital multimeter
  • Function generator
  • Breadboard

Applying

  • direct/indirect resistance measurement
  • resistor standard series
  • mesh/node equations
  • differential resistance of an incandescent lamp

Voltage divider as voltage source

The voltage divider shown in figure 5 is in an unloaded state, as the entire current supplied by the power supply flows through the resistors $R_{\rm 1}$ and $R_{\rm 2}$ connected in series. A resistor parallel to $R_{\rm 2}$ loads the voltage divider. Set the voltage on the power supply to $12 ~\rm V$ and measure the exact voltage with a multimeter. Set up the measuring circuit shown in figure 5. For the connected load $R_{\rm L}$ = ${\rm 10} ~{\rm k\Omega}$, the voltage divider represents a voltage source. Like any voltage source, it has a source voltage (also called the original voltage) $U_{\rm 0}$ and an internal resistance $R_{\rm i}$. The internal resistance of a voltage divider considered as a voltage source results from the parallel connection of the divider resistors $R_{\rm 1}$ and $R_{\rm 2}$:
$$ R_i = R_1 || R_2 = \frac{R_1\cdot R_2}{R_1+R_2} $$
Use the measured values of resistors $R_{\rm 1}$ and $R_{\rm 2}$ to calculate the internal resistance $R_{\rm i}$ of the voltage source:

$$ R_i = $$ $$ U_0 = $$


The power $P_{\rm 0}$ supplied by the power supply can be calculated using the following equation: $$ P_0 = U\cdot I_1$$
The power consumed by the load resistance can be determined using the following formula: $$ P_L = R_L\cdot {I_2}^2$$

lab_electrical_engineering:1_resistors:fig-5-voltage-divider_v1.svg Fig. 5: Voltage divider

Draw the equivalent voltage source of the voltage divider:






What would be the value of $U_{\rm 2}$ without $R_{\rm L}$?
$$ U_{2, zero} = $$

Calculate $U_{\rm 2,L}$ and $I_{\rm 2}$ for $R_{\rm L}$ = ${\rm 10} ~{\rm k\Omega}$ using the values of the equivalent voltage source: (Provide formulas!)

$$ U_{2L} : $$

$$ I_2 : $$
Check the values by measuring:
$$ U_{2L, Meas} : $$
$$ I_{2, Meas} : $$

Check the values using Kirchhoff's rules: (Provide formulas!)
$$ U_{2L} : $$

$$ I_2 : $$

For this experiment you should

  1. be able to apply and explain the following concepts:
    1. current- and voltage-correct measurement
    2. series and parallel connection of resistors
    3. mesh and node equations (Kirchhoff's laws)
    4. passive sign convention and active sign convention
    5. ideal and real sources

You should be able to answer the following questions:

  1. Which operating mode does the source use? Which quantity is kept constant by the source?
  2. Power supplies operate in quadrants. In which quadrant is the power supply operated? What can the source then correspondingly not do?
  3. What must be considered for the (loaded and unloaded) voltage divider?
  4. How do you measure a voltage with a current meter? How a current with a voltage meter?
  5. How does an ohmmeter measure resistance?
  6. Where are the limits of linearity in real resistors?
  7. What examples are there of linear and non-linear resistors?
  8. What else can the resistance depend on?