Pre Lab
Kirchhoff’s rules follow from the laws of conservation of energy and conservation of charge. These are used to analyze electrical circuits that contain combinations of batteries, resistors and capacitors. In this experiment, we are interested in investigating Kirchhoff’s rules for a direct current (DC) circuit, for which the electrical currents are constants in magnitude and direction.
The two Kirchhoff’s rules are referred to as Kirchhoff’s Junction Rule and Kirchhoff’s Loop Rule. Kirchhoff’s Junction Rule: The sum of the currents entering any point, in a closed circuit, must equal the sum of the currents leaving it; or the algebraic sum of all currents at that point is zero. In other words, This law is a restatement of charge conservation.
Kirchhoff’s Loop Rule: The algebraic sum of the changes in potential around any closed path of a closed circuit is equal to zero. In mathematical terms, this statement can be expressed as: |
Some videos on Kirchhoff's Rules
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Lab Video
Simulation
Use the simulation available at the following link to explore the construction of basic circuits.
Simulation: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc
You may use the simulation to answer the pre lab quiz questions as well.
Pre-Lab Quiz is available at the course Blackboard website
Simulation: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc
You may use the simulation to answer the pre lab quiz questions as well.
Pre-Lab Quiz is available at the course Blackboard website
Lab
This week you will be completing the Series and Parallel Circuits lab and Kirchhoff's Law Lab found your lab manual.
We will be using the Snap Circuits and multimeters as well as the circuit construction sim to complete this lab.
We will be using the Snap Circuits and multimeters as well as the circuit construction sim to complete this lab.
Post Lab
Please post a reflection on the lab experience on the Complex Circuits Lab Reflection discussion board on the course Blackboard site.
Be sure to include:
Be sure to include:
- What you did
- Why you did it
- Any interesting observations
- What you learned from doing the lab