Components of the Circuit

LED: A light-emitting diode is a two-lead semiconductor

light source. It is a p–n junction diode that emits light
when activated.

Battery: An electric battery is a device consisting of one or

more electrochemical cells with external connections
provided to power electrical devices.

Multimeter: A multimeter is an electronic measuring

instrument that can typically measure voltage, current, and
resistance.

Breadboard: A breadboard is a construction base for

prototyping of electronics.

Resistor: A resistor is a passive two-terminal electrical

component that implements electrical resistance as a
circuit element.

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 Verification of Ohm’s Law

Aim: To verify Ohm’s Law

Apparatus Required:
1. Breadboard
2. LED
3. Resistors: 100 Ω, 1k Ω
4. 9 V Battery
5. Connecting Wire

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6. Multimeter

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Circuit Diagram:

Theory:
The current flowing through a component can be
calculated if the voltage drop across it and its resistance is
known. Therefore, Ohm’s law is:

V=R×I
Here, V is the voltage drop across the component
measured in volt, I is the current passing through the
component measured in ampere, and R is the resistance of
the component measured in ohm.

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It can also be said that the ratio of voltage to current
remains the same for a fixed resistance.

Procedure:

1. Take the breadboard

2. Connect the 9 V battery on the breadboard.
3. Connect an LED and a 100 Ω resistor on the
breadboard in such a way that there is a gap (no
connection) between the negative terminal of the LED
and one (left) end of the resistor.
4. Connect the positive terminal of the LED to VCC and
the right leg of the resistor to ground.
5. Take the multimeter and rotate its knob to 200m in
direct current region (A)
6. Connect the red probe of the multimeter to the
negative terminal of the LED and the black probe to
the left leg of the resistor. Two probes of the meter
complete the circuit, and hence the LED glows. The
multimeter shows the current reading in mA.
7. Replace the 100 Ω resistor with a 1 kΩ resistor.
8. Again, connect the red probe of the multimeter to the
negative terminal of the LED and the black probe to
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 the left leg of the resistor. The multimeter shows the
reading

Observations:

Case 1: When the 100 Ω resistor is used, the current in the

circuit is 64.1 mA.

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The LED glows more brightly in case of the 100 Ω resistor
than in the 1 k Ω resistor.

Case 2: When the 1 kΩ resistor is used, the current in the

circuit is 7.6 mA.

Calculations:
Battery Voltage = 9 V ; Resistance= 100 Ω

Using Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law,

Battery Voltage= Voltage Drop across LED + Voltage Drop

across Resistor

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A red LED needs a minimum voltage of 2.0-2.6 V to light
up. In doing so, a voltage drop of approximately 2.6 V
takes place across the LED. Hence, VR = 2 .6V

V= VLED + VR
Thus, VR=6.4 V
Theoretically, according to Ohm’s Law,
V=IR or I=V/R
Itheoretical=6.4/100=0.064 A (Current can be converted into
milliamperes by multiplying its value by 1000)

Thus, Itheoretical =64 mA

From experiment, Ipractical= 64.1 mA
Thus, Ipractical ≅ Itheoretical

Result:

The experimentally obtained value of current is

approximately equal to the theoretically calculated value

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Thus, Ohm’s Law is verified.

Kirchoff’s Current Law

Aim: To verify Kirchoff’s Junction Law.

Apparatus Required:
1. Breadboard
2. LEDs of two different colours
3. Resistor: 330 Ω , 1 kΩ
4. 9 V Battery
5. Connecting Wire
6. Multimeter

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Circuit Diagram:

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Theory:

Kirchhoff's current law is also known as Kirchhoff's first law

and Kirchhoff's junction law. This law states that: '

The sum of current into a junction equals the sum of

current out of the junction.’
In a junction, the electric charge's sum preservation law is
applied. If the entering value of the current is i2 and i3, this

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current splits into the current of i1 and i4. Then the
equation is satisfied:

i1 + i4 = i2 + i3 , that is charge is not destroyed or created

in a junction point. This is based by an electric charge
preservation law.

Procedure:

1. Take a breadboard.
2. Connect a 9 V battery on the breadboard.
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3. Connect an LED on the breadboard. Let us assume
that this is LED1.
4. Connect one leg of a 330 Ω resistor R1 to the negative
terminal of LED1 and its other leg on the breadboard.
5. Connect another LED (let us name it as LED2) on the
breadboard in such a way that the positive terminals
of the LEDs are inserted in the same column; however,
the negative terminals of the LEDs are not connected,
and hence are inserted in different columns of the
breadboard.
6. Connect one leg of another 1 kΩ resistor (let us name
it as R2) to the negative terminal of LED2. Connect its
other leg to the corresponding column in which the
right leg of resistor R1 is inserted.
7. Connect the positive terminals of both the LEDs to
VCC. Connect the column, in which the right ends of
the resistors are inserted, to ground. We will observe
that each LED glows with different intensifies. The
circuit is complete now.
8. Measure the current flowing through LED1, LED2 and
the main branch. Check if the sum of currents through
LED1 and LED2 is equal to the current in the main
branch.

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9. Let the current passing through LED1, LED2 and the
main branch be I1, I2 and I, respectively. First, we will
measure the current through LED2 branch.
10. Take the multimeter and rotate its knob to 200m in
the direct current region (A ).
11. First, create a gap between the negative terminal of
LED2 and the left leg of resistor R2.
12. To measure the current flowing through LED2 branch,
connect the red probe of the multimeter to the
negative terminal of LED2 and the black probe to the
left leg of resistor R2. LED2 will start glowing and the
meter shows a reading.
13. Reconnect the negative terminal of LED2 and the left
leg of resistor R2. Create a gap between the negative
terminal of LED1 and the left leg of resistor R1.
14. Connect the red probe of the multimeter to the
negative terminal of LED1 and the black probe to left
leg of resistor R1. LED1 will start glowing and the
meter shows a reading.
15. Reconnect the negative terminal of LED1 and the left
leg of resistor R1. Disconnect one end of the ground
wire from the right legs of the resistors and leave it
open.

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16. Connect the red probe of the multimeter to the right
leg of any of two resistors and the black probe to the
open end of the ground wire. Both the LEDs glow and
the meter shows a reading

Observations:

Let the current passing through LED1, LED2 and the main
branch be I1, I2 and I, respectively

I1 = 20.5 mA

I2 = 5.7 mA

I= 25.9 mA

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Page | 16
Calculations:

I1= 20.5 mA

I2= 5.7 mA

I= 25.9 mA

Sum of currents through LED1 and LED2 = 20. 5 + 5.7 =

26.2 mA ≅ 25.9 mA

≅I

So, we can see that: I1 + I2 = I

Result:

A division of current takes place at the point where the

resistors meet in this circuit. This point is called a junction
(or node).

At the junction,
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Incoming current = Outgoing current
This establishes Kirchhoff’s Current Law(KCL).

Verification of Kirchoff’s Voltage

Law
Aim: To verify Kirchoff’s Voltage Law.

Apparatus Required:
1. Breadboard
2. LEDs of three different colours
3. Resistor: 1kΩ
4. 9 V Battery
5. Connecting Wire

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Circuit Diagram:

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Theory:

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law is the second of his fundamental

laws used for circuit analysis. It is also known as Kirchoff’s
Loop Law.

His voltage law states that for a closed loop series path
the algebraic sum of all the voltages around any closed
loop in a circuit is equal to zero.

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This is because a circuit loop is a closed conducting path
so no energy is lost. It can be said that it is based on the
Law of Conservation of Energy.

Since total Voltage Drop should be zero,

VCC - VR - VLED=0

Or generally,

ΣV=0

Procedure:
1. To measure voltage across LED1, rotate the
multimeter dial to 20 V DC. Connect the red probe of
the multimeter to the positive terminal of LED1 and
the black probe to the negative terminal of the LED.
The multimeter shows the reading; let us call it VLED1.
So, VLED1 = 1.88 V.
2. To measure voltage across LED2, connect the red
probe of the multimeter to positive terminal of LED2
and the black probe to the negative terminal of the
LED. The multimeter shows the reading; let us call it
VLED2. So, VLED2 = 1.9 V.

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 3. To measure voltage across LED3, connect the red
probe of the multimeter to positive terminal of LED3
and the black probe to the negative terminal of the
LED. The multimeter shows the reading; let us call it
VLED3. So, VLED3= 3.09 V.
4. To measure voltage across the resistor, connect the
two probes of the multimeter across the legs of the
resistor. The multimeter shows the reading; let us call
it VR. So, VR= 2.73 V.

Observations:
Let the Voltage drop across the LEDs 1, 2 and 3 is VLED1,
VLED2 and VLED3 and the Voltage Drop across the Resistor is
VR.

VLED1 = 1.88 V

VLED1 = 1.90 V

VLED1 = 3.09 V

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VR= 2.73

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Calculations:
VLED1 = 1.88 V

VLED2 = 1.90 V

VLED3= 3.09 V

VR= 2.73 V

According to Kirchoff’s Voltage Law,

VCC - VR - VLED1- VLED2 - VLED3=0 (or) VCC ≅ VR+VLED1+VLED2

+VLED3
i.e. Vnet=1.88+1.90+3.09+2.73
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 =9.6 V
VCC ≅ Vnet

Result:

On adding the individual voltages across all components,

we will find that the total voltage supplied by the
battery(source) is divided among all the components in
series, i.e.,

VCC =VR+VLED1+VLED2 +VLED3

This establishes Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL) which
states that the total voltage drop (sum of voltage drops) in
a loop is zero. i.e., VCC - VR - VLED1- VLED2 - VLED3=0

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 General Precautions

1. Ensure that the battery voltage is more than 6 volt.

2. Ensure that the positive terminal of LED1 is connected
to VCC
3. Ensure that the stripped ends of the connecting wires
should be long enough to fit inside the holes of the
breadboard completely.
4. Ensure that there are no loose connections
5. Ensure that the stripped ends of the connecting wires
should be long enough to fit inside the holes of the
breadboard completely.
6. Ensure that the wires of the battery connector are
properly inserted into the breadboard. The red wire
should be inserted into the first row, and the black
wire into the second row of the breadboard.
7. Ensure that the LED is in working state using a
multimeter.
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8. Ensure that the multimeter is connected in series with
the circuit.
9. Restrict the circuit to the first half of the breadboard.
To provide VCC and ground with connecting wires, use
only first 25 holes of the first and second row of the
breadboard.

Conclusion

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 Bibliography

 www.newtonkits.com
 Grade XII Physics NCERT Textbook- Part 1

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