<^< Examples: Kirchoff's Voltage Law | Course Index | Potential and Current Dividers >^>
| Objective:
| To investigate Kirchhoff's Voltage Law.
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| Underpinning knowledge:
| Voltage, current and resistance. Ohm's Law. Kirchhoff's Voltage Law.
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| Apparatus:
| TINA circuit file, or apparatus to make the following circuit.
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| TINA Circuit File:
| Click here to download circuit file
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| Initial Settings:
| 10V battery. R1 = 1kΩ, R2 = 2kΩ, R3 = 3kΩ.
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| Requires:
| Paper, Linear graph paper, pen or pencil.
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| Instructions:
(a) Using initial settings verify that 10V - V1 - V2 - V3 = 0 (or, more conveniently, that V1 + V2 + V3 = 10V).
(b) Change R1 to 3kΩ, R2 to 1kΩ and R3 to 2kΩ. Confirm, once again that V1 + V2 + V3 = 10V.
(c) Finally, make R1 to 2kΩ, R2 to 3kΩ and R3 to 1kΩ. Once again, confirm that V1 + V2 + V3 = 10V.
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Observations:
(a)Is Kirchhoff's Voltage Law obeyed?
(b) The convention adopted in the formula, 10V - V1 - V2 - V3 = 0, is that voltage drops acting clockwise as you move around the circuit are positive whilst those acting anticlockwise are negative. How is it possible to determine the direction of the voltage drops in the circuit?
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| Further work:
Add a fourth resistor of 4kΩ in series with the other resistors and connect a voltmeter in parallel with it to indicate the voltage drop across it. Derive the Kirchhoff's Voltage Law equation for this new circuit (you will have to consider four voltages in the circuit; V1, V2, V3 and V4) and confirm that the Voltage Law is obeyed by inserting measured values into the equation.
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<^< Examples: Kirchoff's Voltage Law | Course index | Potential and Current Dividers >^>
