Elenco Snaptricity® - Manual (Page 34)

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Voltage Divider Project #24
Educational Corner:
One of the most basic rules for analyzing circuits is
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (named after Gustav Kirchhoff, who
stated it in 1847): the total voltage driving a circuit must equal
the voltage drops within it.
This project proves it because the total voltage across both lamps
equals the voltage from the batteries: (V
batteries = V lamp1 + V lamp2 )
Electric
Paths
5V
5V
Wow! It really
does all add up.
A. Set both slide switches (S5) to position B and push the
press switch (S2). Both lamps (L4) light and the meter
measures the voltage across the top one.
B. Set both slide switches to position C and push the press
switch. Now the meter measures the voltage across the
bottom lamp (it should be the same as for the top one).
C. Set the top slide switch to position B and the bottom
switch to position C, then push the press switch. Now the
meter measures the voltage across both lamps (it should
be the individual lamp voltages added together).
Operation
When equal components are placed in series, each having
the same resistance to the flow of electricity, the total
voltage will divide equally between them.
Description
Build the circuit shown. Place the meter (M5) on the 5V
setting.
Assembly