Before you use the multimeter predict the voltage through each bulb. Explain how you made your prediction.
How did your prediction about the voltage across each bulb in the two-bulb circuit compare to the voltage shown on the multimeter? How did the sum of the voltage across each bulb compare to the voltage of the battery?
How did your prediction about the voltage across each bulb in the three-bulb series circuit compare to the voltage shown on the multimeter?
Reread the ideas your wrote down about the difference in bulb brightness in series circuits in "Thinking About the Question". Think about the data you have gathered. Does this data support your original idea or does it suggest to you a different explanation? Revise your original explanation. Include evidence from Investigation II in your revised explanation.
How did your prediction about the voltage across each bulb in the three-bulb parallel circuit compare to the voltage shown on the multimeter?
Reread the ideas your wrote down about the difference in bulb brightness in parallel circuits in "Thinking About the Question". Think about the data you have gathered. Does this data support your original idea or does it suggest to you a different explanation? Revise your original explanation. Include evidence from Investigation III in your revised explanation.
Make a spreadsheet of your voltage data from each circuit. Refer to
Technical Hints to see how to make a spreadsheet. Include a sum of the total voltage of each circuit. Refer to
Technical Hints to see how to find a sum.
- How did the sum of the voltages for each circuit compare to the voltage of the battery?
Create a bar chart for the voltages across each bulb in series and parallel for the circuits constructed in Investigation II and III. Refer to
Technical Hints to see how to make a bar chart. Explain the differences in voltages between series and parallel circuits.
