Source Institutions
Source Institutions
Add to list Go to activity
Activity link broken? See if it's at the internet archive

In this activity, learners apply Ohm’s Law to construct voltage divider circuits. Learners discover how to read resistor codes and calculate resistor values. Using breadboards, learners build voltage dividers and predict and measure output voltage values. Learners are given the electrical requirements for an LED, and are then challenged to design and verify a voltage divider circuit to illuminate it.
- Under 5 minutes
- 2 to 4 hours
- Over $20 per group of students
- Ages 14 - 18
- Activity, Lesson/Lesson Plan
- English
Quick Guide
Materials List (per group of students)
- Student Resource Sheets
- Student Worksheets
- Multimeter
- Breadboard with wire set
- Calculator
- LED - Super Red, Clear Lens
- 9V Alkaline Battery
- 9V Battery holder with wire leads
- Resistor: 100 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 150 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 220 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 330 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 470 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 560 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 680 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 820 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 910 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
- Resistor: 1000 ohm, Carbon Film, 1/2W, 5%
Subjects
-
Engineering and Technology
-
Engineering
- Electrical Engineering
- Technology
-
Engineering
-
Physical Sciences
-
Electricity and Magnetism
- Electric Charges and Currents
- Electric Circuits
-
Electricity and Magnetism
-
Mathematics
-
Algebra
- Equations and Inequalities
-
Data Analysis and Probability
- Data Analysis
- Data Collection
-
Measurement
- Units of Measurement
-
Number and Operations
- Fractions
- Operations
-
Algebra
-
The Nature of Technology
-
The Design Process
- Problem Solving
-
The Design Process
-
The Nature of Science
-
The Scientific Process
- Conducting Investigations
- Gathering Data
-
The Scientific Process
Informal Categories
- Electronics
Audience
To use this activity, learners need to:
- see
- see color
- read
- touch
Learning styles supported:
- Involves teamwork and communication skills
- Involves hands-on or lab activities
Other
Components that are part of this resource:
Includes alignment to state and/or national standards:
This resource is part of:
Access Rights:
- Free access
By:
Rights:
- All rights reserved, IEEE,