UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS DARTMOUTH
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
EGR 101 INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING THROUGH APPLIED SCIENCE I
INTRODUCTION TO BREADBOARDING AND MULTISIM
In this experiment, you will be introduced to a simple circuit construction technique
known as "breadboarding". In industry, this technique is used to construct what are
known as "prototype" circuits. Prototype circuits are experimental, or, under
development, and need to be constructed in a temporary fashion (rather than in final
form) since they might require one or more modifications before they are considered
complete.
The device upon which the circuit construction takes place is called a breadboard. A
typical breadboard is shown below.
Same
Node
Channel
Same
Node
Although there is some slight variation in breadboards from one manufacturer to
another, most breadboards of this type feature a channel down the middle (from left to
right) that separates "columns" of common connection points (nodes). For example, all
of the nodes in column 1 that are labeled A - E are common (they are the same node).
All of the connection points in column 1 that are labeled F - J are common, but they are
not connected to nodes A - E. This configuration is repeated for the other 60 or so
columns.
There is usually another set of nodes that are arranged in horizontal "rows" across the
top and bottom of the breadboard. The nodes in these rows are connected together
while the rows are isolated from each other (not connected together). In the example
above, there are a total of 8 rows of nodes – 4 rows across the top of the breadboard
and 4 rows across the bottom. The rows are separated from each other near column 30.
The breadboard that we will use does not have that separation, and there are red and
blue stripes running along the rows to indicate the nodes that are connected together.
You will construct each of the resistor circuits shown below. Note, for this experiment,
no power is needed.
wire
wire
R3
R1
R2
Channel
(a)
R1
R2
R1
R4
R2
R3
(b)
(c)
FOR EACH CIRCUIT:
 Determine the resistance of each resistor by:
o Color code
o Measurement using the multimeter.

Determine the total, or equivalent, resistance using the multimeter.

Draw a schematic showing how the resistors are connected together.

Based on the multimeter results, determine the relationship between the total
resistance and the resistance of each individual resistor.

Verify your results using MultiSim (see MultiSim tutorial below).

Tabulate your results using EXCEL. Include the nominal resistor values, the
resistor values measured with the DMM, the total resistance measured with the
multimeter and the total resistance predicted by MultiSim.

Hand in one set of results per team that includes your MultiSim circuits (labeled
with your team names and number), your EXCEL table and the mathematical
relation your team determined for each circuit.
Circuit (a)
R1 : <put colors
here>
R2 :
RT :
Nominal values
<put value based on
colors here>
DMM values
<put real DMM
readings here>
MultiSim
<put MultiSim
readings here>
Circuit (b)
Nominal values
DMM values
MultiSim
Nominal values
DMM values
Multisim
R1
R2
R3
RT :
Circuit (c)
R1
R2
R3
R4
RT :
REQUIRED RESISTORS
The 4 resistors required to perform the experiment will be available in the lab.
Determine the required values of resistance from the following color code combinations:
CIRCUIT (a)
R1: Brown
Black
R2: Yellow
Violet
Red
Red
CIRCUIT (b)
R1 & R2 from circuit (a) plus
R3: Green
Blue
Red
CIRCUIT (c)
R1, R2, and R3 from circuit (b) plus
R4: Brown
Black
Yellow
MULTISIM Basics
For this lab, you will use the following components:
R1
1kΩ
Resistors (under Basic):
(you will have to select the correct values from the list)
Ground (under Sources, Power Sources):
Measurement Devices:
XMM1
Multimeter (top device in rightmost column of icons):
If you double click on the device, you see:
Click on  to have it measure resistance.
The black area is where the resistance will be
displayed.
Connect elements together by clicking and dragging a wire from one to the next.
Example circuit for measuring the resistance of a single resistor:
Multimeter
XMM1
Resistor
R1
1
1kΩ
0
Ground
You will need to know how your breadboard resistors are connected in order to draw the
circuit correctly. Once your circuit is wired correctly, start the simulation by toggling the
rocker switch on the upper toolbar (labeled 0 | 1). Double click on the multimeter (if it’s
not already displaying a value) to read the resistance value.