PLTW Engineering
Digital Electronics
Submission Form
Name: Replace this text with your name and partner’s name
Activity 1.1.2 Investigating Basic Circuits
1) Complete this step.
Replace this text a screenshot of your completed circuit.
2) Complete this step
Replace this text with your response.
3) Complete this step. (1 pt each)
Replace this text with the value recorded on the DMM.
What happened after you switched the leads of the DMM?
4) Complete this step. (1 pt each)
Select the next smallest range (2 V). What happened and why?
What was the most accurate measurement you were able to make of the voltage across the
resistor and LED?
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PLTW Engineering
Digital Electronics
5) Complete this step. (1 pt each)
After touching the leads across the 2 ends of the red wire, what was the reading on the
DMM?
After touching the leads across the 2 ends of the black wire, what was the reading on the
DMM?
6) Complete this step. (1 pt each)
After touching the leads across both ends of the resistor, what was the reading on the DMM?
After touching the leads across both ends of the LED, what was the reading on the DMM?
Was this what you guessed? Why did you guess that?
7) SKIP THIS STEP
After touching the leads across the 2 ends of the red wire, what was the reading on the
DMM?
After touching the leads across the 2 ends of the black wire, what was the reading on the
DMM?
8) Complete this step. (1 pt each)
a. Based on your observations, what would you expect the voltage to read if you touched
the DMM across both R1 and R2?
b. Since R1 and R2 are identical, what would you guess the voltage across each resistor
is individually? Why?
c. You can replace these two resistors with one resistor that would have the same
impact on the circuit. (This theoretical resistor is called an equivalent resistor.) What
would the value of this equivalent resistor have to be in Ohms (Ω)?
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PLTW Engineering
Digital Electronics
9) Complete this step. (1 pt each)
Replace this text with a screenshot of this completed circuit (BE CAREFUL WHICH ROWS
THE ANODES AND CATHODES ARE IN TO BE IN SERIES)
With both LEDs illuminated, remove one of the LEDs from the circuit path. What happened
and why?
10)
Complete this step. (1 pt each)
You can try three LEDs in series, but none will light up. Why do you think that is?
11)
Complete this step. (1 pt each)
With both LEDs illuminated, what happens if you remove one of the LEDs from the circuit
path?
12)
Complete this step. (1 pt each)
Take a screenshot of the circuit that you drew in your engineering notebook.
13)
Complete this step. (1 pt each)
What do components in parallel have in common?
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PLTW Engineering
14)
Digital Electronics
Complete this step. (1 pt each)
Take a screenshot of your work to calculate the current in R1, R2 and R3
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