Data Sheet for Series and Parallel Circuits Name: Partner s Name: Date: _ Period/Block: _ Build the two circuits below using two AAA or AA cells. Measure and record Voltage (Volts), Current (A), and Resistance (Ω) at each component s symbol. Summarize any patterns in numbers or other findings. Lamp 1 Lamp 2 Voltage: Voltage: Current: Current: Resistance: Resistance: Battery Current: Resistance: 1 2 Summary: Voltage: Battery 1 2 Current: Resistance: Voltage: Summary: Lamp 1 Lamp 2 Voltage: Voltage: Current: Current: Resistance: Resistance:
Data collection Part 2: Getting to Know Your Solar Panels Take some time today to learn about your solar panels in your kit. You will need your digital volt meter, some resistors of known resistance in ohms, your solar panels and of course the sun, or other light source. ******* Measure Voltage in parallel. **************** Measure Current in series with a resistor. Today you will try a variety of resistors between 1 Ω and 500 Ω when you measure current. The component labeled load is a resistor. Please try three different values. 1 ohm, 10 ohm, 100 ohm EMF or Voltage (V) Current (ma) Panel # of Code cells Area of each cell ( mm 2 ) R1 = R2 = R3 = R1 = R2 = R3 =
Data Graphing Instructions: Create a spreadsheet in Google Docs or Microsoft Excel, which includes all of your data. Make a series of x- y scatter plot graphs that show one variable against another in an attempt to find patterns in the data. What relationships do you find? Summary Questions Which resistors seemed too resistive to get voltage or current measurements? Provide sample data to support your response. Which of the panels had the highest voltage? Lowest voltage? Which of the panels had the highest current? Lowest current? When you divide the total panel voltage by the number of cells what value do you get? Is this consistent for all panels and cells? When you divide the current in ma by the area in mm 2 what value do you get? Is this value consistent for all panels? If you wanted a cell to have a current of 900mA what would the area be? If you wanted a solar panel to make 5.5 V and 400mA what area and how many cells would you use? Draw the configuration below. Show your calculations and explain your thinking.
Solar Charger Inventory Checklist Kit # Names:,,, Please check this each day at the start and finish of your work time. Tell your instructor if any of the pieces are missing or broken so you can get new ones or fix them. Batteries (individual cells) Battery holders Solar Photovoltaic Modules NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) 6 AAAs 1 AAA 3 V @ 70 ma 3 AAs 2 AAA 3 V @ 100 ma 1 C 3 AAA 3 V @ 200 ma 1 9 Volt 1 AA 4 V @ 40 ma 1 C 6 V @ 70 ma 1 9 V 12 V @ 40 ma 10 blocking diodes Solar Charger Inventory Checklist Kit # Names:,,, Please check this each day at the start and finish of your work time. Tell your instructor if any of the pieces are missing or broken so you can get new ones or fix them. Batteries (individual cells) Battery holders Solar Photovoltaic Modules NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) 6 AAAs 1 AAA 3 V @ 70 ma 3 AAs 2 AAA 3 V @ 100 ma 1 C 3 AAA 3 V @ 200 ma 1 9 Volt 1 AA 4 V @ 40 ma 1 C 6 V @ 70 ma 1 9 V 12 V @ 40 ma 10 blocking diodes Solar Charger Inventory Checklist Kit # Names:,,, Please check this each day at the start and finish of your work time. Tell your instructor if any of the pieces are missing or broken so you can get new ones or fix them. Batteries (individual cells) Battery holders Solar Photovoltaic Modules NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) 6 AAAs 1 AAA 3 V @ 70 ma 3 AAs 2 AAA 3 V @ 100 ma 1 C 3 AAA 3 V @ 200 ma 1 9 Volt 1 AA 4 V @ 40 ma 1 C 6 V @ 70 ma 1 9 V 12 V @ 40 ma 10 blocking diodes
Battery Pack Data Table Name: Date: Period: Lab Partners:,, Get to know your batteries! Safety: Disconnect any circuit if there is heat, melting, smoke, fire, or sparking. Avoid short circuits. This is any circuit which allows electrons to travel directly from the - pole to the + pole without anything to slow them down like a light, motor, resistor, or at least a long coil of wire. Take a look at your cells and battery cases that you have been given. What do you observe on the cell (battery) cases. Please record below. Verify with a voltmeter. Cell type Number of cells Claimed Voltage Measured Voltage Storage (mah) What are some possible ways to partially drain your battery? How long do you think it will take to charge them back up? Pre-lab Calculations If you had a battery that powered a light at 2.8 Volts and 1 amp for 2 hours how many Amp-hours would you use? Show work and explain reasoning below. If you were to charge the battery back up with a 4 Volt solar panel that had a maximum current of 0.5 amps, how long should it take to charge? Show work and explain reasoning.
Solar Battery Charger Data Sheet Name: Partner: Date: Period: Fill in the data table like the example shown. *Be sure to check battery pack voltage before you hook it up to the solar panel, during charging, then again when it has been disconnected from the system. Battery pack Time of day Voltage (V) Notes (weather, temperature, Specifications clouds, smog, rain, snow, (number of cells, voltage, mah) etc.) Example for you to follow Solar Module Specifications (labels, volts, milliamps) Module 1A, 3 V @ 100 ma 2 AAA, 2.4Volts, 1000mAh 10:02 AM 2.34 V 10:04 AM 2.38 V Sunny 10:09 AM 2.41 V Sunny 10:15 AM 2.38 V Cloud passing 10:20 AM 2.43 V Sunny 10:22 AM 2.39 V
Presenting Your Data Create a spreadsheet and scatter plot on Excel, Google Sheets, or Open Office with all of your data from the Solar Battery Charging Data Sheet above. Select time of day as the horizontal or x axis and battery voltage on the vertical or y axis. Create a scatter plot of the data for each system. Be sure there is just one data point per data pair. Monitoring your battery pack over an Extended Time Please record data in the table below at the beginning of every class period. Please check the voltage of each cell as well as the total battery pack voltage. Use the insolation value that your teacher has recorded on the board. Date Time Battery Voltage Insolation (W/m^2) Notes (weather, temperature, clouds, smog, rain, snow, etc.)