6) Electric Circuit Builders – Series & Parallel 💡

🏎 Electric Circuit Builders – Series & Parallel STEM Project 💡

This essential electronics project involves building and comparing Series and Parallel circuits. You will measure how connecting components (resistors/light bulbs) differently affects the voltage, current, and overall brightness or resistance of the circuit, demonstrating fundamental concepts of Ohm's Law.

The project is divided into two main phases: Quarter 1 for Design & Trifold Preparation and Quarter 2 for Building & Testing your model.

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💡 Phase 1: Concept & Design & Trifold Preparation (Quarter 1)

This critical phase involves defining the entire experiment, documenting the design plan, and preparing all non-data sections of your trifold display. You must prepare sections 1 through 5 below for your Quarter 1 deadline.

1. Hypothesis and Research Question

How do the two circuit types affect the flow of electricity and the brightness of the lights?

• Research Question: “How does changing from a series circuit to a parallel circuit affect the brightness of the light bulbs?”
• Hypothesis: If we connect a second light bulb in parallel instead of in series, the brightness of the bulbs will stay constant (or decrease slightly) because the voltage drop across each bulb remains the same.

2. Materials and Variables

List all items needed for the build and identify the elements that will be controlled or measured.

Materials You'll Need

• Power source (e.g., 9V battery or battery pack)
• Insulated wires with alligator clips
• Light bulbs (small, identical) and sockets
• Switch (optional but recommended)
• Multimeter (optional but highly recommended for measuring current/voltage)
• Sturdy base (thick cardboard or wooden board) to mount the circuits
• Tape, glue, or small screws/zip-ties to fix components to the base
• Colored markers or labels to mark Series Circuit and Parallel Circuit areas

Variables

• Independent Variable: Circuit type (Series vs. Parallel)
• Dependent Variable: Brightness of the bulbs (or measured Voltage/Current)
• Constants: Power source voltage, type and number of light bulbs used.

3. Procedures (Design & Documentation)

Your Quarter 1 procedure focuses on the trifold content. The actual building steps are performed in Quarter 2.

1. Write your project title: “Electric Circuit Builders – Series & Parallel”.
2. State your research question and hypothesis clearly on the trifold.
3. Draw labeled circuit diagrams for both the Series and Parallel configurations using standard electronic symbols.
   
   [Image of a comparison diagram of series circuit versus parallel circuit]
4. Explain in a short paragraph the theoretical difference in how current flows and how voltage is shared in both types of circuits.
5. Watch the working model video in the “Helpful Videos” section below and sketch a simplified layout of how you will arrange the components on your base (board) for both circuits.

4. Expected Results

Based on your research and knowledge of physics, what do you expect to happen?

In the series circuit, adding more bulbs should cause all bulbs to dim because the total voltage is split among them, and the total resistance increases. In the parallel circuit, adding more bulbs should not dim the original bulbs significantly because each receives the full battery voltage (though the total current drawn from the battery increases).

5. Expected Conclusion (Pre-analysis)

How will your results theoretically support your hypothesis?

The experiment should support the hypothesis, confirming that parallel circuits are generally more desirable for household lighting as they maintain constant voltage across components. This demonstrates the rules for calculating total resistance and current in both circuit types: Rseries = R1 + R2 and 1 / Rparallel = 1 / R1 + 1 / R2.

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🛠 Phase 2: Working Model (Quarter 2)

In this phase, you will build the actual model on a base board, wire both circuits, and collect data.

Construction and Testing Procedures

1. Prepare the Base:
   • Take a sturdy piece of cardboard or a wooden board.
   • Divide it into two clearly labeled areas: Series Circuit (left) and Parallel Circuit (right).
   • Lightly sketch where the battery, switch, and bulbs will be placed in each section.
2. Mount Components for the Series Circuit:
   • Fix the battery holder at the bottom of the series section.
   • Attach two bulb sockets in a straight line above it.
   • Fix a switch between the battery and first bulb (if using a switch).
3. Wire the Series Circuit:
   • Connect the positive terminal of the battery to one terminal of the switch.
   • Connect the other terminal of the switch to one terminal of Bulb 1.
   • Connect the other terminal of Bulb 1 to one terminal of Bulb 2.
   • Connect the remaining terminal of Bulb 2 back to the negative terminal of the battery.
   • You should now have one continuous loop (a series circuit).
4. Test the Series Circuit:
   • Close the switch (or connect the last wire).
   • Observe the brightness of both bulbs and note that they share the voltage.
5. Mount Components for the Parallel Circuit:
   • Fix another battery holder (or use the same battery if you prefer) in the parallel section.
   • Attach two bulb sockets side-by-side above it.
   • Place a switch between the battery and the point where the circuit splits.
6. Wire the Parallel Circuit:
   • Connect the positive terminal of the battery to the switch.
   • From the other terminal of the switch, create a junction where the wire splits into two paths.
   • Connect one path from the junction to the positive terminal of Bulb 1 and the other path to the positive terminal of Bulb 2.
   • Connect the negative terminals of both bulbs back together at another junction.
   • Connect that junction to the negative terminal of the battery.
   • Now each bulb has its own path to the battery (a parallel circuit).
7. Test the Parallel Circuit:
   • Close the switch.
   • Observe the brightness of both bulbs and compare it to the series circuit.
8. Compare Behaviors (Series vs. Parallel):
   • In the series circuit, unscrew or disconnect one bulb and observe what happens to the other bulb.
   • In the parallel circuit, unscrew or disconnect one bulb and observe the other bulb.
9. Measure and Record Data:
   • Create a data table for brightness observations (e.g., “bright”, “dim”) and, if possible, measurements from a multimeter.
   • Measure and record the voltage across each bulb and the total current in each circuit type.
   • Take clear photos of both circuit setups for your trifold.

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📜 Trifold Display Board Instructions

Your final project will be presented on a standard trifold display board (approx. 37 inches high and 48 inches wide when fully open).

Board Size & Suggested Layout

Organize your board to be easy to read from left to right and top to bottom.

Panel	Suggested Content
Top Center	Project Title (Big and Bold)
Left Panel	Question / Problem, Background / Introduction, Hypothesis
Center Panel	Materials, Procedures (steps), Photos / Diagrams, Graphs / Tables (your data)
Right Panel	Results (what happened), Conclusion, Reflection / What you learned

Design Tips for a Professional Look

• Title: Use a short, clear title that can be read from across the room.
• Clarity: Print all text on white or light-colored paper.
• Font Size Guidelines:
  • Title: 72 pt or bigger
  • Headings: 32–48 pt
  • Body text: 18–24 pt
• Aesthetics: Keep it neat—align boxes, use rulers, and avoid crowded text. Use 2–3 matching colors for borders and headings.
• Visuals: Add photos, labeled diagrams, and charts (your data) to make the board engaging.

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🎬 Helpful Videos

Series & Parallel Circuit Working Model – DIY Project

Watch this video to see how to build a simple base with both series and parallel circuits for a school science project.

Trifold Design Tutorial

Tip: Plan your layout on scrap paper first, then print, cut, and finally glue everything onto the board.