Required Practical: Investigating I–V Characteristics Flashcards

All 4 cards in this deck

What is the purpose of the variable resistor in an I–V characteristics circuit?

To change the current through, and the potential difference across, the component being tested.

What is meant by the resolution of a measuring instrument?

The smallest change in the quantity that the instrument can detect, e.g. an ammeter with 0.2 A scale divisions.

Give one advantage, other than higher resolution, of using a digital ammeter instead of a moving coil ammeter.

No parallax error, so less chance of misreading and a reading closer to the true value.

True or false? If a resistor heats up during the I–V practical, its I–V graph will still be a straight line.

False. Its resistance increases, so current and pd are no longer directly proportional and the graph curves.