Week 6 Post 1-3

a.    Which labs, activities and/or videos have you completed?   

I have completed the floor plan, circuit design, and have begun to work on the written section of the circuits project.

b.    What did you learn and what questions do you still need to ask? 

o    The work that I did over the last week or so has mainly reinforced and reminded me of the information, which I have learned over the last few weeks. For example, creating the circuit on which of my home's lights and appliances are wired reminded me of the properties of circuits and how circuits are constructed. I was reminded that constructing a parallel circuit is the best option if you want a number of plugs and lights to get that same voltage of electricity, since the number of volts running through a parallel circuit is the same throughout, by the requirement on the project handout that asked you to create a circuit that would maximize the use of electricity. I was also reminded that parallel circuits are better than series circuits when there are multiple bulbs and sources of resistance attached because they can have multiple bulbs attached to them without there being a large decrease in the speed and flow of current. The design of parallel circuits makes for this. Unlike series circuits, parallel circuits designed to have multiple rings and loops within the circuit, with multiple paths for the current to flow through. There is not one set, as in the series circuit. This difference can be better explained by the formulas used by each type of circuit to calculate the total resistance. Series circuits use the formula R= R1+R2+R3. the resistances are added. Parallel circuits use the formula R= 1 / R = 1 / R1 + 1 / R2. The resistances are not added in the same manor, which makes for the total resistance of parallel circuits to generally be significantly less than that of series circuits. 

     c.      How will what you learn help you to complete the projects for this unit?  

s    

      What I have learned over that last week will help me complete this project, as well as help me to complete upcoming tests and quizes, particularly the unit test, as all of this information will be on it. 

     d.     What do you plan to do next and when do you think you will complete your next step?  

     Winter Break:  Finish project before the end of break and complete all the quizes on circuits.