PH-ENGR-6A
Load resistors:
1. Suppose you have the following circuit:
20V
? V_L
Voltage Dividers
2. Without a load resistor (so R_L is an open circuit, or R_L ? ?), what is the voltage at V_L (relative to Ground)?
(show your work)
3. For the different values of R_L in the table below, determine the voltage V_L. (Hint: Determine the parallel
combination of the 1k? and R_L resistors, determine total resistance including the 4k?, determine the total
current being delivered by the power supply, find the voltage drop across the 4k?, then V_L will be 20V
minus this voltage drop) (show your calculation for the first row)
R_L (?)
V_L
V_L (measured)
(no load resistor)
10 ?
100 ?
1 k?
10 k?
100 k?
1 M?
4. From your calculations in the table, when is V_L closest to the value without a load resistor, when the load
resistance is small or large?
5. Now create the circuit and insert the different load resistors. For each load resistor measure the voltage V_L
and enter the values in the last column of the table. How do your measured values compare with the
theoretical values?
6. If you are going to use a Voltage Divider circuit to supply set voltages, and you know the load resistance is
going to be, say 1k?, should the resistors in the circuit be small or large compared to the load resistance?