A breadboard is a piece of plastic with many holes that can be connected together to form circuits. [3] X Research source The banana plug connectors make it easier to construct the circuit. Alternatively, you can use two multimeters instead of one voltmeter and one ammeter. Set one multimeter to the voltage setting (positions labeled V) and one multimeter to the ammeter setting (positions labeled A). It’s recommended to get the banana plug wires in five different colors to easily spot errors in the circuit setup (white, black, purple, green, and orange).
Make sure the multimeter is set to a position labeled “A”. Use caution setting up the circuit. If the power supply is left on, it can damage your instruments and you could get a small shock while plugging things in.
The ammeter will be connected in series with the rest of the circuit.
If the wire is insulated (has a plastic coating) make sure to remove enough of the insulation from the ends so that only exposed wire is inserted into the breadboard.
At this stage, the positive terminal of the power supply should be connected to the ammeter and the negative terminal connected to the breadboard next to the experimental wire.
The voltmeter is now connected in parallel to the rest of the circuit.
If you don’t see any readings after turning the power supply on, turn it down to the lower amperage setting (usually 400mA).
If don’t see any readings try changing the settings from V (volts) to mV (millivolts).
Record the readings for current from the ammeter and voltage from the voltmeter. Ensure everything is properly connected and tightly plugged in before turning on the power supply.
For example: After setting up your circuit, you found that the current was 10 amps and the voltage was 100 volts. R = V/I = 100/10.
For example: R = V/I = 100/10 = 10 ohms. The resistance of the wire is 10 ohms.
Check each step and make sure you connected everything exactly as it says to do. Draw a circuit diagram to use a map for all of your components and connections.
Use wire strippers to cut away the insulation from the ends of the wire before inserting into the breadboard. [18] X Research source If you’re still having trouble, try trimming more of the insulation off the wire.
