| Electricity and Magnetism > Resistance |
DCS# 5D40.50 |
| HP DC power supply | 202-08-E |
| 5.1 kohm resistor | 107-resistor cabinet |
| NE-32 neon bulb | 202-19-E2 |
| 15 mA DC analog meter | 101-12-F |
| video camera | 202-09-D |
Increase the potential across the neon bulb while monitoring the current. The current will be zero until the potential reaches about 65 V, when the neon gas in the bulb breaks down and becomes conducting, and the bulb lights. The potential can be reduced to about 55 V before the bulb is extinguished and becomes nonconducting again.
A computer running LoggerPro could be used to plot the I vs V curve, provided the circuit is modified so that the voltage across the probes does not exceed 5 V.