Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering I

Lecture 1
Electric Current

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 Electric Current
Electric current is the rate at which electric
charge flows through a substance.

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 Electric Current
Electric current is the rate at which electric
charge flows through a substance.

Therefore, to understand electric current,

examine electric charge.
• What is electric charge?
• Why does electric charge flow?
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 What is electric charge?
• A physical property of all matter
• Quantized into integer multiples of e
• Two types:

• Units: Colulombs (C)

• Variables: q, Q
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 Define electric current
• Electric current (i) is the quantity of charge (Q) that passes
through a given area in a specified time (t)

• The current as a function of time is

𝑑𝑄(𝑡)
𝑖(𝑡) =
𝑑𝑡
• For constant current,
𝑄
𝐼=
𝑡
• Variables: i, I. Units: Ampers
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 Calculate electric current
Quiz: A 1 mm cross section copper wire is isolated and 50 C of charge flow through it
in 2 seconds. How much current flowed through the wire during that time?

Quiz: A 1 mm cross section of copper wire is isolated. The charge that flows through
the cross section is
𝑄 𝑡 = 4𝑡 2 + 5
How much current flows through the wire in 6 seconds?

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 Test
Given the following current equation, how much
charge is displaced in first 5 seconds?

𝑡
− + 1𝐴 𝑓𝑜𝑟 0 < 𝑡 < 10 𝑠
𝑖 𝑡 = 10
0 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡 > 10𝑠

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 What is the reference directions for
the flow of electric current?
• Positive current flows from high (+) to low (-)
• Negative current flows from low (-) to high (+)

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 Voltage
• Charged particles exert a force on other
charged particles.

• This force per unit charge is called an electric

field.
• Charges flow because their electric fields exert
forces that push each other.
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 What is Voltage?
• When moving through an electric field, a charge either gains
energy or loses energy.

• Charge loses energy when moving in the same direction of

electric field lines.
• Charges gains energy when moving in the opposite direction
of electric field lines.
• Voltage is the energy either gained or lost per coulomb of
charge.
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 How to calculate voltage?

• Voltage (V) is the change in energy (w) per

coulomb of charge (q)
𝑑𝑤
𝑉=
𝑑𝑞
• Or voltage can be expressed as energy in joules
(J) over charge in coulombs (C)
• Variable: V. Units: volts
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 Calculate voltage
• Quiz 1. 4C of charge lose 20J of
energy when moving from a to b.
What is the voltage 𝑣𝑎𝑏 ?
• 𝑣𝑎𝑏 is the energy lost per unit
charge as charge moves from to a
to b.
• 𝑣𝑎𝑏 is the energy gained per unit
charge as charge moves from to b
to a.
• Quiz 2. 21J of energy are required
to move 3C of charge from b to a.
What is voltage 𝑣𝑎𝑏 ?

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 Test
2C of charge are moved through an electric field
from point a to b. 10J of energy was required to
move this charge. What is the voltage 𝑣𝑎𝑏 ?

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 Voltage
• Voltage measurements are relative
• As an analogy, consider a mountain. In
order to measure the height of the
point a on the mountain, we must
define a reference point.
• Similarly, in order to measure the
voltage at point a in the circuit, we
must define a reference point.
• This reference point only affects our
measurements, not the actual
direction of the electric field that
causes the voltage drop/increase.

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Voltage potentials add from point to point

• Consider the mountain above once more. If

we travel from point a to b to c and back to a,
our height has not changed.
• Similarly, in a circuit, if we travel from points a
to b, c, d and then back to a, our voltage has
not changed.
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 Test
Below is set of points with voltages labeled
between pairs of points. For this system, find the
voltage from point a to point d.

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 Power
• Electric current (i) is the quantity of charge (Q)
that passes through a given area in a specified
time (t).
𝑑𝑄(𝑡)
𝑖(𝑡) =
𝑑𝑡
• Voltage (v) is the energy (w) either gained or
lost per coulomb of charge.
𝑑𝑤
𝑉=
𝑑𝑞
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 What is power?
• Charged particles (q) flow over 𝑑𝑞
the time (t) and produce current 𝑖=
𝑑𝑡
(i).
• Voltage (v) is produced by the 𝑑𝑤
energy (w) lost or gained by the 𝑣=
𝑑𝑞
moving charge (q).
• Power (p) is the rate at which the 𝑑𝑤
charges’ energy (w) changes over 𝑝=
time (t). 𝑑𝑡
• Power can also be expressed as
the product of current and 𝑑𝑤 𝑑𝑤 𝑑𝑞
𝑝= = = 𝑣𝑖
voltage. 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑞 𝑑𝑡
• Variable: p. Unit: watts, W.
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Calculate power for known voltage and
current

Quiz 1. Calculate 𝑝1 . Quiz 2. Calculate 𝑝2 .

Is power consumed or generated? Is power consumed or generated?

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 Test
Suppose that the power consumed a particular
device is
p(t)=sin(100t)W
Find equation for energy.

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 The sum of power generated and
consumed in a system is zero
• Power is rate of change of energy and energy
is always conserved.
• Therefore, the sum of power generated and
consumed in a system is zero.

• Quiz 1. Calculate 𝑃𝑥 .
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Use power to find unknown voltage
and current

Quiz 1. Find 𝑣𝑥 Quiz 2. Find 𝑖𝑥

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 Test
Find the power in the circuit below

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 Test
What is power of the device below? Generated
or consumed?

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 Resistance and Resistivity

• When charged particles flow through a material, they

encounter electrical resistance(R).
• Electrical resistance is determined by the material’s
cross sectional area (A), length (L), and resistivity (ρ).
• The resistivity is an intrinsic property that quantifies
the material’s opposition to charge flow.
𝐿
𝑅=𝜌
𝐴
• Variable: R. Unit: Ω, ohms
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 Conductance and Conductivity

• Electrical conductance measures how a material allows charge flow.

• Conductance (G) is the reciprocal of resistance.
1 𝜎𝐴
𝐺= =
𝑅 𝐿
• The conductivity (σ) is an intrinsic property that quantifies the
material’s receptiveness to charge flow. Conductivity is the
reciprocal of resistivity.
1
𝜎=
𝜌
• Variable: G. Unit: siemens, mhos

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 Calculate resistance and conductance

• Quiz 1. A 1m long copper wire of area

0.001𝑚2 . The copper’s resistivity is
2 ∙ 10−8 Ω𝑚. Find the resistance the wire.

• Quiz 2. If the wire’s area doubles, how do the

resistivity and the conductivity change?
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 Test
Find the resistance of the wire in the diagram.
Put your answer in the box without units.

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 Ohms Law
• Charged particles flow through a material and
encounter electrical resistance.
• The voltage (V) produced by the current flow
(i) proportional to the resistance (R) of that
material.
• Ohm’s Law: 𝑉 = 𝑖𝑅

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 Apply Ohm’s Law

• Quiz 1. Find 𝑖1 . • Quiz 1. Find 𝑣2 .

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 Test
What is the value of 𝑣?

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 Wires

• Lines that connect circuit elements

• Have zero resistance
• Have zero voltage drop
• Form nodes and junctions
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 Circuit elements

• Independent voltage source

• Independent current source
• Resistor
• Ground
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 Circuit elements

• Node – any point on a circuit with two or

more circuit elements meet
• Nodes are different if they have different
voltage
• Junction – the point where wires meet
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Quiz. How many nodes?

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 Test
How many nodes are there in this diagram?

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 Test
Which of the following circuit elements are not
presented in this circuit diagram?

• Resistor
• Independent voltage source
• Dependent current source
• Dependent voltage source

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 Short Circuit

• A wire that has the same start and end as

another circuit element shorts that element.
• Current will travel through the short instead of
the circuit element.
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 Open Circuit

• An open circuit has terminals that are not

connected to other circuit elements.
• No current will flow through an open circuit.

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Quiz. Identify the short and open
circuit

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 Test
Which of the following circuits are self-contradictory (i.e. they do not make
sense). You can pick more than one answer.

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 Test
One of the following circuits is not electrically equivalent to the
others. Which one is it?

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 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
• Ohm’s Law (𝑉 = 𝑖𝑅)

• Loops

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 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
Sum of the voltages around any loop = zero
𝑉𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑝 = 0

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 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
Sum of the voltages around any loop = zero
𝑉𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑝 = 0

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 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
Sum of the voltages around any loop = zero
𝑉𝑙𝑜𝑜𝑝 = 0

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KVL Example and Quiz

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 Test
One of the labeled voltages has an incorrectly labeled reference direction. Which
device has the wrong reference labels?

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KVL Example with Parallel Components
Voltage across parallel elements are equal.

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KVL Example (with Current Source)

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KVL Example with Open Loop

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 Kirchhoff’s Current Law
• Ohm’s Law

• Nodes

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 Kirchhoff’s Current Law
Sum of the current leaving a node = sum of
current entering the node.

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 KCL for Series Elements
The current is the same through series
elements.

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KCL Example and Quiz

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 Quiz
• What is the current through the indicated
wire?

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 Quiz
• What is the current through the indicated
wire?

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 Test
What is the value of i?

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KCL and KVL example

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 Test
• What is the value of 𝑣?

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 Series and Parallel
• Simplify combinations
Series

Parallel

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 Equivalent Resistance
• Series

• Parallel

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Resistors in Series

𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑉1 + 𝑉2
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑅1 𝑖 + 𝑅2 𝑖
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 𝑖
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 Resistors in Series
• K resistors in series: 𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅𝑘

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Resistors in Parallel

1 𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 1 1 =
+ 𝑅1 +𝑅2
𝑅1 𝑅2

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 Resistors in Parallel

KCL: 𝑖 = 𝑖1 + 𝑖2 → 𝑖1 = 𝑖 − 𝑖2
KVL: 𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑅1 𝑖1 = 𝑅2 𝑖2
𝑅1
𝑅1 𝑖 − 𝑖2 = 𝑅2 𝑖2 → 𝑖2 = 𝑖
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
𝑅1
𝑉𝑎𝑏 = 𝑅2 𝑖2 = 𝑅2 𝑖
𝑅1 + 𝑅2
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 Resistors in Parallel
• Shorted resistors: 𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 0

1
• K resistors in parallel: 𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 1
𝑅𝑘

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Quiz

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 Test
What is the equivalent resistance between a and b?

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 Test
Which of the options are true for the circuit below?
• D and E are in parallel.
• B and C are in series.
• J and K are in parallel.
• H and L are in parallel.
• F and L are in series.
• (G||H) and (J||K) in series.

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Equivalent Resistant

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Equivalent Resistant

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Equivalent Resistant

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 Test
• What is the equivalent resistance between
terminal a and c?

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Voltage Divider Law

𝑅2
𝑉2 = 𝑉𝑠
𝑅2 + 𝑅1

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 Quiz
• What is 𝑉2 if 𝑉𝑠 = 10𝑉 and 𝑅1 = 200Ω and
𝑅2 = 200Ω?

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Recognize when to use Voltage Divider
Law

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 Test
• What is 𝑉0 ?

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Current Divider Law

𝑅1
𝐼2 = 𝐼𝑠
𝑅1 + 𝑅2

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 Quiz
What is 𝐼2 if 𝐼𝑠 = 0.1𝐴 and 𝑅1 = 3000Ω and
𝑅2 = 3000Ω?

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Recognize when to use Current Divider
Law

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© G. Berdibekov