EE 204

Lecture 05
Circuit Solution by Circuit Reduction

Sources Connected in Series and in Parallel :

Both circuits are invalid. Why?

Circuit (a) violates KVL ⇒ ideal voltage sources cannot be combined in parallel

(unless they have the same voltage)

Circuit (b) violates KCL ⇒ ideal current sources cannot be combined in series

(unless they have the same current)

Figure 1

We can connect ideal voltage sources in series.

Voltage sources in series can be reduced to a single voltage source

Veq = V1 − V2 + V3 + V4
 Figure 2

We can connect ideal current sources in parallel.

Current sources in parallel can be combined as a single current source

I eq = − I1 − I 2 + I 3 − I 4

Figure 3
Example 1
Determine the currents i1 and i2 in the circuit of Fig. …

10 A
i2 5A
i1

2A
4 4 3

(a)

i2 i1
+ 10 A + 5A 2A
+ +
V V V V
4 4 3

(b)
Solution:

−10 A + 5 A − 2 A
V=
4 S + 4 S + 3S
1 1 1

−7 A
= 5
= −8.4V
6 S
Ohm’s law gives the currents through the resistors. Current i1 is labeled with the
passive sign convention with respect to voltage V. Hence

V
i1 =
3Ω
−8.4 A
= = −2.8 A
3Ω

Circuit i2 is the sum of the currents through the 3 ohm resistor , the 5-A current
source, and the 2-A current source . Applying KCL yields:

i2 = 5 A − i1 − 2 A = 5.8 A
This can also be calculated as the sum of the currents through the 4-ohm resistors and
the 10-A source:
V V
i2 = + + 10 = 5.8 A
4Ω 4Ω
Example 2
Determine voltages V and vx and currents I and ix in the circuit of Fig. …

b
c
ix 1 I
5A + +
V Vx
2 2 2
a

b b
c
ix 1 ix
5A + + 5A +
V Vx V
2 1 2 2
a a

Solution:

Combine the 2 resistors in // (2 ohm resistors) to get a resistor of 1 Ohm. Circuit in

step 1. Note that to find the current I which has been lost, we have to come back to the
original circuit once we find vx which remains after circuit reduction. Similarly ix
remains.
Finally add the equivalent resistor to the 1 Ohm series resistor to get 1 +1 or 2 Ohm
resistor, circuit in step2. Note that node c and voltage vx have disappeared in this
reduction, but voltage V remains since it is across the parallel combination. Also
current ix remains. No more reduction is required since we have a single node now
and we can therefore determine V as:

5A
V= = 5V
1
2 Ω + 12 Ω

The current ix can also be determined using Ohm’s law as:

V
ix = =5A
2Ω 2

Moving back to Step 1, we determine the voltage vx using Ohm’s law as:

vx = ix × 1Ω = 52 V

The current I can now be determined from the original circuit as

vx
I= =5A
2Ω 4
Equivalent Resistance of N Resistors in Series:

N
Req = R1 + R2 + ... + RN = ∑ Ri
i =1

a R1 R2 RN a

Req
≡ Req

b b

Figure 3

Equivalent Resistance of N Resistors in Parallel:

N
1 1 1 1 1
= + + ... + =∑
Req R1 R2 RN i =1 Ri

Special Case: If two resistors R1 & R2 are in parallel

1 1 1 R1 + R2 R1 R2 Product
= + = ⇒ Req = ⇒ Req =
Req R1 R2 R1 R2 R1 + R2 Sum

≡
Figure 4

Example 1:

Calculate the equivalent resistance seen to the right of a −b .

 Ω

Ω Ω Ω

Ω
Figure 5

Solution:

12 × 4 48
12Ω & 4Ω in parallel ⇒ = = 3Ω
12 + 4 16

4Ω & 3Ω & 1Ω in series ⇒ 4 + 3 + 1 = 8Ω

16 × 8 16 × 8 16
16Ω & 8Ω in parallel ⇒ = = = 5.33Ω
16 + 8 24 3

∴ Req = 5.33Ω
Ω

Ω Ω

Ω Ω

Figure 6

Conductance

The conductance G of a resistor is the reciprocal of the resistance R

1
G=
R
 1 1
Unit of G is or Semen [ S ] ⇒ ≡S
Ω Ω

For N conductances in series

N
1 1
=∑
Geq i =1 Gi

≡
Figure 7

For N conductances in parallel

N
Geq = ∑ Gi
i =1

≡
Figure 8

Power absorbed by a resistor:

v2
Using circuit a) pR = +iv = +i (iR) = i 2 R =
R

v2
Using circuit b) pR = −iv = −i (−iR) = i 2 R =
R

v2 2
∴ pR = = i R (regardless of the direction of i and the polarity of v )
R

∴ pR ≥ 0 ⇒ a resistor does not generate electric power, it always absorbs it.

 Figure 9

Example 2:

In the given circuit, calculate:

a) Geq seen by the voltage source

b) Req
c) the power absorbed by the load

Figure 10

Solution

a)

0.1S & 0.2S (parallel) ⇒ 0.1 + 0.2 = 0.3S

1 1 1
0.25S & 0.5S & 0.3S (series) ⇒ + + = 4 + 2 + 3.33 = 9.33 ⇒
0.25 0.5 0.3
1
= 0.107 S
9.33

0.107S & 0.09S (parallel) ⇒ 0.107 + 0.09 = 0.197S

∴ Geq = 0.197 S
 1 1
b) Req = = = 5.08Ω
Geq 0.197

v 2 (5) 2
c) p5.08Ω = = = 4.97W
R 5.08

Figure 11

The meaning of the series connection

3Ω & 6V are in series.

10V & 5A are in series.

4Ω & 20V & 5Ω are in series.

Why?

6V & 2Ω are not in series.

2Ω & 11V are not in series.

Why?
 20V
4Ω 5Ω

3Ω 6V 2Ω
10V 1Ω
11V
5A

Figure 12

3Ω & 6V are in series ⇒ the same current I1 passes through them.

10V & 5 A are in series ⇒ the same current 5 A passes through them.

4Ω & 20V & 5Ω are in series ⇒ the same current I 4 passes through them.

6V & 2Ω are not in series ⇒ different currents I1 & I 3 pass through them.

2Ω & 11V are not in series. ⇒ different currents I 3 & I 5 pass through them.

Ω Ω

Ω Ω
Ω

Figure 13

The meaning of the parallel connection

3A & 4Ω are in parallel

6Ω & 8Ω are in parallel

2V & 8Ω are not in parallel

Why?
 Ω

Ω Ω

Ω
Ω Ω

Figure 14

The same voltage appears across 3A & 4Ω ⇒ they are in parallel

The same voltage appears across 6Ω & 8Ω ⇒ they are in parallel

Different voltages appear across 2V & 8Ω ⇒ they are not in parallel

- V2 +

6Ω
- V3 +

7Ω 10 Ω
+
+ +
3A
2V V2 V1 V1
8Ω
- 4Ω -
- 5Ω

Figure 15

Example 3:

Calculate:

a) the power absorbed by the 3Ω resistor

b) the equivalent resistance seen by the 10V voltage source

Ω Ω
Ω
Ω

Figure 16
Solution:

a)

2Ω & 4Ω & 9Ω are in series ⇒ 2 + 4 + 9 = 15Ω

Define v1 & v2 & i1 & i2 (arbitrary choice of voltage polarity and current direction)

KVL ⇒ −10 + v1 + v2 = 0

Ohm’s Law ⇒ −10 + 15i1 + 3i2 = 0 (1)

KCL ⇒ i1 + 3 = i2 (2)

Solving (1) & (2) ⇒ −10 + 15(i2 − 3) + 3i2 = 0 ⇒ 18i2 = 55 ⇒

55
i2 = = 3.056 A
18

∴ p3Ω = 3i22 = 3(3.056) 2 = 28.02W

b)

Using (3) ⇒ i1 = i2 − 3 = 3.056 − 3 = 0.056 A

v 10
∴ Req = + =+ = 178.57Ω
i1 0.056

15 Ω
10V 3Ω 2A

i1 + V1 -
15 Ω 3Ω +
10V V2 2A
i2
-