ELEN12114
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING II
UNIT 1
Circuit Theorems
Instructor: M. Lekhanya
2025
Recommended Books
John Bird (2017), Electrical Circuit Theory and Technology (6th/4th
edition). United Kingdom: CRC Press.
Robert L. Boylestad (2022), Introductory Circuit Analysis. 14th Edition:
Pearson.
E. Hughes, J. Hiley, I. McKenzie-Smith, K. Brown (2020), Hughes
Electrical And Electronic Technology. 12th Edition: Pearson
Circuit Theorems
Any arrangement of electrical energy sources, resistances and other circuit elements is called an
electrical network.
So far, we employed two network laws 1) Ohm’s law, 2) the laws for resistors in series and in
parallel and 3) Kirchhoff’s laws to solve network problems. Occasions arise when these laws
applied to certain networks do not yield quick and easy solution. To overcome this difficulty, some
network theorems have been developed which are very useful in analysing both simple and
complex electrical circuits. These include:
(i) the superposition theorem
(ii) Thévenin’s theorem
(iii) Norton’s theorem
Recall Kirchhoff’s laws
Current Law:At any junction in an electric circuit
the total current flowing towards that junction is
equal to the total current flowing away from the
junction.
Voltage Law: In any closed loop in a network, the
algebraic sum of the voltage drops (i.e. products
of current and resistance) taken around the loop is
equal to the resultant e.m.f. acting in that loop.
I2 = −2.2 A ,I1 = 4.5 A
2. Determine the current supplied by the battery in the circuit shown in the Figure below.
x= 0.2 A, y= 0.1 A, z= 0.1 A
Current supplied by battery = x + y = 0.3 A
Wheatstone bridge
The superposition theorem
The superposition theorem states:
‘In any network made up of linear resistances and containing more than one source of e.m.f.,
the resultant current flowing in any branch is the algebraic sum of the currents that would flow
in that branch if each source was considered separately, all other sources being replaced at
that time by their respective internal resistances.’
In a linear, bilateral d.c. network containing more than one energy source, the resultant potential
difference across or current through any element is equal to the algebraic sum of potential
differences or currents for that element produced by each source acting alone with all other
independent ideal voltage sources replaced by short circuits and all other independent ideal
current sources replaced by open circuits (non-ideal sources are replaced by their internal
resistances).
THEVENIN’S THEOREM
Thevenin’s theorem, named after French physicist M. Leon Thevenin, who
proposed it in 1883, states that “the current flowing through a resistor connected
across any two terminals of a network can be determined by replacing the
remaining network by an equivalent circuit having a voltage source Eth in series
with a resistor Rth.”
‘The current in any branch of a network is that which would result if an e.m.f. equal
to the p.d. across a break made in the branch, were introduced into the branch, all
other e.m.f.’s being removed and represented by the internal resistances of the
sources.’
(i) shows a network enclosed in a box with two terminals A and B brought out. The network in the box
may consist of any number of resistors and e.m.f. sources connected in any manner. But according to
Thevenin, the entire circuit behind terminals A and B can be replaced by a single source of e.m.f. Eth
(called Thevenin voltage) in series with a single resistance Rth (called Thevenin resistance) as shown in
(ii).
Any linear, bilateral network having terminals A and B can be replaced by a single source of e.m.f. Eth in
series with a single resistance Rth.
(i) The e.m.f. Eth is the voltage obtained across terminals A and B with load, if any removed i.e. it is
open-circuited voltage between terminals A and B.
(ii) The resistance Rth is the resistance of the network measured between terminals A and B with load
removed and sources of e.m.f. replaced by their internal resistances. Ideal voltage sources are replaced
with short circuits and ideal current sources are replaced with open circuits.
Determine current through 6-Ω resistance connected across A–B terminals in the electric circuit
In the circuit given in Figure below, find the branch current I2 that flows through R2.
For a network shown in the Figure below determine the current flowing through RL when the value of load
resistance is (1) 3 Ω, (2) 6 Ω, and (3) 9 Ω.
SOLUTION: To determine voltage Eth, load resistance RL is removed as shown below.
To determine Thevenin resistance Rth, the source (battery) is replaced by its internal resistance (zero in this case)
as shown in the Figure below
The circuit is reduced to a Thevenin source of emf Eth (=9 V) and internal resistance Rth (=9 Ω) as shown in the
Figure below.
Find the Thevenin equivalent circuit lying to the right of terminals x−y
Using Thevenin’s theorem, find the voltage across 3Ω resistor
NORTON’S THEOREM
“Any linear, bilateral network having two terminals A and B can be replaced by a current
source of current output IN in parallel with a resistance RN. (i) The output IN of the current
source is equal to the current that would flow through AB when A and B are short-circuited.
(ii) The resistance RN is the resistance of the network measured between A and B with load
removed and the sources of e.m.f. replaced by their internal resistances. Ideal voltage
sources are replaced with short circuits and ideal current sources are replaced with open
circuits..”
remove all sources of e.m.f. and
Use Norton’s theorem to The branch containing the 10
replace them by their internal
determine the current flowing in resistance is short-circuited
resistance (or, if a current source
the 10 resistance for the circuit
exists, replace with an
open-circuit), then determine the
resistance r,‘looking-in’ at a break
made between A and B
the Norton equivalent network
Using Norton’s theorem, calculate the current in the 5 Ω resistor in the circuit shown
For the circuit shown below calculate the current in the 6 Ω - resistance by using
Norton’s theorem.
Thévenin and Norton equivalent networks
Maximum Power Transfer Theorem
The maximum power transfer theorem states: ‘The power transferred from a
supply source to a load is at its maximum when the resistance of the load is equal
to the internal resistance of the source.’
Star/Delta Transformation
When a circuit cannot be simplified by normal series–parallel reduction technique, the star-delta
transformation can be used.
Delta–Star Transformation
Star–Delta Transformation
