UNIT I BASIC CIRCUITS ANALYSIS 6+6
Resistive elements - Ohm‟s Law Resistors in series and parallel circuits – Kirchoffs laws – Mesh
current and node voltage - methods of analysis.
BASIC ELEMENTS & INTRODUCTORY CONCEPTS
1.1. Electrical Network: A combination of various electric elements (Resistor, Inductor, Capacitor,
Voltage source, Current source) connected in any manner what so ever is called an electrical
network. We may classify circuit elements in two categories, passive and active elements.
1.1.1. Passive Element: The element which receives energy (or absorbs energy) and then either
converts it into heat (R) or stored it in an electric (C) or magnetic (L ) field is called passive
element.
1.1.2. Active Element: The elements that supply energy to the circuit is called active element.
Examples of active elements include voltage and current sources, generators, and electronic devices
that require power supplies.
1.2. OHM’s LAW
Ohm‟s law states that “In an electrical circuit at constant temperature the voltage V across a resistor
R is directly proportional to the current I flowing through the resistor”.
VαR
V = I R mathematical form of ohm‟s law.
Limitations:
It does not apply for all non-metallic conductor.
It is not applicable to non-linear devices.
It is true for metal conductors at constant temperature. Temperature changes the law is not
applicable.
Problem 1: An electric ion draws 2A at 120V.Find the resistance.
Solution:
By ohm‟s law, V=IR
V 120
R
I 2
Resistance, R=60 ohms.
1.2.1. SERIES RESISTANCES
If two or more elements are in series they carry same current shown in Fig. (1)
Fig. 1 Series resitances
Consider the above circuit, the 3 resistances are in series. The current „I‟ flows in both of them is
same. Apply ohm‟s law to each of the resistors,
V1 = I R1, V2 = I R2, V3 = I R3
V= V1 + V2 + V3
IR = IR1 + IR2 + I R3
Requ = R1 + R2 + R3
The equivalent resistance of any number of resistors connected in series is the sum of the individual
resistances.
Problem 2: For the circuit shown in Fig. 2, determine (a) the battery voltage V, (b) the total
resistance of the circuit, and (c) the values of resistance of resistors R 1, R2 and R3, given that the
p.d.‟s across R1, R2 and R3 are 5V, 2V and 6V respectively.
Fig. 2
(a) Battery voltage V = V1 + V2 + V3
=5 + 2 + 6=13V
V
(b) Total circuit resistance R
I
13
= 3.25
4
V1
(c) Resistance R1
I
5
= = 1.25 Ω
4
V2
Resistance R2
I
2
= = 0.5 Ω
4
V3
Resistance R3
I
6
=
4
= 1.5 Ω
1.2.2. PARALLEL RESISTANCES
Two or more elements are in parallel, they have same voltages across them shown in fig. (3)
Fig. 3 Parallel resistances
The sum of the currents I1, I2 and I3 is equal to the total circuit current, I,
i.e. I =I1 +I2 +I3, and
The source p.d., V volts, is the same across each of the resistors.
From Ohm‟s law:
V
I1
R1
V
I2
R2
V V
I3 and I
R3 R
Where Requ is the total circuit resistance.
Since I =I1 + I2 + I3
V V V V
= + +
Requ R1 R2 R3
Dividing throughout by „V‟ gives:
1 1 1 1
= + +
Requ R1 R2 R3
When the circuit is connected in parallel the total resistance of the circuit decreases as the number
of resistors connected in parallel increases.
Problem 3: For the circuit shown in Fig. 4, determine (a) the reading on the ammeter, and (b) the
value of resistor R2.
Fig. 4
P.d. across R1 is the same as the supply voltage V.
Hence supply voltage, V = 8 × 5 = 40V
V
(a) Reading on ammeter, I
R3
40
= 2A
20
(b) Current flowing through R2 =11 – 8 – 2 = 1A
V 40
Hence, R2 40
I2 1
Find the equivalent resistance for the circuit shown in Fig. 5
Fig. 5
R3, R4 andR5 are connected in parallel and their equivalent resistance R is given by:
1 1 1 1
R 3 6 18
6 3 1 10
= =
18 18
18
Hence R 1.8 R= 18/10=1.8 Ω
10
The circuit is now equivalent to four resistors in series and the equivalent circuit resistance
=1+2.2+1.8+4=9 Ω
1.3. KIRCHOFF'S LAW
1.3.1. Kirchoff's First Law - The Current Law, (KCL)
"The total current or charge entering a junction or node is exactly equal to the charge leaving
the node as it has no other place to go except to leave, as no charge is lost within the node" shown
in fig. 6.
In other words the algebraic sum of ALL the currents entering and leaving a node must be
equal to zero,
I(exiting) + I(entering) = 0.
This idea by Kirchoff is known as the Conservation of Charge.
Fig. 6 Kirchoff‟s Current law
Currents Entering the Node = Currents leaving the Node
I1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 0
Here, the 3 currents entering the node, I1, I2, I3 are all positive in value and the 2 currents leaving
the node, I4 and I5 are negative in value.
Then this means we can also rewrite the equation as;
I1 I 2 I 3 I 4 I 5 0
1.3.2. Kirchoff's Second Law - The Voltage Law, (KVL)
"In any closed loop network, the total voltage around the loop is equal to the sum of all the
voltage drops within the same loop" which is also equal to zero shown if fig. 7
In other words the algebraic sum of all voltages within the loop must be equal to zero. This
idea by Kirchoff is known as the Conservation of Energy.
Fig. 7 Kirchoff‟s Voltage law
Starting at any point in the loop continue in the same direction noting the direction of all the
voltage drops, either positive or negative, and returning back to the same starting point.
It is important to maintain the same direction either clockwise or anti-clockwise or the final
voltage sum will not be equal to zero.
We can use Kirchoff's voltage law when analyzing series circuits.
V1 V2 iR1 iR 2
V1 V2 iR1 iR 2 0
The sum of all the voltage drops around the loop equal zero
1.4. Common DC Circuit Theory Terms:
Circuit –a circuit is a closed loop conducting path in which an electrical current flows.
Path –a single line of connecting elements or sources.
Node –a node is a junction, connection or terminal within a circuit were two or more circuit ele-
ments are connected or joined together giving a connection point between two or more branches. A
node is indicated by a dot.
Branch –a branch is a single or group of components such as resistors or a source which are con-
nected between two nodes.
Loop –a loop is a simple closed path in a circuit in which no circuit element or node is encountered
more than once.
Mesh –a mesh is a single open loop that does not have a closed path. There are no components
inside a mesh.
Problem 4: Find the current flowing in the 40Ω Resistor, R3
The circuit has 3 branches, 2 nodes (A and B) and 2 independent loops.
Using Kirchoff‟s Current Law, KCL the equations are given as;
At node A :
I1 + I2 = I3
At node B :
I3 = I1 + I2
Using Kirchoff‟s Voltage Law, KVL the equations are given as;
Loop 1 is given as :
10 = R1 X I1 + R3 X I3
= 10I1 + 40I3 ---- (1)
Loop 2 is given as :
20 = R2 X I2 + R3 X I3
= 20I2 + 40I3 ---- (2)
Loop 3 is given as :
10 – 20 = 10I1 – 20I2
As I3 is the sum of I1 + I2 we can rewrite the equations as;
Eq. No 1 :
10 = 10I1 + 40(I1 + I2)
= 50I1 + 40I2
Eq. No 2 :
20 = 20I2 + 40(I1 + I2)
= 40I1 + 60I2
We now have two “Simultaneous Equations” that can be reduced to give us the values of I1 and I2
Substitution of I1 in terms of I2 gives us the value of I1 as -0.143 Amps
Substitution of I2 in terms of I1 gives us the value of I2 as +0.429 Amps
As :
I3 = I1 + I2
The current flowing in resistor R3 is given as :
-0.143 + 0.429 = 0.286 Amps
and the voltage across the resistor R3 is given as :
0.286 x 40 = 11.44 volts
The negative sign for I1 means that the direction of current flow initially chosen was wrong, but
never the less still valid. In fact, the 20v battery is charging the 10v battery.
1.5. Mesh Current Analysis
An easier method of solving the above circuit is by using Mesh Current Analysis or Loop
Analysis which is also sometimes called Maxwell´s Circulating Currents method. Instead of la-
belling the branch currents we need to label each “closed loop” with a circulating current.
As a general rule of thumb, only label inside loops in a clockwise direction with circulating
currents as the aim is to cover all the elements of the circuit at least once. Any required branch cur-
rent may be found from the appropriate loop or mesh currents as before using Kirchoff´s method.
For example: :
i1 = I1 ,
i2 = -I2 and
I3 = I1 – I2
We now write Kirchoff‟s voltage law equation in the same way as before to solve them but
the advantage of this method is that it ensures that the information obtained from the circuit
equations is the minimum required to solve the circuit as the information is more general and can
easily be put into a matrix form.
1.5.1. Mesh :
A mesh is a loop which does not contain any other loops within it.
Steps :
1. Mesh current direction is assumed clockwise.
2. Each mesh is assigned a separate mesh current
3. Kirchoff‟s voltage law is applied
4. Sign is noted as (+) for rise in potential and (-) for fall in potential.
5. If any mesh current is negative then actual direction is anticlockwise.
6. In mesh analysis only voltage sources should be present.
Problem 5: Solve for the current through the 5 ohm resistor and the current through the 18V
source using Mesh-Current Analysis.
Solution:
Now write KVL equations for each loop.
KVL for i1:
-18V + 5(i1-i2) + 4(i1-i3) + 1(i1) = 0
then gather terms:
10i1 - 5i2 - 4 i3 -18V = 0
KVL for i2:
-5i1 + 10i2 - 3i3 - 12 = 0
KVL for i3:
-4i1 -3i2 +9i3 = 0
Now solve the three equations in three unknowns:
i1 = 7.02A
i2 = 6.28A
i3 = 5.21A
The current through the 5 ohm resistor = i1 – i2
= 0.74A.
The current through the 18V = i1
= 7.02A.
4.5.2. Node Voltage method
Nodal Voltage Analysis complements the previous mesh analysis in that it is equally power-
ful and based on the same concepts of matrix analysis. As its name implies, Nodal Voltage Analysis
uses the “Nodal” equations of Kirchoff‟s first law to find the voltage potentials around the circuit.
Steps :
1. Convert all voltage sources to current sources
2. Kirchoff‟s Current law is applied.
3. Select one node as reference node to which the voltages at all other nodes are measured.
4. All the nodes except reference node are then numbered & their corresponding „n‟ voltages are
designed as V1,V2...
Problem 6
Solve for the current through the 5 ohm resistor and the current through the 4V source using
Node-Voltage Analysis. 10Ω 4V
10Ω
4Ω 2Ω
5A 2A
Solution:
Now write KCL at each node (except the reference):
KCL at V1:
V1 (V1 V2 ) [V1 (V2 4)]
5A 0
5 10 10
Note that there are four terms in the equation, one for each branch leaving the node.
The terms list the current leaving right, down, left, and up.
KCL at V2:
(V2 V1 ) V2 [V (V1 4)]
2A 2 0
10 2 10
Note that there are four terms in the equation, one for each branch leaving the node.
The terms list the current leaving right, down, left, and up.
Now gather terms (multiplying through by 10 to clear up the fractions):
4V1 - 2V2 = 54
-2V1 + 7V2 = 16
Now solve the set of 2 equations with 2 unknowns.
V1 = 17.08V
V2 = 7.17V
We can now determine the current through the 5 ohm by Ohm's law:
V
I 1 3.41A
5
The current through the 4V source
[V (V2 4)]
I 1 0.59 A
10
