Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Basic Course

Lesson 1
Definition of electrical quantities

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Items
Boundaries of the Electrical Basic Course
Two-terminal and N-terminal component
Basic electrical quantities
Electrical Current
Electrical Voltage
Electrical Power: Two-terminal component convention
Electrical Circuit: Topological definitions
Node
Edge
Graph
Loop
Cut set

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Boundaries of the Electrical Basic Course

All the electromagnetic phenomena are subjected to Maxwell equations.
The aim of the proposed Electrical Basic Course is the study of the relations
among elementary components which exchange electric energy among
them only by they terminals and no energy comes from the surrounding air
(no propagation).
The Electrical Basic Course will be based on a simplification set of Maxwell
equations called Kirchhoffs Laws
Terminals

a) 2-terminal components, b) 3-terminal components, c) 4-terminal component

Electrical Basics Course

N-terminal components

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

N-terminal components
The terminal are ideal and so can have arbitrary shape and length

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Current
Lets assume that is known the existence of Electric Charge: q [C]
Lets suppose of having a tube (electrical conductors) where the charges
can flow and to consider the charge q which flows through the cross section
of the tube in the time interval t, we define the current i as:

Or better:

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Current
The terminals of the component are conductors and when the charge enter
in one terminal of the component exit from the other terminal:

Possible current representation

Current SI unit is Ampere [A] (1 A = 1 Coloumb/second)

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Current
The instrument which measures current is called Ammeter
The Ammeter is characterized by a pointed terminal

If the measured value is positive, it means that a positive current enter in

the pointed terminal of the ammeter
0
i=10A

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Voltage
The electrical voltage is the difference of the voltage potential between
two points
The voltage potential of a point is the work has to be done in order to
move a unitary charge from the infinite to the considered point

vA
Q=1 C
A

The electrical voltage between a point A and a point B is the work has to be
done in order to move a unitary charge from the point A and a the point B

vA
A
Voltage SI unit is Volt [V]

vB
Q=1 C

VAB=VA-VB

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Voltage
From electrical voltage definition:

VAB=VA-VB

VAB= - VBA

VBA=VB-VA
An electrical voltage occurs across the terminals of a component:
v

Other possible representation:

v

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Voltage
The instrument which measures current is called Voltmeter
The voltmeter is characterized by a pointed terminal

If the measured value is positive, it means that a positive voltage point

versus the pointed terminal of the voltmeter
0

*
v=+5V

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Power
Is defined as the product between voltage and current of two-terminal
component:

p=v i
Power SI unit is Watt [W]
The power can be absorbed or generated depending from the direction choice
of voltage and current:
Load Convention: voltage and current point the same terminal (a and b)
Source Convention: voltage and current point different terminal (c and d)

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Power
In the Load Convention the calculated power is absorbed
In the Source Convention the calculated power is generated
The calculated power can be positive or negative, this means that:
Load Convention and positive power = Load
Load Convention and negative power = Source
Source Convention and positive power = Source
Source Convention and negative power = Load
The instrument which measures electrical power is called Wattmeter

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Power
The wattmeter is characterized by four terminals:
Two voltage terminals
Two current terminals
One voltage and one current terminals are pointed

Connection:
i

*
*

*
*

W
Voltage terminals
Current terminals

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Circuit
Given a set of elementary component and Electrical Circuit is obtained by a
possible connection of the set of component
Many connections are possible and so many circuit can be created

Electrical Basics Course

Electrical Circuit
What are important are the connections and not their length

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Basic Topological definition

Node: namely the points of connection of 2 or more terminal
Branch: namely the part of the circuit connecting 2 nodes

Branch

Branch

Node

Node

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Basic Topological definition

Graph: describe the topology of a circuit by a diagrams in which are drawn only
the nodes and the branches without reporting the components

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Loop

Loop: is as a subset of branches of a graph that satisfies the following
properties:
1) each branch of the loop is connected with the other ones
2) two and only two branches are connected to the nodes belonging to the loop

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Loop

3, 4 and 5 is a Loop

3, 4, 5 and 6 is not a Loop

3 branches are
connected to the
node D

1 branch is
connected to the
node A

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Loop

All the loops are:

1,5,6
1,3,2
3,4,5
2,4,6
1,3,4,6
1,5,4,2
3,5,6,2

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Cut set

Cut set is a subset of branches of a graph which satisfies the following
properties:
1) by removing all the branches of the cut set, we obtain two separated graphs
from the original one
2) by removing all the branches of the cut except one, whatever it is, we get only one
graph

11

G
12

4
A

13
9

E
11

10 1

5
12

4
B

13
9

10

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Cut set

E

5,12,6 is a cut set?

11

13
9

2 separated graph

10

1 connected graph

1 connected graph
E

11

G
7

4
6

13
9

1 connected graph E

1
A

11
3

4
B

11

G
7
C

13 10
9

G
12

10

8
13
9

10

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Cut set

E

8,13,10 is a cut set?

2 separated graph
11

12

1 connected graph

1 connected graph
E

11

4
B

12

7
9

1 connected graph

D
F

2
11

11

12

4
3

B
H

13
9

5
12

10
9

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Cut set

In general, the branches composing a cut set will be those cutting a closed
curve drawn around the graph

11

5
X
12
X

X
6

13
9

10

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Derived Topological definition: Cut set

The surface can contains at least 1 node of the circuit (which represents a graph in
any case since is a topological element)
E
F
G
H
2
5
8
X
11

12
4

X
13
9

10

Each node is associated to a cut set. All the subset of branches that converge to a
node are cut sets
Node A: cut set 1,3,11
Node B: cut set 3,4,6
Node C: cut set 6,12,7,9
Node D: cut set 9,10

Node E: cut set 1,2

Node F: cut set 2,11,4,5
Node G: cut set 5,7,8
Node H: cut set 8,13,10

The cut set which is not associate to a physical node is called generalized node

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL)

The algebraic sum of the voltages across the branches of a loop is equal
to 0 at any instant.
Implementing decree: 3 steps
1) Definition of the voltage
orientation
2) Definition of loop orientations
3) Correlation rule between voltage
and loop orientations

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL)

1) Definition of the voltage orientation: the orientation implies the name of the
voltage

vBA
A

vDA

vBC

vDC

or

vCB

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL)

2) Definition of the loop orientation

or

A
D

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL)

3) Correlation rule between voltage and loop orientation: we have to define if the
voltage orientated according the loop orientation should be considered positive
or negative in the algebraic sum and alternative if the voltage not orientated
according the loop orientation should be considered negative or positive.
vBA

vBA-vBC+vDC-vDA=0

or
vDA

-vBA+vBC-vDC+vDA=0
D

vBC

3
vDC

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL)

The algebraic sum of the currents which flow in the branches of a cut set
is equal to 0 at any instant.
Implementing decree: 3 steps
1) Definition of the current
orientations
2) Definition of cut set crossing
orientation
3) Correlation rule between current
and cut set crossing orientations

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL)

1) Definition of the current orientations

i4

i1

i3
1

or
2

i2

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL)

2) Definition of cut set crossing orientation

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL)

3) Correlation rule between current
and cut set crossing orientations:
we have to define if the current
orientated according the cut set
crossing orientation should be
considered positive or negative in
the algebraic sum and alternative if
the current not orientated
according the cut set crossing
i3
orientation should be considered
negative or positive.

i4

i1
1

-i1-i2+i3-i4=0
2

or

i1+i2-i3+i4=0

i2

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Generalised KVL
The KVL can be also written on a path which is not composed by physical
components: what is important is that the path should be a closed path.
In this case the path is called: generalised loop

vFD

vDA

vAB

vFB

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

Generalised KCL
The KCL can be also written on a cut set which is not associated to a physical node.
In this case the cut set is called: generalised node

11

G
12

4
A

13
9

10

Electrical Basics Course

Prof. Aldo Canova

KVL and KCL

KVL (or KCL) will be adopted for:
1) Calculating a voltage (or a current) knowing all the other of a loop (or of the
cut set)
2) Writing constraint equations (in order to write a set of linear circuit equation
will be adopted in the solution of electrical circuit)
All the following roles and theorems of the course derive from KVL and KCL.

Electrical Basics Course

Exercise on KVL

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Basics Course

Exercises on KVL

Solving the system:

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Electrical Basics Course

Exercise on KCL

Prof. Aldo Canova

Electrical Basics Course

Exercise on KVL
Node C

Node A

Node F

Solution

Prof. Aldo Canova