Chapter 4

Circuit Theorems

SJTU 1
 Linearity Property
• Linearity is the property of an element
describing a linear relationship between
cause and effect.
• A linear circuit is one whose output is
linearly ( or directly proportional) to its
input.

SJTU 2
Fig. 4.4 For Example 4.2

if Is  15 A, then Io  3 A;
if Is  5 A, then Io  1A.

SJTU 3
 Superposition(1)
• The superposition principle states that
voltage across (or current through) an
element in a linear circuit is the algebraic
sum of the voltages across (or currents
through) that element due to each
independent source acting alone.

SJTU 4
 Superposition(2)
• Steps to Apply Superposition Principle:
1. Turn off all independent source except one source. Find
the output(voltage or current) due to that active source
using nodal or mesh analysis.
2. Repeat step 1 for each of the other independent sources.
3. Find the total contribution by adding algebraically all the
contributions due to the independent sources.

SJTU 5
 j

i
e +
LN V
R1

i1 i2
+ e +
LN V1
R1
LN R1
V2
- -

V  V 1  V 2; i  i1  i 2
SJTU 6
Fig. 4.6 For Example 4.3

v  v1  v 2
v1  2V ; v 2  8V
 v  10V

SJTU 7
 Source Transformation(1)
• A source transformation is the process of replacin
g a voltage source Vs in series with a resistor R by
a current source is in parallel with a resistor R, or v
ice versa. Vs=isR or is=Vs/R

SJTU 8
 Source Transformation(2)
• It also applies to dependent sources:

SJTU 9
Fig. 4.17 for Example, find out Vo

SJTU 10
So, we get vo=3.2V

SJTU 11
Example: find out I (use
source transformation )

2A

2A
7
6V

I  0.5 A

SJTU 12
 Substitution Theorem
I1 I3 I1 I3 I1 I3
+ + +
6  I2 4  6  I2 6  I2
8  8  8 
V3 V3 V3
8V 1A
20V 4V 20V 20V
- - -

I1=2A, I1=2A, I1=2A,

I2=1A, I2=1A, I2=1A,
I3=1A, I3=1A, I3=1A,
V3=8V V3=8V V3=8V

SJTU 13
 Substitution Theorem
• If the voltage across and current through
any branch of a dc bilateral network are
known, this branch can be replaced by any
combination of elements that will maintain
the same voltage across and current through
the chosen branch.

SJTU 14
 Substitution Theorem
Is
+
N
N1 Vs N2
-

Vs Is
N1 OR N
N1

SJTU 15
 Thevenin’s Theorem
• A linear two-terminal circuit can be replace
d by an equivalent circuit consisting of a vo
ltage source Vth in series with a resistor Rth,
where Vth is the open-circuit voltage at the t
erminals and Rth is the input or equivalent re
sistance at the terminals when the independ
ent source are turned off.

SJTU 16
(a) original circuit, (b) the Thevenin equivalent circuit

SJTU 17
Simple Proof by figures

I I
+ +
LN V LOAD
LN V I
- -

+ + Is
Voc LNo RoI
LN +
- -

V=Voc-RoI
SJTU 18
 Thevenin’s Theorem
Consider 2 cases in finding Rth:
• Case 1 If the network has no dependent sources, just
turn off all independent sources, calculate the equival
ent resistance of those resistors left.
• Case 2 If the network has dependent sources, there a
re two methods to get Rth:
1.

SJTU 19
 Thevenin’s Theorem
• Case 2 If the network has dependent sources, there are
two methods to get Rth:
1. Turn off all the independent sources, apply a voltage s
ource v0 (or current source i0) at terminals a and b and
determine the resulting current i0 (or resulting voltage v
0), then Rth= v0/ i0

SJTU 20
 Thevenin’s Theorem
• Case 2 If the network has dependent sources, there are t
wo methods to get Rth:
2. Calculate the open-circuit voltage Voc and short-circuit cu
rrent Isc at the terminal of the original circuit, then Rth=
Voc/Isc

Original + Original
Voc
Circuit Circuit
Isc
Rth=Voc/Isc
-

SJTU 21
Examples

SJTU 22
 Norton’s Theorem
• A linear two-terminal circuit can be
replaced by an equivalent circuit consisting
of a current source IN in parallel with a
resistor RN, where IN is the short-circuit
current through the terminals and RN is the
input or equivalent resistance at the
terminals when the independent sources are
turned off.
SJTU 23
(a) Original circuit, (b) Norton equivalent circuit

(c) d

SJTU 24
Examples

SJTU 25
 Maximum Power Transfer
Replacing the original network by its Thevenin equivalent, then the power deliv
ered to the load is V
p  i 2 RL  ( Th
) 2 RL
RTh  RL

I a
+
LN V
RL
-
b

SJTU 26
Power delivered to the load as a function of RL

dp 2   RTh  RL  
 TTh  3
0
dRL   RTh  RL  
VTh2
so yields RL  RTh and p
4 RTh

We can confirm that is the maximum

power by showing that d 2 p
2
0
dR L

SJTU 27
 Maximum Power Transfer
(several questions)
• If the load RL is invariable, and RTh is variable, t
hen what should RTh be to make RL get maximu
m power?
• If using Norton equivalent to replace the original
circuit, under what condition does the maximum
transfer occur?
• Is it true that the efficiency of the power transfer
is always 50% when the maximum power transfer
occurs?
SJTU 28
Examples

SJTU 29
 Tellegen Theorem
• If there are b branches in a lumped circuit, a
nd the voltage uk, current ik of each branch a
pply passive sign convention, then we have
b

u
k 1
i 0
k k

SJTU 30
 Inference of Tellegen Theorem
• If two lumped circuits N and N̂ have the same topological
graph with b branches, and the voltage, current of each
branch apply passive sign convention, then we have not
only
b b

u i
k 1
k k 0  uˆ iˆ
k 1
k k 0
b b
but also  uˆ i
k 1
k k 0  u iˆ
k 1
k k 0

SJTU 31
Example
N is a network including resistors only. When R2  2, V1  6V ,
We can get I1  2 A, V2  2V ; When R2  4, V1  10V , We can
get I1  3 A, find out V2 then.

I1 I2
According to the Tellegen Theorem
b b
V1
N +
V2 V1 I1  V2 I 2   Vk I k  0 ; V1I1  V2I 2   VkI k  0
R2
- k 3 k 3

and Vk I k  RI k I k  RI k I k  VkI k  V1 I1  V2 I 2  V1I1  V2I 2

b b
V2 2
 V I   V I
k 3
k k
k 3
k k 6  (3)  2   10  (2)  V2 
4 2
 V2  4V

SJTU 32
 Reciprocity Theorem
R1 R2 R1 R2

Vs
4V 2 6 I2 2 6
Vs
3 I2
R3 R3 3 4V

1 1
I2  A I2  A
3 3

SJTU 33
 Reciprocity Theorem
(only applicable to reciprocity networks)

• Case 1 The current in any branch of a network, due to a single

voltage source E anywhere else in the network, will equal the
current through the branch in which the source was originally
located if the source is placed in the branch in which the current I
was originally measured.

N I2
Vs
if Vs  Vs ' then I1'  I 2
I1' I 2
actually exists : 
Vs ' Vs
I1' N Vs'

SJTU 34
 Reciprocity Theorem
(only applicable to reciprocity networks)

Case 2

Is N + if Is  Is ' then V 1'  V 2

V2
-
V 1' V 2
actually exists : 
Is ' Is
+
N Is'
V1'
-

SJTU 35
 Reciprocity Theorem
(only applicable to reciprocity networks)

Case 3

Vs
N +

V2
if Vs  Is' then I1'  V 2
-

I1' V 2
actually exists : 
Is' Vs
I1' N Is'

SJTU 36
example

SJTU 37
 Source Transfer
• Voltage source transfer

R2 R2
R4 Vs R4
R1 Vs R1
R5 Vs R5
R3 R3

An isolate voltage source can then be transferred to a

voltage source in series with a resistor.

SJTU 38
 Source Transfer
• Current source transfer

R2 C R3 R2 R3
C

Is
Is
Is
B B

R1 A R4 R1 A R4

Examples

SJTU 39
 Summary
• Linearity Property • Maximum Power Tran
• Superposition sfer
• Source Transformation • Tellegen Theorem
• Substitution Theorem • Inference of Tellegen
Theorem
• Thevenin’s Theorem
• Reciprocity Theorem
• Norton’s Theorem
• Source Transfer

SJTU 40