KIRCHOFFSVOLTAGELAW:EXAMPLE2

GIVEN:Considerthecircuitshown,where
R1=12 R2=4 R3=12 V1=12V

REQUIRED:
(a)ThecurrentthroughR1.
(b)ThecurrentthroughR2.
(c)ThecurrentthroughR3.

SOLUTION:

(a)First,weidentifytheloopsinthecircuit.Asshownbelow,wecanchooseanytwoofthethreeloops.

KirchoffsVoltageLaw:Thesumofthevoltagedropsaroundanyclosedloopiszero.

ApplyingKVLtoLoop1:

Unfortunately,wehaveoneequationwithtwounknowns(IR1andIR2).NotethatIR1IR2becauseIR1splitsbetween
tworesistors(R2andR3).StudentsoftendonotrecognizethatthecurrentSPLITSinthisway.

FindReqforthecircuitsothatwecanfindIR1:

ApplyOhmsLaw:

(b)NowthatweknowthecurrentthroughR1,wecanuseKVLaroundLoop1(asshownearlier):

(c)ApplyKVLtoLoop3:

DISCUSSION:

WecanapplyKVLtoLoop2tocheckourwork:







Lookatavoltageandcurrentbalance:














NoticethatwhenthecurrentsplitsatnodeA,morecurrentgoesthroughR2(4)thanthroughR3(12).
Electricitytakesthepathofleastresistance.