CIRCUITS AND

6.002x ELECTRONICS

Basic Circuit Analysis Methods

(KVL and KCL method, Node method)

1  
Review
Remember, our EECS playground

Observe the lumped

matter discipline LMD

2  
Review

i
+  
v Lumped circuit element
-­‐  

power consumed by element =    vi

3  
Review
LMD allows us to create the
lumped circuit abstraction

V+!
–! R1

R2 R3

4  
Review
Review
Maxwell’s equations simplify to
algebraic KVL and KCL under LMD!
KVL:
∂φ B
∑ jν j = 0 For all loops ∫ E ⋅ dl = − ∂t
KCL:
∑jij = 0 For all nodes

5  
Review
a DEMO
R1 R4
R3
+! b
V–! d
0

R2 R5

6  
Let’s Begin by Building aToolchest of
Analysis Techniques Analyzing a
circuit means:

R1 R4 Find all the

R3 element v’s
+! and i’s
V–!
0

R2 R5

7  
Method 1: Basic KVL, KCL method of
Circuit analysis  
Goal: Find all element v’s and i’s
1. write element v-i relationships
(from lumped circuit abstraction)
2. write KCL for all nodes
3. write KVL for all loops
lots of unknowns
lots of equations
lots of fun
solve 8  
Method 1: Basic KVL, KCL method of Circuit analysis  
Goal: Find all element v’s and i’s
Labeling element v’s and i’s
This
i convention is
+ called:
! Element e Associated
- variables
discipline
Current is taken to be Then power
positive going into the consumed = vi is positive
positive voltage terminal by element e
9  
Method 1: Basic KVL, KCL method of
Circuit analysis  
You will need this for step 1: Element Relationships

For R

For voltage source

For current source

10  
Let’s Apply KVL, KCL Method to this Example
Goal: Find all element v’s and i’s

R1 R4
R3
V0+!
–!
R2 R5

The Demo Circuit 11  

KVL, KCL Example Goal: Find
all element
Label all v’s and i’s
a v’s and i’s

R1 R4 12 unknowns
R3 ν 0 …ν 5 , i0 …i5
b
V+! d
–!
0

R2 R5

c
Note the use of associated variables… 12  
 a
Step 1 of KVL, KCL Method + i1 L2 +
i4
ν 1 R1 ν4 R4
ν 0 …ν 5 , i0 …i5 12 unknowns +
i0 – –
L1 b i3 R3 d
ν 0 V+!
1. Element relationships (v, i ) – –!
0
+ i2 + v3 – i5
ν2 +
– R2
ν5 R5
L3 –
c
L4

13  
 a
Step 2 of KVL, KCL Method + i1 L2 +
i4
ν 1 R1 ν4 R4
ν 0 …ν 5 , i0 …i5 12 unknowns +
i0 –
b i3 R3
–
ν 0 V+! L1 d
– –!
0
+ i2 + v3 – i5
ν2 +
– R2
ν5 R5
L3 –

2. KCL at the nodes c

L4

(use convention, e.g.,

sum currents leaving
the node)
14  
 a
Step 3 of KVL, KCL Method + i1 L2 +
i4
ν 1 R1 ν4 R4
ν 0 …ν 5 , i0 …i5 12 unknowns +
i0 –
b i3 R3
–
ν 0 V+! L1 d
– –!
0
+ i2 + v3 – i5
ν2 +
– R2
ν5 R5
L3 –
c
3. KVL for loops L4

(use convention, e.g., as

you go around loop,
assign first encountered
sign to each voltage)
KVL, KCL Method 3. KVL for loops
1. Element v, i relationships L1: − v0 + v1 + v2 = 0
v0 = V0 v3 = i3R3 L2: v1 + v3 − v4 = 0
v1 = i1R1 v4 = i4R4
L3: v3 + v5 − v2 = 0
v2 = i2R2 v5 = i5R5
L4: − v0 + v4 + v5 = 0 redundant

2. KCL at the nodes

a: i0 + i1 + i4 = 0
b: i2 + i3 − i1 = 0
d: i5 − i3 − i4 = 0
c: − i0 − i2 − i5 = 0 redundant

ugh @#!
Method 3 – the node method will be much better! 16  
 Other Analysis Methods
Method 2— Apply element combination rules

R1 R2 R3 RN
A …

B
G1 G2 GN

17  
Method 2 — Apply element combination rules

18  
Method 2— Apply element combination rules
Example

V+!
–! R1

R2 R3

19  
Method 3 — Node analysis Particular
application of
1. Select reference node ( ground) from KVL, KCL
which voltages are measured. method
2. Label voltages of remaining nodes with
respect to ground. These are the
primary unknowns.

3. Write KCL for all but the ground node,

substituting device laws and KVL.

4. Solve for node voltages. 6.002x

workhorse!
5. Back solve for branch voltages and
currents (i.e., the secondary unknowns).
20  
Method 3 — Node analysis
Example: Old Faithful, plus current source
1. Select reference
ground node
R1 R R4
3 2. Label node voltages
V0+! with respect to
–! ground.
R2 R5 I1

g 21  
 V0
Step 3 of Node Method
1 R1 R3
R4
For convenience, write i
G = e2
Ri V0+!
e1
–!
R2 R5

g
I1

3. Write KCL for

nodes, substituting
device laws and KVL.

To avoid mistakes, use convention –

E.g., always sum the currents leaving a node 22  
 V0
Step 4 of Node Method
KCL at e1 R4
R1 R3
(e1 − V0 )G1 + (e1 − e2 )G3 + (e1 )G2 = 0 e2
e1
V0+!
–!
KCL at e2
R2 R5
(e2 − e1 )G3 + (e2 − V0 )G4 + (e2 )G5 − I1 = 0

g
I1

Move constant terms to RHS & collect unknowns

4. Solve for node
voltages

2 equations, 2 unknowns Solve for e’s

(compare units) 23  
 V0
Step 5 of Node Method
+ i1
R4
Once you have solved for e1 and e2, v1 R1 R3
easy to find branch v’s and i’s –e e2
V0+!
–!
1

For example: R2 R5

g
I1

5. Back solve for

branch voltages and
currents

24  
Revisit Step 4 of Node Method for Cultural Interest
e1 (G1 + G2 + G3 ) + e2 (−G3 ) = V0 (G1 ) 4. Solve for node voltages

e1 (−G3 ) + e2 (G3 + G4 + G5 ) = V0 (G4 ) + I1

In matrix form:

⎡G1 + G2 + G3 − G3 ⎤ ⎡ e1 ⎤ ⎡ G1V0 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ = ⎢ ⎥
⎣ − G3 G3 + G4 + G5 ⎦ e
⎣ 2 ⎦ G V + I
⎣ 4 0 1 ⎦

unknown
conductivity node sources
matrix voltages 25  
Step 4 of Node Method 4. Solve for node voltages
⎡G1 + G2 + G3 − G3 ⎤ ⎡ e1 ⎤ ⎡ G1V0 ⎤
⎢ =
⎣ − G3 G3 + G4 + G5 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣e2 ⎥⎦ ⎢G V + I ⎥
⎣ 4 0 1 ⎦

Solve
⎡G3 + G4 + G5 G3 ⎤ ⎡ G1V0 ⎤
⎡ e1 ⎤ ⎢⎣ G3 G1 + G2 + G3 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣G4V0 + I1 ⎥⎦
⎢e ⎥ = (G1 + G2 + G3 )(G3 + G4 + G5 ) − G32
⎣ 2 ⎦ Notice: linear
in V0, I1, no
e =
(
G +G +G G V + G G V + I
3 4 5 1 0 3 4 0 1
)( ) ( )( ) negatives
1 G G +G G +G G +G G +G G +G G +G 2 +G G +G G in denominator
1 3 1 4 1 5 2 3 2 4 2 5 3 3 4 3 5
– we will use
e2 =
(G3 )(G1V0 ) + (G1 + G2 + G3 )(G4V0 + I 1 )
2
this later
G1G3 + G1G4 + G1G5 + G2G3 + G2G4 + G2G5 + G3 + G3G4 + G3G5
(same denominator) 26  
Step 4 of Node Method V0

E.g., solve for e2 , given R1 R3

R4
G1 ⎫ 1 G2 ⎫ 1 1 e2
= = G3 = I1 = 0 e1
⎬
G5 ⎭ 8.2 K
⎬
G4 ⎭ 3.9 K 1.5 K V0+!
–!
R2 R5

g
I1

e2 = 0.6V0

If V0 = 3V , then e2 = 1.8V0

27