Lecture 4

Current and Voltage Laws

1
 Network Topology
• An interconnected set of electrical components is
called a network.
• Each component of a network is called an element.
• Elements are connected by wires.

2
 Nodes and Branches
• A point at which two or more elements have a common
connection is called nodes.
• Branches are connections between nodes. A branch is
an element (resistor,capacitor,source,etc)
branches

nodes

3
This network as three nodes and four branches
 Kirchoff’s Current Law (KCL)
• The sum of all the currents entering a node is zero.
• The sum of currents flowing into a node must be
balanced by the sum of currents flowing out of the
node. i1 node

i2 i3

i1 flows into the node

i2 flows out of the node
i3 flows out of the node 4

i1 = i2 + i3
 Kirchoff’s Current Law (KCL)
Example: How much is the current Io ?

3.5 mA 5 mA

io
i4 i2 i3

Solution:
From KCL,
i4 = i2 + i3 =3.5+5= 8.5 mA,
and Io = i4 = 8.5 mA
5
 Kirchoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
• The sum of voltages around a closed loop is zero.

+ v2 –
+ + +
v1 +
_ v3 v4
– – –

For the inner arrow: –v1 + v2 + v3 = 0

For the outer arrow: –v4 – v2 + v1 = 0 6

 Kirchoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
Example: If V1 = 10 V and V5 = 2 V, what are V2, V3,
and V4?
+ v3 –

+ + + +
v1 + v2 v4 v5
_
– – – –

Solution:
From KVL,
V2 = 10 V
V4 = 2 V 7
V3 = 10 V – 2 V = 8 V
 Single Loop Circuit
• The same current flows through each element of the
circuit
- the elements are in series.

(a) (b)
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 Single Loop Circuit
• From (b), applying KVL
-vs1+vR1+vs2+vR2=0 --------- (i)
Apply ohm’s law
VR1=R1i and vR2=R2i --------- (ii)
Substituting (ii) in (i)
-vs1+R1i+vs2+R2i=0
Since i is the only unknown
i=
Voltage and power associated with any element can
be obtained by applying
V=Ri,
9
P=vi, or P=i2R
 Single node pair Circuit
• Any number of elements are connected between the
same pair nodes
- the elements are in parallel

(a) (b)
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 Series and Parallel Connected Sources
• Two elements are in series if they exclusively share a
single node
• Two elements are in parallel if they are connected to
same two nodes

(a) (b) 11
 Series and Parallel Connected Sources
• Series connected voltage source can be replaced by a
single source

• Parallel current sources can be replaced by a single source

12
 Resistors in Series
• When connected in series N resistors can be replaced
by a single resistor having the value:

Req=R1+R2+R3+…. RN

13
 Resistors in Parallel
• When connected in parallel N resistors can be
replaced by a single resistor having the value:

= +

+ …..

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 Voltage Division
• Consider two resistors in series with a voltage v(t)
across them:
i

+ +
R1
R1 v1(t) v1 (t ) = v(t )
– R1 + R2
v(t) +
R2
R2 v2(t) v2 (t ) = v(t )
– – R1 + R2
15
 Current Division
• Consider total current supplied to two parallel
resistors as shown in the circuit
i

+ R1
i1 i2 i2 = i
R1 + R2
v(t) R1 R2
R2
i1 = i
R1 + R2
–
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