Introduction to

Electronic Circuits

Thevenin & Norton

Equivalent Circuits
Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Circuits often EXIST simply to drive a load … in the simplest case this means,
a circuit EXISTS to drive a single resistance with a desired voltage or a desired
current.

Thus, we often only want to understand the circuit from the perspective (or
with respect to) this load resistance (often shortened to be called “the load”).
In AC circuits, the load may consist of a combination of resistors, capacitors,
and inductors; in DC circuits, however, the only component of the load that is
particularly relevant is the resistance.

When it is the case that we only care what voltage is across, what current is
through, or what power is dissipated across the load, we can reduce the
circuit to a single voltage source in series with a single resistance (the
Thevenin equivalent) or a single current source in parallel with a single
resistance (the Norton equivalent).

The single resistance is often called the Thevenin resistance. The single
voltage source in a Thevenin equivalent circuit is called the Thevenin voltage.
The single current source in a Norton equivalent circuit is called the Norton
current.
Thevenin Equivalent Circuits

A circuit, however large can be reduced to a single voltage source in series

with a single resistance that drives “The Load”

RThevenin

Vthevenin + This is the Thevenin Equivalent

RLoad
- Circuit with respect to the load RLoad

a
RThevenin
+ This is the Thevenin Equivalent
Vthevenin Circuit with respect to the terminals
- a and b. This terminology implies that
between the points marked a and b is
connected a load RLoad
b
Norton Equivalent Circuits

A circuit, however large can be reduced to a single current source in

parallel with a single resistance that drives “The Load”

INorton This is the Norton Equivalent

RThevenin RLoad
Circuit with respect to the load
RLoad

a This is the Norton Equivalent

Circuit with respect to the
terminals a and b. This
INorton
RThevenin terminology implies that
between the points marked a
and b is connected a load
b RLoad
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #1, Easiest Method: Use Source Transformations
A source transformation allows you to convert a current source I in parallel
with a resistor R to a voltage source V (= IR) in series with R. Likewise, a
voltage source V in parallel with a resistor R can be converted to a current
source = V/R in parallel with R.

R
+ Rest of
R Rest of V = IR Circuit
I Circuit -

Successive source transformations can be used in circuits (that contain no

dependent sources) to collapse a circuit into its Thevenin or Norton
equivalent!
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #1: Source Transformations
If a circuit contains no dependent sources, successive source transformations
may be used to collapse the circuit into its Thevenin or Norton Equivalent.
This method works as long as source transformations are possible (e.g. There
is a voltage source in series with a resistance to be transformed to a current
in parallel with a resistance, or vice versa) and when the source
transformation does not compromise the load.

Example #1: Find the Thevenin Equivalent of the following circuit:

+ - + -
+
R1 + R2
+

Vs Rload
- R4
-
- + -
R5
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #1: Source Transformations

Example #1: Find the Thevenin Equivalent of the following circuit.

This circuit contains no dependent sources, so we may be able to use source

transformations to collapse the circuit into its Thevenin Equivalent. First we
combine R1 and R5 into Req = R1 + R5. Then we can transform Vs and Req
into a current source in parallel with Req (whose value is Vs/Req).

+ + -
Vs/(R1+R5) +
+ + R2
R1 + R5 Rload
R4
- -
-
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #1: Source Transformations

Example #1: Find the Thevenin Equivalent of the following circuit.

Now we can combine R4 and R1+R5 in parallel before doing another source
transformation to obtain an equivalent resistor R = (R1 + R5) || R4.
-
Vs/(R1+R5) +
+ R2

R Rload
-
-
Another source transformation gives us the Thevenin Equivalent Circuit where
Vthevenin = R Vs/ (R1 + R5)

+
R + R2
+

Vthevenin
- Rload

-
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #2: Open Circuit Voltage/Short Circuit Current method
a.  Replace the “load” with an open circuit; solve for the voltage across it.
That voltage is the open circuit voltage or Voc.
b.  Replace the “load” with a short circuit; solve for the current through it.
That voltage is the short circuit current or isc.
c.  The open circuit voltage = the Thevenin voltage
d.  The short circuit current = the Norton current
e.  The Thevenin resistance = Voc/isc
R1 R2

+
Vs Voc
- R4

R1 R2
+

Vs R5
- R4 Rload
+ R1 R2
Vs
R5 - R4
ilsc

R5
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #2: Open Circuit Voltage/Short Circuit Current method
a.  Replace the “load” with an open circuit; solve for the voltage across it.
That voltage is the open circuit voltage or Voc.

R1 R2
+

Vs Voc
- R4

R5

We can find Voc using voltage divider:

Voc = Vs * R4 / (R1 + R4 + R5)

Note that the resistor R2 is irrelevant because it has no current flowing

through it.
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #2: Open Circuit Voltage/Short Circuit Current method
b. Replace the “load” with a short circuit; solve for the current through it.
That voltage is the short circuit current or isc.

VA

R1 R2
+

Vs
- R4
ilsc

R5

We can find isc using nodal analysis:

(Vs – VA ) / (R1 + R5) = VA/R4 + VA/R2

isc = VA/R2
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #2: Open Circuit Voltage/Short Circuit Current method
c. The open circuit voltage = the Thevenin voltage
d. The short circuit current = the Norton current
e. The Thevenin resistance = Voc/isc

+
Rthevenin
+

Vthevenin
- Rload

Note: it was easier to arrive at the Thevenin (and Norton) equivalent in this
case using Method #1, Source Transformations. However, some circuits
(mostly those with dependent sources) cannot be fully transformed into their
Thevenin Equivalents, which leaves us with no choice but to choose from
Method #2, #3, or #4. Method #2 works with any linear circuit.
 Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3a: Open Circuit Voltage and Thevenin Resistance method
a.  Replace the “load” with an open circuit; solve for the voltage across it.
That voltage is the open circuit voltage or Voc.
b.  Deactivate all independent sources (replace independent voltage sources
with short circuits and independent current sources with open circuits) and
collapse the remaining resistors in the circuit (except the load resistance)
into a single resistance.
c.  Open circuit voltage = Thevenin voltage
d.  Equivalent resistance = Thevenin resistance

R1 R2

+
Vs Voc
- R4
R1 R2
+

Vs
- R4 Rload
R5

R5 R1 R2

Note that this method usually DOES NOT R4 Rload

WORK (in general) in circuits that contain R5
dependent sources of any kind
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3a: Open Circuit Voltage and Thevenin Resistance method
a.  Replace the “load” with an open circuit; solve for the voltage across it.
That voltage is the open circuit voltage or Voc.

R1 R2 Note that this step is

+

Vs Voc identical to the first

- R4 step in Method #2.

R5

We can find Voc using voltage divider:

Voc = Vs * R4 / (R1 + R4 + R5)

Note that the resistor R2 is irrelevant because it has no current flowing

through it.
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3a: Open Circuit Voltage and Thevenin Resistance method
b. Deactivate all independent sources (replace independent voltage sources
with short circuits and independent current sources with open circuits)
and collapse the remaining resistors in the circuit (except the load
resistance) into a single resistance.

R1 R2

R4 Rload
R5

The equivalent resistance

Req = Rthevenin = Rth = [ (R1 + R5) || R4] + R2

Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3a: Open Circuit Voltage and Thevenin Resistance method
c. Open circuit voltage = Thevenin voltage
d. Equivalent resistance = Thevenin resistance

+
Rthevenin
+

Vthevenin
- Rload

Vthevenin = Voc

Rthevenin = Req
 Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3b: Short Circuit Current and Thevenin Resistance method
a.  Replace the “load” with a short circuit; solve for the current through it.
That current is isc.
b.  Deactivate all independent sources (replace independent voltage sources
with short circuits and independent current sources with open circuits) and
collapse the remaining resistors in the circuit (except the load resistance)
into a single resistance.
c.  Short circuit current = Norton current
d.  Equivalent resistance = Thevenin resistance

R1 R2

+
Vs isc
- R4
R1 R2
+

Vs
- R4 Rload
R5

R5 R1 R2
Note that this method usually DOES NOT R4 Rload
WORK (in general) in circuits that contain R5
dependent sources of any kind
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3b: Short Circuit Current and Thevenin Resistance method
a.  Replace the “load” with a short circuit; solve for the current through it.
That current is isc.
VA

R1 R2 Note that this step is

+

Vs isc
- identical to the second
R4
step in Method #2.

R5

We can find isc using nodal analysis:

(Vs – VA ) / (R1 + R5) = VA/R4 + VA/R2

isc = VA/R2
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3b: Short Circuit Current and Thevenin Resistance method
b. Deactivate all independent sources (replace independent voltage sources
with short circuits and independent current sources with open circuits)
and collapse the remaining resistors in the circuit (except the load
resistance) into a single resistance.

R1 R2

R4 Rload
R5

The equivalent resistance

Req = Rthevenin = Rth = [ (R1 + R5) || R4] + R2

Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #3b: Short Circuit Current and Thevenin Resistance method
c. Short circuit current = Norton current
d. Equivalent resistance = Thevenin resistance

IN Rthevenin Rload

INorton = isc

Rthevenin = Req
 Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #4a: Test Voltage and Open Circuit Voltage method
a.  Replace the “load” with an open circuit; solve for the voltage across it.
That voltage is the open circuit voltage or Voc.
b.  Deactivate all independent current and voltage sources. Replace the
“load” with a test voltage source v through which a current i flows; solve for
the ratio of v/i.
c.  Open circuit voltage = Thevenin voltage
d.  v/i = Thevenin resistance R1 R2

+
V
R4 - i

R1 R2
+

Vs R5
- R4 Rload

R1 R2
+
R5 Vs Voc
- R4

Note that this method will work with any R5

type of linear circuit (although the math
involved may not be pretty or simple)
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #4a: Test Voltage and Open Circuit Voltage method
a.  Replace the “load” with an open circuit; solve for the voltage across it.
That voltage is the open circuit voltage or Voc.

R1 R2 Note that this step is

+

Vs Voc identical to the first

- R4 step in Method #2 and
Method #3a.

R5

We can find Voc using voltage divider:

Voc = Vs * R4 / (R1 + R4 + R5)

Note that the resistor R2 is irrelevant because it has no current flowing

through it.
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #4a: Test Voltage and Open Circuit Voltage method
b. Deactivate all independent current and voltage sources. Replace the
“load” with a test voltage source v through which a current i flows; solve
for the ratio of v/i.
VA This method is unduly
R2 complicated for this particular
R1
circuit, but in some cases may

+
V be the only or the simplest way
R4 - i
to find the Thevenin equivalent
circuit.
R5
We can find V/i using nodal analysis:
VA/(R1+R5) + VA/R4 = i

(V – VA) / R2 = i OR VA = ( V – i * R2)

( V – i * R2)/(R1+R5) + ( V – i * R2)/R4 = i
V (1/(R1+R5) + 1/R4) = i ( 1 + R2/(R1+R5) + R2/R4)
V/i =[ (R1 + R5) || R4 ] + R2
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #4a: Test Voltage and Open Circuit Voltage method
c. Open circuit voltage = Thevenin voltage = Vthevenin
d. v/i = Thevenin resistance

+
Rthevenin
+

Vthevenin
- Rload

-
 Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #4b: Test Voltage and Short Circuit Current method
a.  Replace the “load” with a short circuit; solve for the current through it.
b.  Deactivate all independent current and voltage sources. Replace the
“load” with a test voltage source v through which a current i flows; solve for
the ratio of v/i.
c.  Short circuit current = Norton current
d.  v/i = Thevenin resistance
R1 R2

+
V
R4 - i

R1 R2
+

Vs R5
- R4 Rload

R1 R2
+
R5 Vs
- R4

Note that this method will work with any R5

type of linear circuit (although the math
involved may not be pretty or simple)
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Example 2:
Find the Thevenin equivalent of the following circuit with respect to the
terminals a and b

Source Transformations do not work because there is a dependent source in

the circuit and transforming the 9V source will “lose” the current i on which
the 100i current dependent voltage source is dependent.

Method #2 (Find the open circuit voltage and short circuit current) will work
to find the Thevenin Equivalent here + v -
a
12V 500 1000
+
-
-

0.001v

b
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Example 2:
Method #2 (Find the open circuit voltage and short circuit current) will work
to find the Thevenin Equivalent here.

For the open circuit voltage:

The voltage v is 0 (there is no current passing through the 1000 ohm resistor)
Therefore the current through the dependent source is 0 (= 0.001v)
Using KVL:
12 – 500 * i (500 ohm resistor) – Voc = 0
Voc = 12 V + v -
a
12V 500 1000
+
-
-

0.001v

b
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Example 2:
Method #2 (Find the open circuit voltage and short circuit current) will work
to find the Thevenin Equivalent here.

For the short circuit current (putting a wire from a to b):

(12 – VA)/500 + 0.001v = Va/1000
By observation: v = VA
By observation: isc = v/1000
Solving: v = 12 and isc = 12mA
+ v -
VA
a
12V 500 1000
+
-
Isc
-

0.001v

b
Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Method #2: Open Circuit Voltage and Thevenin Resistance method
c. Open circuit voltage = Thevenin voltage
d. Equivalent resistance = Thevenin resistance

+
Rthevenin
+

Vthevenin
- Rload

Vthevenin = 12

Rthevenin = 12/12mA = 1000 Ohms

Finding Thevenin & Norton Equivalents
Example 3:
Find the Thevenin equivalent of the following circuit with respect to the 50
kOhm resistor in the following circuit

Source Transformations do not work because there is no resistor in series

with the 25V source.

Method #3a (Find the open circuit voltage and thevenin resistance) will work
to find the Thevenin Equivalent here.
After de-activating the 25V source by
replacing it with a short circuit, the
Thevenin resistance is:

50k || 75k + 100k || 100k

The open circuit voltage can be found

with voltage divider:

Voc = 25V * (75k/125k – 100k/200k)

Thevenin Equivalent Circuits
We have explored four different methods for finding the Thevenin or Norton
equivalent circuit. While the first method (Source Transformations) is the
easiest, it is not always possible to apply source transformations, forcing us
to choose among Methods 2, 3, and 4. While Method 3 often provides the
easiest way among these three methods, it doesn't always work. The choice
of Method 2 and 4 from that point is often highly dependent on the circuit.

RThevenin

Vthevenin + This is the Thevenin Equivalent

RLoad
- Circuit with respect to the load RLoad

a
RThevenin
+ This is the Thevenin Equivalent
Vthevenin Circuit with respect to the terminals
- a and b. This terminology implies that
between the points marked a and b is
connected a load RLoad
b