[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept.

of EEE]

EEE 2019 - PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING

TERM I TEST [SOLUTIONS] – 2018 ACADEMIC YEAR – JULY 9, 2019

Question 1. Find Io in the network shown using source transformation

[20 Marks]

[SOLUTION] to Q1 Using source transformation

 Converting the 12V voltage source which is series with the 6k resistor to a current
source in parallel with the latter resistor yields,

6k 12k 6k 9k 6k 9k

2mA 2mA 4 k
Io

3k
 Io
3k
2mA 6V +
−

[4 Marks] [4 Marks]
(6)(12)
 Furthermore, 6k 12k = k = 4 k ; and 3k + 6k = 9k ; [2 Marks]
18
 Also converting the 2mA current source which is in parallel with the 3k resistor to a
voltage source in series with the latter resistor yields the further simplified circuit on the Right
Hand Side above.
 Converting the 2mA current source which is in parallel with the 4k resistor to a voltage
source in series with the latter resistor and combining 3k + 9k = 12k yields,

−
12k 8V 6k
+ 0.5mA

6k
+ 2mA 12k 4 k
6V 4 k Io Io
−
3k

[4 Marks] [4 Marks]
 Finally, converting 6 V voltage source which is series with the 12k resistor and the 8 V
voltage source which is series with the 4k resistor to current sources which are in parallel
with the respective resistors yields the circuit on the Right Hand Side above.
 Vividly, applying current divider rule yields,
3  3  3 
( )
I o = −   2 − 0.5 mA = −     = −0.5mA . [2 Marks]
9  9  2 

[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 1 of 7

[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept. of EEE]

[Total 20 Marks]

Question 2. Calculate the effective resistance (in Ohms) between the points A and B in the
circuit given below. [20 Marks]

[SOLUTION]
 We ought to simplify the circuit by means of Delta to Wye transformation in order to
determine its effective resistance.
(2R)(R) 2
 Vividly, 2R R = = R , which yields, [2 Marks]
3R 3
2 2
2 2 R R
R R 7 3
3 3 4
R
21

A B A B
R

2 2
R R 2 2
3 3 [2 Marks] R R
7 3 [2 Marks]
 Exploiting Delta to Wye transformation yields the circuit on the Right-Hand Side above.
 2  2  4 2
 R R R
3 3 4
 That is, Ra =    = 9 = R ; and [2 Marks]
2 2 7 21
R+ R+R R
3 3 3
2  2 2
 RR R
 3  2
 Rb = Rc = = 3 = R; [2 Marks]
2 2 7 7
R+ R+R R
3 3 3
 Further simplification yields,
20
R
21
4 4 10
R R R
21 21

A 21 B A B

[4 Marks] [4 Marks]
20
R
21

[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 2 of 7

[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept. of EEE]

 Therefore,
4 10 14 2
RAB = R+ R= R ; i.e., RAB = R  . [2 Marks]
21 21 21 3
[Total 20 Marks]

Question 3. Use nodal analysis to find the node voltages in the circuit below. [20 Marks]

[SOLUTION]
 To begin with the node voltages are assigned as depicted in the circuit below.
1 4

supernode
3A

22 V
v1 v2 v3
− +
1 3
8A 1 1 5 25A

[2 Marks]
datum node

 At node 1: Applying KCL yields;

−8 − 3 − 3(v1 − v2 ) + 4(v3 − v1 ) = 0 ; that is, −7v1 + 3v2 + 4v3 = 11 ; (1)
 At the super node: Exploiting KCL yields; [3 Marks]
3 + 3(v1 − v2 ) − v2 − 5v3 − 4(v3 − v1 ) + 25 = 0 ; that is, 7v1 − 4v2 − 9v3 = −28 ; (2)
[3 Marks]
 Also, v3 − v2 = 22 ; (3)
[2 Marks]
 Thus, substituting eqn (3) in eqn (1) yields;
−7v1 + 3v2 + 4(v2 + 22) = 11 ; i.e., −7v1 + 7v2 = −77 ; (4)
 Similarly, substituting eqn (3) in eqn (2) yields; [2 Marks]
7v1 − 4v2 − 9(v2 + 22) = −28 ; i.e., 7v1 − 13v2 = 170 ; (5)
[2 Marks]
31
 It follows that, eqn(4) + eqn (5) → −6v2 = 93 ; i.e., v2 = − = −15.5 V ; [2 Marks]
2
 31  9
 Thus, −7v1 + 7  −  = −77 ;  v1 = − = −4.5 V ; [2 Marks]
 2  2
[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 3 of 7
[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept. of EEE]

31 13 13
 Finally, v3 = 22 + v2 = 22 − = ; i.e., v 3 = = 6.5 V ; [2 Marks]
2 2 2 [Total 20 Marks]

Question 4. Use mesh analysis to find the voltage across the 1Ω resistor in the circuit of
Question 3. [20 Marks]

[SOLUTION]
 To begin with the mesh currents are assigned as depicted in the circuit below.
1 4

3A i5

i4 22 V
− +
1 3
8A 1 1 5 25A
i2 i3
i1
[2 Marks]
 From mesh 1: vividly;
i1 = −8A ; (1)
 From mesh 2: Exploiting KVL yields; [2 Marks]
1
(i1 − i2 ) + 22 − (i2 − i3 ) = 0 ; that is, 5i1 − 6i2 + i3 = −110 ; (2)
5 [2 Marks]
 From mesh 3: vividly;
i3 = −25A ; (3)
 From mesh 4: Exploiting KVL yields; [2 Marks]
1 1
 v 3A − (i4 − i1 ) = 0 ; that is, v 3A = (i4 − i1 ) ; (4)
3 3 [2 Marks]
 From mesh 5: Exploiting KVL yields;
1 1
i5 − 22 − v 3A = 0 ; i.e., v3A = i5 − 22 ; (5)
4 4 [2 Marks]
 Equating eqns (4) and (5) yields,
1 1
i5 − 22 − (i4 − i1 ) = 0 ; i.e., 4i1 − 4i4 + 3i5 = 264 ; (6)
4 3
[2 Marks]
 Substituting eqns (1) and (3) into eqn (2) yields, ,
15
 5(−8) − 6i2 + (−25) = −110 ; i.e., 6i2 = 110 − 25 − 40 ; i2 = = 7.5A ; [2 Marks]
2
15 31 31
 Finally, v1 = i1 − i2 = −8 − = − ; i.e., v1 = − = −15.5V ; [4 Marks]
2 2 2
[Total 20 Marks]

[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 4 of 7

[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept. of EEE]

Question 5.

a) Explain what will happen to the brightness of the light bulb in the figure below if the
switch in this circuit is suddenly closed [5 Marks]

b) Define the following terms: energy, work, and power. [3 Marks]

c) Voltage is commonly defined as “electrical pressure.” The unit of the volt, however, may
be defined in terms of more fundamental physical units. What are these units, and how
do they relate to the unit of the volt? [2 Marks]
d) Electric current is measured in the unit of the ampere, or amp. What is the physical
definition for this unit? What fundamental quantities constitute 1 ampere of electric
current? [5 Marks]
e) What is the value of the resistor below, in ohms (Ω)?

[5 Marks]

[SOLUTION]
(a)
 When the switch is suddenly closed it introduces a parallel resistor as illustrated in the
circuit below.

IS I Bulb
+ switch
Battery IR
light bulb
− R

R(Rbulb )
 Thus, the equivalent resistance is of the form, Reqv = Rbulb R =  Rbulb ;
Rbulb + R
 It follows that the source current supplied by the battery increases, I S  as the equivalent
resistance decreases, Reqv  for a uniform (constant) supply voltage, VS . [1 Mark ]
 Consequently, the power supplied to the equivalent load, Reqv also increases, i.e., PR .
eqv

[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 5 of 7

[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept. of EEE]

 Nevertheless, the power supplied to the light bulb remains the same since by current divider
rule it is of the form, [1 Mark ]

 R 
 
 R 
(Rbulb + R)   
 VS  
 I bulb =   IS =   VS ; i.e., I bulb =  ;
 R
 bulb + R 
  (R
 bulb + R ) 
 R (R bulb
) 
  R
 bulb 


V 
2

 Therefore, Pbulb = VS I bulb =  S  watts . [1 Mark ]
 Rbulb 
 
 It follows that the brightness of the light bulb remains uniform and/or the same.
[2 Marks]

(b)
 Energy is the capacity to do work, measured in joules (J). Thus, the energy absorbed or
supplied by an element from time t0 to time t is of the form,
t t
w = t0
pdt = 
t0
vidt ; [1 Mark ]
 Work is the result when a force acts on an object over a distance, measured in joules (J). A
joule of work is equivalent to a newton-meter, that is, 1J = 1 N  m . Thus, the work done on an
object from distance x 0 to distance x is of the form,
x t
w = x0
fdx =  t0
vidt ; where f is force in newtons (N) and x is distance in meters (m).
[1 Mark ]
 Power is the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, measured in watts (W). The
mathematical relationship of power and energy is of the form,
dw  dw   dq 
p= =    = vi ; [1 Mark ]
dt  dq dt
 
(c)
 The voltage vAB between two points A and B in an electric circuit is the energy (or work)
needed to move a unit charge from A and B ; mathematically it is of the form,
dw
v= ; where w is energy in joules (J) and q is charge in coulombs (C).
dq
 The voltage vAB is measure in volts (V). It follows that,
1 volt = 1 joule/coulomb = 1 newton-meter/coulomb . [2 Marks]
(d)
 Electric current is the time rate of change of charge, measured in amperes (A).
Mathematically, the relationship between current i , charge q , and time t is of the form
dq
i= ; where q is charge in coulombs (C) and t is time in seconds (s). [2 Marks]
dt
 It follows that, 1ampere = 1 coulomb/second .
 Furthermore, in 1C of charge, there are 1 / (1.602  10−19 ) = 6.24  1018 electrons.
[3 Marks]
(e)
 Vividly, the circuit below brings to the fore the concept of tolerance in the measuring
instruments which ought to be taken into account when stating the value of the resistance.

[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 6 of 7

[EEE 2019 TEST I – SOLUTIONS 2018 Academic Year] [University of Zambia, School of Engg., Dept. of EEE]

+
Resistor 12 volt
(R) V battery
−
+ −
A
Voltimeter indication = 12.3 volts
Ammeter indication = 4.556 milliamps
AB
 For an expression of the form X = ;
C
dX dA dB dC 
 The maximum error occurs when =  + + ;
X A B C 
 Exploiting Ohm’s Law yields,
V 12.3 V
R= = = 2.6997 k ; [2 Marks]
I 4.556mA
 12.3 − 12 
 Vividly, relative error of the voltmeter is V =    100 = 2.5 per cent ;
 12  [1 Mark ]
 Assuming zero relative error on the ammeter indication, the maximum error for the
resistance is of the form, R = (V + I ) = 2.5 per cent ;
 Thus, the error in the determination of the resistance can therefore be as great as
2.5 [1 Mark ]
dR =  2.6997 k = 0.0675 k ;
100
 Therefore, with tolerance, R = 2.7 k  2.5 per cent ;
[1 Mark ]
 or R = 2.70  0.07 k .
[Total 20 Marks]

END OF EEE 2019 TEST I [SOLUTIONS]

[Prepared by Dr. L. Ngoyi and Jerry Muwamba , 2019] Page 7 of 7