Laboratory Exercise No.

5
Mesh Analysis
John Clement Husain, Kayla Millicent Plazo, Mark Allan Antipuesto
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
School of Engineering, University of San Carlos
Nasipit, Talamban Cebu City, Philippines
husainjohnclement@gmail.com kaylaplazo2001@gmail.com antipuesto60@gmail.com

Abstract—This laboratory activity’s main purpose is to study nodal

analysis and how it is can be applied to find circuit currents and
voltages. Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law is applied to all nodes to calculate
the different voltages and resistances of the circuit.

Keywords- kirchhoff, resistance, nodes, ground-node , mesh

analysis, super mesh

I. INTRODUCTION
Mesh analysis is a mirror to nodal analysis [1]. While nodal
analysis utilizes Kirchhoff’s Current Law, mesh analysis uses
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law, KVL, to create the equations
necessary for the calculations of circuit currents and voltages. In
order to understand mesh analysis, we first need to define the
terms: loop and mesh. A loop is any closed path within a circuit, Figure 2
and a mesh is a kind of loop that does not have any other loops
in it [3]. In reference [3], the article states that we must also
II. PROCEDURE
imagine a current flowing through the loop, this is called the
mesh or loop current. Using these mesh currents and meshes, we 1. Consider the dual supply circuit of Figure 1 using E1 = 10
can proceed to create KVL equations. The second Kirchhoff's volts, E2 = 15 volts, R1 = 4.7 k, R2 = 6.8 k, and R3 = 10 k.
law, also known as the mesh or voltage law (its acronym being
KVL from Kirchhoff's voltage law), states that the algebraic sum 2. Using KVL, write the loop expressions for these two loops
of voltages across individual electrical components is equal to and then solve to find the mesh currents. Note that the third
the algebraic sum of source voltages in a mesh [4]. Simplified, branch current (that of R2) is the combination of the mesh
this statement means that the sum of voltages of a given circuit currents and that the voltage at node A can be determined using
should equal zero. the second mesh current and Ohm’s Law. Compute these values
This laboratory activity will be using the following and record them in Table 1.
schematics:
3. Build the circuit of Figure 1 using the values specified in step
. one. Measure the three branch currents and the voltage at node
A and record in Table 1. Be sure to note the directions and
polarities. Finally, determine and record the deviations in Table
1.

4. Consider the dual supply circuit of Figure 2 using E1 = 10

volts, E2 = 15 volts, R1 = 4.7 k, R2 = 6.8 k, R3 = 10 k, R4 = 22
k, and R5 = 33 k.

5. Using KVL, write the loop expressions for these loops and
then solve to find the mesh currents. Note that the voltages at
nodes A and B can be determined using the mesh currents and
Figure 1 Ohm’s Law. Compute these values and record them in Table 2.

6. Build the circuit of Figure 2 using the values specified in step

four. Measure the three mesh currents and the voltages at node
A, node B, and from node A to B, and record in Table 2. Be Similar to the previous experiment, the polarities of the
sure to note the directions and polarities. Finally, determine and sources does matter. Due to the flow of electricity being
record the deviations in Table 2. affected by the polarities of the power sources, the
resulting voltages would ultimately be affected if any of
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS the sources were inverted. Experimenting this, we found
that if you inverted E2 in Figure 2, the voltages at VA
Table 1: Results from Fig. 1 and VB would be less.
Parameter Theory Experimental Deviation
2. In both circuits of this exercise the negative terminals of
IR1 -0.12mA -0.12mA 0 the sources are connected to ground. Is this a
IR2 0.82mA 0.82mA 0 requirement for mesh analysis? What would happen to
IR3 -0.94mA -0.94mA 0 the node voltages if the positions of E1 and R1 in Figure
1 were swapped?
VA 9.424 V 9.42V 0.0028
Connection to a ground is not a requirement when doing
Table 2: Results from Fig. 2 mesh analysis. So long as there is a closed loop in the
Parameter Theory Experimental Deviation circuit, you should be able to do a mesh analysis. If the
IR1 -0.53mA -0.56mA 0.0212 2 were swapped, the voltage at VA would become
IR2 -0.51mA -0.53mA 0.0141 smaller and the currents at IR1 and IR2 would get larger
IR4 .19mA 0.18mA 0.0071 but IR3 would become smaller.
VA 7.4 V 7.39 V 0.0071
VB 11.55 V 11.41 V 0.0990 3. The circuits of Figures 14.1 and 14.2 had been analyzed
previously in the Superposition Theorem and Nodal
VAB 4.18 V 3.96 V 0.1556
Analysis exercises. How do the results of this exercise
compare to the earlier results? Should the resulting
Equations for Theoretical Results
currents and voltages be identical? If not, what sort of
things might affect the outcome?
−115000𝑖1 + 6800𝑖2 = 5 Eq (1)
The results of the three exercises are the same as they
6800𝑖1 − 16800𝑖2 = −15 Eq (2)
should be. The three are different ways of finding the
values of the each of the components in a circuit. The
only difference is that each of the methods have
14700𝑖1 − 10000𝑖2 = 10 Eq (3) situations that they are most efficient compared to the
others.
−10000𝑖1 + 65000𝑖2 − 33000𝑖3 = 0 Eq (4)
4. In general, compare and contrast the application of
−33000𝑖2 + 139800𝑖2 = −15 Eq (5) Superposition, Mesh and Nodal Analyses to multisource
DC circuits. What are the advantages and disadvantages
After looking at the tables, you can see that there were very of each? Are some circuits better approached with a
small deviations from the theoretical results or the experimental particular technique? Will each technique enable any
results. These deviations could be the result of our rounding particular current or voltage to be found or are there
while doing the calculations. The deviations, however, are limitations?
miniscule, therefore the mesh analysis method can still be
considered accurate when applied to circuitry. Superposition can simplify the process if the circuit you
are using is linear or has multiple input sources. It has
As for the theoretical calculations, for Figure 1, we set the an advantage over the other analyses in this situation
direction of the mesh currents to clockwise, and for Figure 2 we because superposition allows one to “power off” other
set the direction of the currents to counterclockwise as E2 was sources which results in a simpler circuit. As for mesh a
a greater power source, and we felt it would be easier to do analysis and nodal analysis, seeing as they both reach
calculations that way. Equations (1) and (2) were for Figure 1 the same conclusion, it would be up to a person which
and Equations (3), (4), and (5) were used for Figure 2. one they use on a given circuit. The general rule of
thumb, however, is to use the method that requires the
1. Do the polarities of the sources in Figure 1 matter as to smaller number of equations. Nodal analysis uses n – 1
the resulting voltages? Will the magnitudes of the equations, n being the number of nodes while mesh
voltages be the same if one or both sources have an analysis requires the same number of equations as the
inverted polarity? number of mesh currents in the circuit.
 V. REFERENCES
[1] Fiore, James M. “7.3: Mesh Analysis.” Engineering LibreTexts,
Libretexts, 12 Sept. 2021,
https://eng.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Electrical_Engineering/Electronic
s/DC_Electrical_Circuit_Analysis_-
_A_Practical_Approach_(Fiore)/07:_Nodal_and_Mesh_Analysis_Depen
dent_Sources/7.3:_Mesh_Analysis.
[2] Tenny, Kevin M. “Ohms Law.” StatPearls [Internet]., U.S. National
Library of Medicine, 2 June 2021,
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK441875/.
[3] Rathore, T.S. “Identifying the Loops in Mesh Analysis.” IETE Journal of
Education, 2015th ed., vol. 56, IETE Journal of Education, 2015, pp. 55–
58. Issue 2.
[4] Lobontiu, Nicolae. System Dynamics for Engineering Students (Second
Edition). Academic Press., 2018.

Figure 3: Schematic of Fig. 1 using LTSpice and the

direction of the mesh currents.

Figure 4: Schematic of Fig. 2 using LTSpice and the direction

of the mesh currents.
IV. CONCLUSION
This laboratory exercise was a way to visualize and
dive deeper into the applications of mesh analysis in real
circuitry. Utilizing current knowledge, outside sources, and
applications to virtually simulate the circuits, we were able
to investigate the usage and effectiveness of mesh analysis.
To summarize, mesh analysis is an application of
Kirchhoff’s First Law and Second Law, also known as
Kirchhoff’s Current Law and Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law, to
circuitry in order to find the voltage/current values of certain
components without having to physically simulate a circuit.
This activity showed that using mesh analysis is very
accurate when it comes to calculations and that the results
were very close to the actual results of experimentation.