EE102

LAB 4 REPORT

Thevenin and Norton Theorems

NAME STUDENT ID
Monish Mohit Chand S11170591
Folauhola Toumoua S11143270
Aditiya Jeet S11175234
Sailasa Lomalagi S11173887

AIM
The aim of this lab is to demonstrate the validity of Thevenin’s and Norton's theorems.
THEORY
Thevenin’s Theorem states that “Any linear circuit containing several voltages and resistances
can be replaced by just one single voltage in series with a single resistance connected across the
load“. In other words, it is possible to simplify any electrical circuit, no matter how complex, to
an equivalent two-terminal circuit with just a single constant voltage source in series with a
resistance (or impedance) connected to a load as shown below. Thevenin’s Theorem is
especially useful in the circuit analysis of power or battery systems and other interconnected
resistive circuits where it will have an effect on the adjoining part of the circuit.
Nortons Theorem states that “Any linear circuit containing several energy sources and
resistances can be replaced by a single Constant Current generator in parallel with a Single
Resistor“. As far as the load resistance, RL is concerned this single resistance, RS is the value of
the resistance looking back into the network with all the current sources open circuited and IS is
the short circuit current at the output terminals as shown below.

INSTRUMENTS
• PC installed with Circuit Maker.

METHODOLOGY
Follow the steps below to determine the power dissipated by the load resistor RL connected between
the terminals a and b in Fig. 1.

a) Remove the load resistor RL and calculate the equivalent resistance seen at terminals a-b.
 (Hint: Set voltage sources to zero by replacing them with short-circuit). The equivalent
resistance at terminals ab is the Thevenin (RTh) and Norton (RN) equivalent resistance.
(Calculation Method)
a) With the voltage sources active, calculate the open circuit voltage VOC at terminals a-b. This
voltage is the Thevenin equivalent voltage VTh.
(Calculation Method)

b) With the voltage sources active, short circuit terminals a-b and measure the short circuit current.
This current is the Norton equivalent current IN.
(Using Calculation)
 Table 10.1: Calculated value of RTh, VTh, and IN

RTh 319.6 Ω
VTh 7.38 V
IN 22.86mA

c) Draw the Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits in the space given below.
d) Using either the Thevenin or Norton equivalent circuit, calculate the voltage across, the current
through, and the power dissipated by the load resistor with the values as given in Table 10.2.

Table 10.2: Calculated values of iL, VL, and PL for RL

RL IL (mA) VL (V) PL (mW)

150Ω 6.78 1.015 6.88
330Ω 5.8 1.91 11.4
470Ω 5.22 2.45 12.8
680Ω 4.55 3.1 14.02
1.1kΩ 3.6 3.97 14.23
1.5kΩ 3 4.50 13.6
2.2kΩ 2.34 5.13 12.02
Instructions:

a) Implement the circuit shown in Fig. 1, without the load resistor, on a circuit maker. Measure and
record the equivalent resistance, open circuit voltage, and the short circuit current in Table 10.3.

Table 10.3: Measured value of RTh, VTh, and IN

RTH 319.6 Ω
VTH 7.309 V
IN 18.32 mA

b) Implement the Thevenin equivalent circuit on a circuit maker and measure the voltage across, the
current through, and the power dissipated by the load resistor with the values as given in Table 10.4

Table 10.4: Measured values of iL, VL, and PL for RL

RL IL (mA) VL (V) PL(mA)

150Ω -15.56 2.335 36.34
330Ω -11.25 3.713 41.78
470Ω -9.275 4.351 40.27
680Ω -7.312 4.972 36.36
1.1kΩ -5.149 5.664 26.16
1.5kΩ -4.017 6.025 24.20
2.2kΩ -2.901 6.382 18.51
c) Plot power PL versus load resistance RL using the measured results.
DISCUSSION

a) Discuss your calculated and measured values for the Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuit.

b) Discuss the results with respect to maximum power transfer. What load resistance gives maximum
power transfer?
CONCLUSION

In fulfilment of this lab, the validity of Thevenin’s and Norton’s theorems was proven. The theorems are
vital as it analysed complicated linear circuits by reducing them to a single independent source and
resistor with respect to a pair of terminals where the loads were changed in and out. In this particular
experiment, the circuit maker software which was available on the PC was used to carry out the
experiment and verified the test results obtained. The Circuit Maker Software was acclimated with
during the experiment. This lab was fundamentally on proving the theorems of Thevenin’s and Norton’s.
Due to the trial blunders experienced during the experiment, the hypothetical and test results simply
vary.

REFERENCE
Brittain, James E. (March 1990). "Thevenin's theorem". IEEE Spectrum. 27 (3): 42. doi:10.1109/6.48845.
Retrieved 2013-02-01.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th%C3%A9venin%27s_theorem
Gunther, Neil J. (2004). Nortons theorem Analyzing Computer System Performance with Perl::PDQ (Online
ed.). Berlin: Springer Science+Business Media. p. 281. ISBN 978-3-540-20865-5.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norton%27s_theorem