Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering

Lecture Handouts
Course Code &Name: :  19EC13301 &Analog Electronic Semester/
Circuits Year
Class : III Semester B.Tech. (I.T) III / II
Faculty Name : M. Sweetline Sonia
Unit : I Lecture No. : 9 Date of lecture:
Topic of Lecture: Maximum power transfer theorem-problems
Introduction :
 When load impedance is equal to Thevenin impedance then maximum power is
transferred to the load. According to the MPT the maximum power transfer to the load
when the load resistance is equal to the source resistance or Thevenin resistance. The
maximum power transfer theorem is used in electrical circuits.
Prerequisite knowledge for Complete learning of Topic:
 Requires knowledge in Kirchhoff’s laws, determinants, crammer’s rule.

Detailed Content of the Lecture:

Statement:
 The maximum power transfer theorem states that, to obtain maximum external
power from a source with a finite internal resistance, the resistance of the load
must equal the resistance of the source as viewed from its output terminals.

Find the value of RL for maximum power transfer in the circuit of Fig.9.1 Find
the maximum power.

Fig.9.1

Solution:
We need to find the Thevenin resistance RTh and the Thevenin voltage VTh across the
terminals a-
b. To get RTh, we use the circuit in Fig. and obtain
6∗12
RTh= 2 + 3 + 6 // 12 = 5 + = 12Ω

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 Fig. 9.2

To get VTh, we consider the circuit in Fig. (b). Applying mesh analysis,
−12 + 18i1− 12i2 = 0, i2 = −2 A
Solving for i1, we get i1= −2/3. Applying KVL around the outer loop to get VTh
across terminals a-b, we obtain
−12 + 6i1+ 3i2+ 2(0) + VTh= 0 _⇒VTh= 22 V
For maximum power transfer, RL= RTh= 9Ω and the maximum power is

Outcome / Application:
 MPTT is applied in Radio communications, where the power amplifier transmits
the maximum amount of signal to the antenna if and only if load impedance in the
circuit is equal to the source impedance. It is also applied in audio systems, where the
voice is to be transmitted to the speaker.
Video Content / Details of website for further learning (if any):
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U85eA3-suiQ
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CA6ZNXgI-Y
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bt_D-ACTC4w
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXQ9DXYjooA
Important Books/Journals for further learning including the page nos.:
 J. Millman & Halkins & Satyebranta Jit, “Electronic Devices & Circuits”, Tata
McGraw Hill, 2nd Edition, 2010
 David A. Bell, “Electronic Devices and Circuits”, Oxford University Press, 5 th
Edition, 2008.
 Robefi T. Paynter, ‘”Introducing Electronics Devices and Circuits”,
Pearson Education, 7th Edition , 2006.
 Adel .S. Sedra, Kenneth C. Smith, “Micro Electronic Circuits”, 6 th Edition, Oxford
University Press, 2010
 Salivahanan, “Electronic Devices and Circuits” 2nd edition Tata McGraw-Hill
Education, 2011

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