Handouts for Module 2.

1_EE 211L

Lesson 2.1: Network Laws and Theorems in Solving Complex DC Circuits

Thevenin’s Theorem

It 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“.

Thevenin Equivalent circuit:

By Ohm’s law, load current is
Eth
IL =
Rth+ RL
where:
Eth = open circuit voltage
Rth = looking back resistance
RL = load resistance

Example:

Find the current flowing through 20 Ω resistor of the following circuit using Thevenin’s theorem.

Steps:

1. Determine Rth.
a. Set all sources to zero; b. Disconnect RL = 20 Ω and leave terminals open

Rth

From the equivalent circuit, looking back resistance, Rth

5(10) 40
Rth =10 + = Ω
5+10 3
2. Determine ETH
Disconnect RL = 20 Ω and leave terminals open

Va

Eth
 Use nodal method to solve Va
By KCL:
20− 𝑉𝑎 𝑉𝑎
+4=
5 10
Multiply both sides by 10
40 – 2 Va + 40 = Va
Transpose 2 Va to the right side:
80 = 3 Va
80
So, Va = Volts
3

Solve for ETH. Apply KVL around the loop:

ETH – 10 (4) – Va = 0
ETH = 40 + Va
80 200
= 40 + = Volts
3 3
Hence, the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit:

40
Ω
3

200
𝑉
3 20𝛺

Load current: By Ohm’s law

𝐼𝐿 = 2 A ( same answer with superposition method)
Norton’s Theorem:

It states that “Any linear circuit containing several voltages and resistances can be
replaced by just one single current source in parallel with a single resistance connected across
the load“.

Norton Equivalent Circuit

By CDR, load current is
RN
IL = IN
RN + RL

where:
IN = ISC = short circuit current
RN = RTH = looking back resistance
RL = load resistance
Example:

Find the current flowing through 2 Ω resistor of the following circuit using Norton’s theorem.

Steps:
1. Determine the looking back resistance, RN.
Since RN = RTH, the procedure in solving RN is the same in Thevenin’s theorem.

RN = 0.8 Ω
RN

2. Determine IN.
Disconnect 2 Ω, the load resistance, and replaced it by a short circuit. The current that flows
through the short circuited terminals is equal to the current I N.

Solving for IN
From the figure;
IN = I1 + I2 eq.1

Solve for I1 & I2 using mesh analysis

At loop 1: 28 – 4 I1 = 0
I1 = 7 A

At loop 2: 7- 1 I2 = 0
I2 = 7 A

Then, substitute values in eq. 1.

IN = 14 A

3. Norton Equivalent circuit

0.8Ω
14 A
2Ω
 Solve for current through 2-ohm resistor, IL, using CDR
0.8
IL = 0.8+2 (14 𝐴) = 4 A ( same answer in Mesh analysis)

Source Transformation:
This is a technique that will convert current source to voltage source or vice versa to
simplify complex circuits.

Current source: Voltage source

E
I R
R

Example:
Find the current through 5-ohm resistor as shown in the figure below

Step 1: Current-to-Voltage Source Transformation

Equivalent circuit
E1 = 1 (10) = 10 V

10V is now connected in

series with 10-ohm resistor

Step 2: Voltage to Current Source Transformation

10 and 5 ohms be added since they are in series, then convert voltage sources to current
source using Ohm’s law.
 Thus, for the leftmost branch, we have a current source I = 10/5 = 2A in parallel with

a 5 Ω resistor. Similarly, for the rightmost branch, we get I = 10/15 = 2/3 A in parallel with
a 15 Ω resistor. The resulting circuit is shown in Figure 4.

The circuit in Figure 4 is now a parallel circuit that has two current sources
pointing in the same direction, so these can be replaced by a single current source
2 8
whose value is equal to their sum, I = 2 + 3 = 3 A.
Also, there are three resistors: two 5 Ω resistors and one 15 Ω resistor, all in parallel. We
could replace all three of them with an equivalent resistance (R EQ), but our goal is to find the
current through the 5 Ω resistor, so we will combine only the other two.

Then, the equivalent circuit is shown in figure 5.

Solve the current i in 5-ohm resistor by CDR

15
4 8 8
i = 15 ( ) =7 A
+5 3
4

Maximum Power Transfer

It 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. This theorem results in maximum power transfer across the circuit, and not
maximum efficiency.

From the figure at the right:

Maximum power transferred
to the load RL when:
RL = RS
Thus, PL = I2Lmax RL
where:
𝑉
ILmax = 𝑅 𝑆 ; but RS = RTH
𝐿+ 𝑅𝑆