EEE 2213

CIRCUITS & NETWORK THEORY 11

Lecture 3

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 Thevenin’s Theorem
• Thevenin’s theorem as applied to d.c. circuits is stated below :
• Any linear, bilateral network having terminals A and B can be replaced by a
single source of e.m.f. VTh in series with a single resistance RTh.
• (i) The e.m.f. VTh is the voltage obtained across terminals A and B with load,
if any removed i.e. it is open-circuited voltage between terminals A and B.
• (ii) The resistance RTh is the resistance of the network measured between
terminals A and B with load removed and sources of e.m.f. replaced by their
internal resistances. Ideal voltage sources are replaced with short circuits and
ideal current sources are replaced with open circuits.
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 Thevenin’s Theorem

• Consider the circuit shown in Fig. (i). As far as the circuit behind terminals AB
is concerned, it can be replaced by a single source of e.m.f. VTh in series with a
single resistance RTh as shown in Fig. b (ii).

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• (i) Finding VTh. The e.m.f. VTh is the voltage across terminals AB with load
(i.e. RL) removed as shown in Fig. (ii).
• With RL disconnected, there is no current in R2 and VTh is the voltage appearing
across R3

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• (ii) Finding RTh. To find RTh, remove the load RL and replace the battery by a
short-circuit because its internal resistance is assumed zero. Then resistance
between terminals A and B is equal to RTh as shown in Fig. 3.84 (i). Obviously,
at the terminals AB in Fig. 3.84 (i), R1 and R3 are in parallel and this parallel
combination is in series with R2.

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 Procedure for Finding Thevenin Equivalent Circuit
• (i) Open the two terminals (i.e., remove any load) between which you want to
find Thevenin equivalent circuit.
• (ii) Find the open-circuit voltage between the two open terminals. It is called
Thevenin voltage VTh.
• (iii) Determine the resistance between the two open terminals with all ideal
voltage sources shorted and all ideal current sources opened (a non-ideal source
is replaced by its internal resistance). It is called Thevenin resistance RTh.
• (iv) Connect VTh and RTh in series to produce Thevenin equivalent circuit
between the two terminals under consideration.
• (v) Place the load resistor removed in step (i) across the terminals of the
Thevenin equivalent circuit. The load current can now be calculated using only
Ohm’s law and it has the same value as the load current in the original circuit.
• Note. Thevenin’s theorem is sometimes called Helmholtz’s theorem
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 Practice Problems
• Use Thevenin's theorem to find the current flowing in the 10Ω resistor for the
circuit shown in Fig below.

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Solution

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 Practice Problem

• Using the Thevenin’s theorem, find the current through the 2 Ω resistor. Refer
Fig. below. [4A]

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 Practice Problems

• Using Thevenin’s theorem, find the current in 6 Ω resistor in Fig.2 (i).

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Solution

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 Practice Problem

• Using Thevenin’s theorem, find the current through resistance R connected

between points a and b in Fig.(i). [4.3A]

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 Practice Problem

• Using Thevenin’s theorem, find the current through resistance R connected

between points a and b in Fig.(i). [4.3A]

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Solution

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Solution…

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 Practice Question

• Calculate the power which would be dissipated in a 50 Ω resistor connected

across xy in the network shown in Fig. below. [2·08 W]

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 Thevenin Equivalent Circuit
• (Circuits containing both independent and dependent sources)
• Sometimes we come across circuits which contain both independent and
dependent sources.
• One such example is shown in Fig. below. The procedure for finding
Thevenin equivalent circuit (i.e. finding VTh and RTh) in such cases is as
under :

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Procedure (same for Norton’s E.C)

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 Practice Question
• Find the values of Vth and Rth at terminals ab for the circuit shown in slide
16.

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 Practice Question
• Find Thevenin equivalent circuit at terminals ab for the circuit shown in Fig
below

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 Practice Question

• Find the Thevenin equivalent (Vth & Rth) for the circuit shown in Fig. below with
respect to terminals a-b. [12 V, 13.6 Ω]

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 Practice Question

• Determine the Thevenin equivalent circuit between the terminals for the circuit of
Fig below.

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 Practice Problem

• Find Vo in the circuit of Fig. shown below using Thevenin’s theorem.

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Solution

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 Advantages of Thevenin’s Theorem

• It reduces a complex circuit to a simple circuit viz. a single source of e.m.f. VTh in
series with a single resistance RTh.

• It greatly simplifies the portion of the circuit of lesser interest and enables us to
view the action of the output part directly.

• This theorem is particularly useful to find current in a particular branch of a

network as the resistance of that branch is varied while all other resistances and
sources remain constant.

• Thevenin’s theorem can be applied in successive steps. Any two points in a circuit
can be chosen and all the components to one side of these points can be reduced to
Thevenin’s equivalent circuit. 26
 Thevenin’s Theorem for AC circuits

• Thevenin’s theorem for an a.c. circuit is the same as that for a d.c. circuit except
that phase angle of all quantities (impedances, voltages and currents) must be taken
into consideration.
• Therefore, Thevenin’s theorem for a.c. circuits can be stated as:
• Any two-terminal linear a.c. circuit can be replaced by a single a.c. voltage source
(VTh) in series with a single impedance (ZTh).
• The procedure for finding VTh and ZTh is the same as for d.c. circuits i.e. VTh is the
open circuit voltage at the considered terminals (say terminals AB) and the series
impedance ZTh is the impedance at terminals AB with all sources replaced by their
internal impedances.
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 Practice Question

• Using Thevenin’s theorem, find current in the resistor R in Fig below.

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 Practice Question

• Using Thevenin’s theorem, find the voltage across the inductor in Fig. below

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 Practice Problems

• Find the Thevenin equivalent circuit at terminals AB of the circuit

shown in Fig. below.

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 Practice Problem

• Fig. below shows an a.c. circuit. Find (i) VTh and ZTh with respect to terminals AB
(ii) active and reactive power absorbed by an impedance of (3 + j 4) Ω connected
across AB.

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 Practice Question

• Find vo using Thevenin’s theorem. Refer to the circuit shown in Fig. below.

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Solution

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Practice Problem

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