1

Equivalent Circuits
Original
circuit
I
V
+
-
1
2
The Current Voltage (I-V) Relationship
defines any element. It can also be used to
define any circuit in the box. We assume
the original circuit is complicated.
Equivalent
circuit
I
V
+
-
1
2
Replace original circuit with simpler
equivalent circuit that exhibits the same I-V
relationship (at nodes 1 & 2) !


2
Circuit Simplification for Parallel Current Sources & Resistances

I
S






V
S
R
1
R
2
R
3
I
S1
I
S2
I
S3
-
We want to find an equivalent circuit consisting of only 1
current source and one resistance in parallel.
3
Circuit Simplification for Parallel Current Sources & Resistances

I
S






V
S
R
1
R
2
R
3
I
S1
I
S2
I
S3






I
R1
I
R2
I
R3
I
S






V
S R
1
R
2
R
3
I
S1 I
S2 I
S3






I
R1 I
R2
I
R3
Apply arbitrary voltage source Vs
Since all elements are in parallel, they also
have Vs across them.
We assign currents in red

KCL at top node
I
in
= I
out

I
S
+ I
S2
= I
S1
+ I
R1
+I
R2
+I
R3
+I
S3

Is = (I
S1
-I
S2
+ I
S3
)+I
R1
+I
R2
+I
R3








I
S
= I
STOT
+I
R1
+ I
R2
+ I
R3
I
STOT

-
4
Continued..
I
S


V
S
R
1
R
2
R
3
I
STOT






I
R1
I
R2
I
R3
Therefore, the ckt can be redrawn as
show on the left where:

I
S
= I
STOT
+V
S
(1/R
1
+ 1/R
2
+ 1/R
3
)

I
S
= I
STOT
+V
S
(1/R
TOTAL
)


3 2 1 / 1 / 1 / 1
1
R R R
RTOTAL
+ +
=

=
=
N
i
i
TOTAL
R
R
1
1
1
I
S


V
S
R
TOTAL
I
STOT
+
-
V
S
Resistors in parallel
1. So we can simply add current sources in parallel but considering their
orientation
* For this problem, Current sources pointing down are positive (Is1 and Is3) those
pointing up are negative (Is2)
2. And we can combine parallel resistors
5
Numeric Example
I
S






V
S
6K
3K
1A
3A
10A
2K
I
S


V
S
R
TOTAL
I
STOT
+
-
V
S
Find Circuit 2 that is equivalent to
Circuit 1

I
STOT
= 1 + 10 3 = 8 A


O =
+ +
= K
K K K
RTOTAL 1
) 3 / 1 ( ) 2 / 1 ( ) 6 / 1 (
1
I
S
= 8A +V
S
/1K=
I
S
= (1/1K)V
S
+ 8A
I
S

V
S

1/1K=slope
y = mx + b
8 A
- 8000 V
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
6
Similar Numeric Example
I
S






V
S
6K
3K
1A
3A
10A
2K
I
S


V
S R
TOT
I
STOT
+
-
V
S
Find Circuit 2 that is equivalent to
Circuit 1 (changing the orientation of
IsTOT):
I
STOT
= -1 - 10 + 3 = -8 A


O =
+ +
= K
K K K
RTOTAL 1
) 3 / 1 ( ) 2 / 1 ( ) 6 / 1 (
1
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
7
Last Numeric Example
I
S






V
S
12K
6K
-3A
4A
-5A
12K
I
S


V
S R
TOT
I
STOT
+
-
V
S
Find Circuit 2 that is equivalent to Circuit 1:
I
STOT
= -(-3A) (4A) + (-5A)= -6A


O =
+ +
= K
K K K
RTOTAL 3
) 6 / 1 ( ) 12 / 1 ( ) 12 / 1 (
1
Circuit 1
Circuit 2
8
Circuit Simplification for Series Voltage Sources & Resistances
I
S
R
1
V
S1
+
-
V
S


R
2
R
3
V
S2
V
S3
I
S
Is there a way to combine series resistances and voltage sources in the gray box (circuit on the
left)? The resulting simplified circuit will be in the form of the circuit on the right.

Apply arbitrary current source I
S
. I
S
is the only current in the circuit; it enters and leaves all
of these elements in series.

KVL gives us:
-V
S
+ V
S1
+ R
1
I
S
V
S2
+ R
2
I
S
+V
S3
+ R
3
I
S
= 0
-V
S
+ (V
S1
V
S2
+V
S3
) + R
1
I
S
+ R
2
I
S
+ R
3
I
S
= 0



Algebraic properties allows us to change the order of the items in the circuit and in the
equation, so we can rewrite it as
-V
S
+ V
STOTAL
+ I
S
(R
1
+R
2
+R
3
) =0

V
STOTAL

I
S
R
TOTAL
V
STOTAL
+
-
V
S



9
Continued..
-V
S
+ V
STOTAL
+ I
S
(R
1
+R
2
+R
3
) =0

Now solving the previous equation for I
S
:


3 2 1 R R R RTOTAL + + =

=
=
N
i
i TOTAL R R
1
I
S
R
TOTAL
V
TOTAL
+
-
V
S



Resistors in series
***1. So we can simply add voltage sources in series but considering their orientation
***2. Simply add series resistors together
TOTAL
STOTAL
S
TOTAL
STOTAL
S S
R
V
V
R R R R
V
V
R R R
I =
+ +

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
=
1
) (
1
3 2 1 3 2 1
This gives us Linear relationship such as
y = mx + b
10
Numeric Example
Find V
TOTAL
and R
TOTAL
so that the circuit on the right has the same I-V
characteristic as the circuit on the left??
We add R
TOTAL
= 2K + 5K + 7K = 14K
V
STOTAL
= -6V -3V + 15V = 6V
I
S
2K 6V
+
-
V
S



5K
7K
3V
15V
I
S
R
TOTAL
V
STOTAL
+
-
V
S



I
S
14K
6V
+
-
V
S



11
Numeric Example
How to Find Vs and Rs so that the circuit on the right has the same I-V
characteristic as the circuit on the left??
V
S2
V
S1
R
1
V
S3
R
2
V
STOTAL
R
TOTAL
A
B
A
B
For V
S1
= 3V, R
1
= 5K, V
S2
= 7V, R
2
= 2K and V
S3
= 11V
We add R
TOT
= 5K + 2K =7K
V
TOT
= 3V -7V -11V = -15V
Pay attention to the sign of the final voltage source in the final circuit!
12
Series/Parallel Reduction of Resistance
R
1
R
2
R
3
R
4
A
B





I
3
I
3
R
1
R
2
R
3
R
4
A
B
R
TOTAL
A
B
R
1
R
2
R
34
Find R
TOTAL

Step 1: Working with only 2 resistors at a time, start
opposite ports A and B
R
3
and R
4
are in series R
34
= R
3
+ R
4



Step 2: Next we see that R
2
and R
34
have the same
endpoints (ie share the same voltage)
R
34
// R
2
= R
234


Step 3: R
1
is in series with R
234
.
Therefore R
TOT
= R
1
+ R
234
.

R
TOTAL
= R
1
+ (R
2
//(R
3
+R
4
))




R
1
R
234



13
Example Series/Parallel Reduction of Resistance
R
3
=1
A
B
R
TOTAL
A
B
R
4
=5
R
2
=3
R
1
=8
R
34
=6
R
1
=8
R
2
=3
Find R
TOTAL

Step 1:
R
3
and R
4
are in series R
34
= 1

+ 5 =6
New equivalent resistance gets connected across same 2 nodes

Step 2: R
2
and R
34
have the same endpoints (ie share the same
voltage)
R
34
// R
2
= R
234
R
234
=6//3= 1/{(1/6)+(1/3)}=2

New equivalent resistance gets connected across same 2 nodes

Step 3: R
1
is in series with R
234
. Therefore, R
TOT
= R
1
+ R
234
.
R
TOTAL
= R
1
+ (R
2
//(R
3
+R
4
))= 8+2 = 10 ohms




R
1
=8
R
234
=2



Step 1:

Step 2:
Step 3:
14
Voltage Division
Consider two resistors in series with a voltage
across them:
R
1

R
2


v
1
+
+

v
2
v
s
2 1
1
1
R R
R
v v s
+
=
2 1
2
2
R R
R
v v s
+
=
+

KVL: - Vs + V
1
+V
2
= 0
15
Voltage Division
Changing the orientation of the element voltages:
R
1

R
2


v
1
+
+

v
2
v
s
2 1
1
1
R R
R
v v s
+
=
2 1
2
2
R R
R
v v s
+
=
+

+
_

+

v
X
v
Y
2 1
1
R R
R
v v s
X
+
=
2 1
2
R R
R
v v s
Y
+
=
If we instead use v
X
, we make a sign change,
since KVL still applies
KVL: - Vs + V
1
+V
2
= 0
KVL: - Vs - V
X
-V
Y
= 0

16
In General: Voltage Division
Consider N resistors in series:





Source voltage(s) are divided between the resistors in direct
proportion to their resistances

=
=
N
j
j
i
S
i
R
R
R
V V
1
17
Voltage Division- example 1

5
10

v
1
+
+

v
2
Vs=9V

V V V
R R
R
v v s 3
3
1
9
10 5
5
) 9 (
2 1
1
1
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
+

+
_

+

v
X
v
Y
V V V
R R
R
v v s 6
3
2
9
10 5
10
) 9 (
2 1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
V V
R R
R
v v s
X
3
10 5
5
) 9 (
2 1
1
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
V V
R R
R
v v s
Y
6
10 5
10
) 9 (
2 1
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
KVL: -Vs + V
1
+V
2
= 0.
KVL: -Vs - V
X
-V
Y
= 0. For the total voltages around the loop to equal zero, V
X
and V
Y

must be negative for this circuit! So apply negative sign in voltage dividers for V
X
and V
Y
.
18
Voltage Division- example 2

10
30

v
1
+
+

v
2
Vs=12V

V V V
R R
R
v v s 3
4
1
12
30 10
10
) 12 (
2 1
1
1
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
+
+
_

+

v
X
v
Y
V V V
R R
R
v v s 9
4
3
12
30 10
30
) 12 (
2 1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
V V
R R
R
v v s
X
3
30 10
10
) 12 (
2 1
1
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
V V
R R
R
v v s
Y
9
30 10
30
) 12 (
2 1
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
+
=
Note: The orientation of the source voltage has been flipped from previous example!
KVL: Vs + V
1
+V
2
= 0. For the total voltages around the loop to equal zero, V
1
and V
2
must
be negative for this circuit! So apply negative sign in voltage dividers for V
1
and V
2
.
KVL: Vs - V
X
-V
Y
= 0
19
10O
V
s
5
+ -
Find I
x
, V
S

I
X

+ -
10 V
20O
30O
Where to start?
1) Try Ohms Law
2) Use the values found to write KVL or KCL
3) Alternative: use voltage division
Example 1 similar to HW
20
10O
V
s
5
+ -
Find I
x
, V
S

I
X

+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
10 V
20O
30O
V
20

V
10

V
30

I
5

I
30

I
10

I
S

Making assignments shown in blue
1) Ohms Lawassign I
5
so I
5
= - (10V/5O) = - 2A (note not PSC)
2)KCL at B : 0=I
5
+ I
10
therefore I
10
= -(-2A) = 2A
3) V
10
= I
10
(10O) = (2A)(10O)=20 V
4) Cannot apply KCL yet to get other unknown currents
Example 1
B
21
10O
V
s
5
+ -
Find I
x
, V
S

I
X

+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
10 V
20O
30O
V
20

V
10

V
30

I
5

I
30

I
10

I
S

5) Instead apply KVL
+10+V
10
-V
20
=0 +10+20-V
20
=0 V
20
= 30V
6) I
x
=V
20
/20 = 30/20 = 1.5 A note: follows PSC
7) KCL at A: I
5
= I
S
+I
X
I
S
=I
5
I
X
= (-2A)-1.5A = - 3.5A =I
30

8) V
30
=I
30
(30 O) = (-3.5A)(30 O) = -105 V
9) KVL: +V
S
+V
30
-V
20
=0 V
S
= V
20
-V
30
=30-(-105) = 135 V
A
Example 1
22
10O
V
s
5
+ -
Find I
x
, V
S

I
X

+
+
+
+
-
-
-
-
10 V
20O
30O
V
20

V
10

V
30

I
5

I
30

I
10

I
S

Alternative: Applying Voltage Division would have saved us steps

20 5
10 5
5
V V
+
=
V V V 30 )
5
10 5
( 10 20 =
+
=
Example 1
23
Review: Voltage Division
Consider two resistors in series with a voltage v
across them:
R
1

R
2


v
1
+
+

v
2
v
s
2 1
1
1
R R
R
v v s
+
=
2 1
2
2
R R
R
v v s
+
=
+

+
_

+

v
X
v
Y
2 1
1
R R
R
v v s
X
+
=
2 1
2
R R
R
v v s
Y
+
=
24
How do I know if I need to apply a negative sign
when using voltage division?

Answer: Pay attention to the orientation of the element voltages with
respect to the source voltages, knowing that the sum of the voltages
around a closed loop must be zero (they must cancel each other out
KVL still applies!)

For the circuit on the previous page:

KVL: -V
S
+ V
1
+ V
2
=0 so V
S
= V
1
+ V
2

These voltages have the same signs as the source voltage


KVL: -V
S
+ V
X
+ V
Y
=0 so V
S
= -V
X
- V
Y

These voltages have the signs opposite the source voltage



25
Example: Voltage Division
R
X

R
Z


v
X
+
v
s
3
R R R
R
v v
Z X
X
s
X
+ +
=
+

R
4
R
5

R
3

Resistors in Series indicates voltage division.



Do NOT include R
4
and R
5
which arent in
seriesnot part of the divider, they also have
voltage v
S

Find V
X

v
S
+

26
Example: Double Voltage Divider

V
S
R
1

R
234

+
-
V
2

FIND V
4

First assign element voltages V
2
and V
3
as shown in blue in the
middle diagram.

We will first find an expression for V
2
in terms of V
S
, and then
we will find an expression for V
4
in terms of V
2
which we will
then combine.

To find our first expression, we combine resistances obtain the
last circuit where we apply voltage division:


) //(
4 3 2 234
R R R R + =
S
V
R R
R
V -
+
=
1 234
234
2
Returning to the middle circuit:

2
3 4
4
4
V
R R
R
V -
+
=
-
Substituting - we get our double divider:
S
V
R R R R
R R R
R R
R
V -
)
`

+ +
+
)
`

+
=
1 4 3 2
4 3 2
3 4
4
4
)] //( [
) //(
+
-
V
4

V
S
R
1

R
2

R
3

R
4

+
-
V
2

+ -
V
3

+
-
V
4

V
S
R
1

R
2

R
3

R
4

27
Example: Numeric Double Voltage Divider


FIND V
3

First assign element voltage V
30
as shown in blue in the middle
diagram.

We will first find an expression for V
30
in terms of V
S
, and then
we will find an expression for V
3
in terms of V
30
which we will
then combine.

To find our first expression, we combine resistances obtain the
last circuit where we apply voltage division:


5 . 7 ) 5 3 2 //( 30 = + + =
NEW
R
V V V 30 40
5 . 2 5 . 7
5 . 7
30
= -
+
=
Returning to the middle circuit we write another voltage
division equation where we substitute - :

V V V V 9 ) 30 (
10
3
5 2 3
3
30 3
= = -
+ +
=
-
+
-
V
3

40 V
2.5
30
5
3
2
+
-
V
3

40 V
2.5
30
5
3
2
+
-
V
30

40 V
2.5
7.5
+
-
V
30

28
Review: Current Divider
I
s

R
2
R
1

I
1
I
2

2 1
1
1
1 1
1
R R
R
I I S
+
=
Consider two
resistors in parallel
that divide current I
S
:
2 1
2
1
R R
R
I I S
+
=
Current divider presented last week: Equivalent to:
WHY?
Multiply fraction by R
1
R
2
:
2 1
2
2
2 1
1
2 1
1
2 1
2 1
2 1
2 1
1
1
*
1 1
*
1
R R
R
I
R
R R
R
R R
R
R R
I
R R
R R
R R
R
I I S S S
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
=
29
More on Current Divider
R
X
R
2

I
2
I
X

2
2
2
1 1
1
R R
R
I
R R
R
I I
X
S
X
X
S
X
+
=
+
=
I
s

Resistors in Parallel indicate current
division.

Do NOT include R
1
which isnt in
parallel with Isnot part of the
divider

In general DO NOT include
resistors in series with IS
R
1

Find V
X

30
More on Current Divider
R
X
R
2

I
2
I
X

5 2
1 1 1
1
R R R
R
I I
X
X
S
X
+ +
=
I
s

R
1

Find V
X

R
5

The addition of R
5
to
the circuit

R
5
is in parallel with I
S
as well!
I
5

5 2
5
5
1 1 1
1
R R R
R
I I
X
S
+ +
=
31
Review: Current Divider
R
2
R
1

I
1
I
2

V
S
+

2 1
2
1
R R
R
I I S
+
=
I
s

2 1
1
2
R R
R
I I S
+
=
I
X

I
Y

2 1
2
R R
R
I I S
X
+
=
2 1
1
R R
R
I I S
Y
+
=
Pay attention to the orientation
of the element currents with
respect to the source currents.
For currents directed opposite
the source, use a negative sign
in the current division
equation
32
Double Current Divider Example 1


R
2
I
S
R
1 R
3


I
5
R
4
R
5


R
2
I
S
R
1
R
3'


I
y
Ix


R
2
I
S
R
1 R
3


I
5
R
4
R
5


I
y
Ix
Original Problem: Find I
5
Disregard R1 since it is in series with
the current source and doesnt divide
current. Assigning Currents I
x
and
Iy, we can write the first current
divider:
y
I
R R
R
I -
+
=
4 5
5
5
/ 1 / 1
/ 1
Obtain new resistance
R3 and write the
second current divider:
) // ( '
5 4 3 3
R R R R + =
S y
I
R R
R
I -
+
=
2 3
3
/ 1 ' / 1
' / 1
Finally substituting (2) into (1) we get:
(1) (2)
S
I
R R
R
R R
R
I -
)
`

+
)
`

+
=
2 3
3
4 5
5
5
/ 1 ' / 1
' / 1
/ 1 / 1
/ 1
33
Double Current Divider Example 2


Original Problem: Find i
1
thru i
4
SECOND CURRENT DIVIDER
Returning to the original circuit, we can now
utilize the values we just found for ia and ib to
find the currents through each resistor:
FIRST CURRENT DIVIDER
First combine resistors on the right in parallel, then
combine resistors on the left in parallel:
20//30=(20*30)/(20+30)=600/50=12
10//40=(10*40)/(10+40)=400/50=8

Define new currents i
a
and i
b
and apply current division:




30A
20
30 40
10



i
1
i
2
i
4
i
3


30A
12
8


i
b
i
a
A A i
a
18 ) 30 (
12 8
12
=
+
=
A A i
b
12 ) 30 (
12 8
8
=
+
=
A A i i
b
2 . 7 ) 12 (
20 30
30
) (
20 30
30
1
=
+
=
+
=
A A i i
b
8 . 4 ) 12 (
20 30
20
) (
20 30
20
2
=
+
=
+
=
A A i i
a
4 . 14 ) 18 (
40 10
40
) (
40 10
40
3
=
+
=
+
=
A A i i
a
6 . 3 ) 18 (
40 10
10
) (
40 10
10
4
=
+
=
+
=