KIRCHHOFF’S LAW

A Project Report submitted to the Hindustan Institute

of Technology & Science in partial fulfilment of the
Requirements
For the Completion of the degree of…
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN AVIONICS

Submitted by:

MAILARAM VIVEK 0019345001

SATHIAVAN 0019345026
UPPU LOKESH KUMAR 0019345025
NIVIN JOHN SONY 0019345018
CHANDANA 0019345022

Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science

Padur Campus
Chennai-603103

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 ACKNOWLEDGMENT

First and foremost, I would like the thank the Lord

Almighty for his presence and immense blessings
throughout the project work.

It’s a matter of pride and privilege for me to express my

deep gratitude to the vice chancellor
DR. KUNCHERIA P ISAAC for giving me this
opportunity to bring out and implement my ideas in this
project.

I wish to express my gratitude to DR. ASOKAN, Head

of the Department of Aeronautical Engineering for much
of this valuable support and encouragement in carrying
out this work.

I would like thank my guide MR. PALANICHAMY for

continually and actively participating in my project,
giving valuable suggestion to complete the project work.

Last but not the least; I am deeply indebted to my parents

and friends who have been the greatest support while I
worked day and night for my project to make it a
success.

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KIRCHHOFF’S
LAW

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CONTENTS

● INTRODUCTION
● KIRCHHOFF’S LAW
● KIRCHHOFF’S CURRENT LAW
● PROJECT EXPLANATION
● KIRCHHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW
● PROJECT EXPLANATION
● APPLICATIONS OF KIRCHHOFF’S
LAW
● ADVANTAGES OF KIRCHHOFF’S LAW
● DISADVANTAGES OF KIRCHHOFF’S
LAW
● LIMITATIONS OF KIRCHHOFF’S LAW

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INTRODUCTION

History of Kirchhoff’s law

 He described two laws that became central to

electrical engineering in 1845
 The laws were generalized from the work of
Georg ohm
 It can also b derived from Maxwell’s equation
but were developed prior to Maxwell’s work

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 GUSTAV ROBERT KIRCHOFF - (1824-1887)
[German Physicist]

KIRCHHOFF’S LAWS

These laws are more comprehensive than

Ohm’s law and are used for solving electrical
networks which may not be readily solved

By the latter. Kirchhoff’s laws, two in number,

are particularly useful

(a) in determining the equivalent resistance of

a complicated net work of conductors and

(b) for calculating the currents flowing in the

Various conductors.

The two-laws are:

 Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL)

 Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL)

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Kirchhoff’s Current Law goes by several
names: Kirchhoff’s First Law and
Kirchhoff’s Junction Rule. According to
the Junction rule, the total of the currents in
a junction is equal to the sum of currents
outside the junction in a circuit.
In other words,
The algebraic sum of all currents entering (+)
and leaving (-) any point (junction) in a circuit
must equal zero.

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law goes by several

names: Kirchhoff’s Second Law and
Kirchhoff’s Loop Rule. According to the
loop rule, the sum of the voltages around the
closed loop is equal to null.
In other words,
The algebraic sum of the products of currents
and resistances in each of the conductors in
any closed path in a network plus the
algebraic sum of the e. m. f in that path is
zero.
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ASSUMED DIRECTION OF CURRENT

In applying Kirchhoff’s laws to electrical networks,

the question of assuming proper direction of
current usually arises. The direction of current flow
may be assumed either clockwise or anticlockwise.
If the assumed direction of current is not the actual
direction, then on solving the question, this
current will be found to have a minus sign. If the
answer is positive, then assumed direction is the
same as actual direction.

However, the important point is that once a

particular direction has been assumed, the same
should be used throughout the solution of the
question.

Note.
 It should be noted that Kirchhoff’s laws are
applicable both to DC and AC voltages and
currents. However, in the case of alternating
currents and voltages, any e. m. f of self-

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 inductance or that existing across a capacitor
should be also taken into account.

KIRCHHOFF’S CURRENT LAW (KCL)

 The algebraic sum of all currents entering (+)

and leaving (-) any point (junction) in a
circuit must equal zero.

Here, the 3 currents entering the node, A1, A2, I 3

are all positive in value and the 2 currents leaving

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the node, I4 and I5 are negative in value. Then this
means we can also re write the equation as;

+I +I -I -I =0
I1 2 3 4 5

KIRCHHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW (KVL)

 The algebraic sum of the products of currents

and resistances in each of the conductors in
any closed path in a network plus the
algebraic sum of the e. m. f in that path is
zero.

In other words, Σ IR + Σ e. m. f = 0 ...round a mesh.

It should be noted that algebraic sum is the sum
which takes into account the polarities of the
voltage drop.

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The basis of this law is this:
If we start from a particular junction and go round
the mesh till, we come back to the starting point,
then we must be at the same potential with which
we started.

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Hence, it means that all the sources of e. m. f. met
on the way must necessarily be equal to the voltage
drops in the resistances, every voltage being given
its proper sign, plus or minus.

V = IR1 + IR2
To prove this law’s, we did the following
project:

As per project: Kirchhoff’s current law

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Schematic diagram:

COMPONENTS USED;

Ammeter (0-100ma)-2
Ammeter (0-200ma) -1
Voltmeter (0 -30v) -1
Resistors 500Ω -2
OPERATION OF KCL;

To prove KCL,

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From the above circuit, the source of voltage
(dc) is supplied to the current through the
rectifier unit

Here our primary aim is to prove the KCL to

that we took 3 ammeters into consideration to
measure the flow of current, let us name each
ammeter as A1, A2 and IT.

To measure the source voltage the voltmeter is

connected internally across the circuit.
Two resistors of 500 Ω are connected parallel
in the circuit.

Then after each component is connected

through the connecting leads to complete the
circuit.
From the rectifier unit;
Red connecting lead will indicate positive
supply that is connected to the positive
terminal across the circuit.
Black connecting lead will indicate the
negative supply that is connected to the
negative terminal across the circuit.
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The total circuit is connected in series-parallel,
when the switch is ON, the DC voltage across
the rectifier unit will pass to the circuit
through red and black connecting leads.

The potential difference between these red and

black connecting leads that is positive and
negative terminal, will be appeared on the
voltmeter and the voltage is 24.7v then the
current passes along the circuit and the current
is divided into two equal parts. The resistor R1
and ammeter A1 connected in series and also
R2 and A2. These both circuits are connected
in parallel to each other.

The flow of current through the ammeters A1

and A2 reads 50mA each. The total current
passes through the ammeter AT is reading 100
mA.

Hence from the definition of KCL

As we know AT = A1 + A2

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Substituting the above values from the circuit
100ma = 50ma +50ma

100ma = 100ma

Hence the KCL is proved. For details please

refer the following image.

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As per project:

Kirchhoff’s voltage law

Schematic diagram:

COMPONENTS USED;

Ammeter (0-100mA) -2
Voltmeter (0 -30V) -1
Resistors 500Ω -2

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OPERATION OF KVL;

To prove KVL,
From the above image, the source voltage (dc)
is supplied to the circuit to the rectifier unit.

Here our primary aim is to prove the KVL, so

that we took voltmeter reading into
consideration & connected across the source
voltage internally.

Two resistors R1 & R2 (500Ω) and ammeters

A1 & A2 (0-100ma) connected parallel to the
circuit.

Then after each component is connected

through connecting leads to complete the
circuit.

From the rectifier unit;

Red connecting lead will indicate positive
supply, that is connected to the positive
terminal across the circuit.

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Black connecting lead will indicate negative
supply, that is connected to the negative
terminal across the circuit.

The total circuit is connected in parallel, when

the switch is on, the dc voltage across the
rectifier unit will pass to the circuit through
red and black connecting leads, that is positive
and negative terminal.

The potential difference between their positive

and negative terminal will be appeared on
voltmeter and the voltage is 10.5V.

Then the current passes along the circuit then

after the current is divided R1 & R2 into two
equal parts and passes through the resistors
and ammeters A1 & A2 which are connected in
parallel will show the reading of A1 = 21ma &
A2 = 21ma and re-join the path and matches
the negative terminal.

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Here we will take ohm’s law into
consideration

OHM’S LAW:
The law states that ‘the current (I)
through a conductor (R) between two points
is directly proportional to the voltage (V)
across the circuit’.

V = IR

From the circuit

We know that,
V = IR
V= 0.021A x 500Ω
V= 10.5V
10.5V= 10.5V

The circuit which is connected in parallel, the

voltage at any point determines the same
voltage.

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Hence KVL is proved.

As per the readings of the below diagram, the

KVL is proved

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APPLICATIONS:

Kirchhoff’s laws can be used to determine

the values of unknown values like current
and Voltage as well as the direction of the
flowing values of these quintets in the
circuit.

These laws can be applied on any circuit*

(See the limitation of Kirchhoff’s Laws at
the end of the article), but useful to find the
unknown values in complex circuits and
networks.

Also used in Nodal and Mesh analysis to

find the values of current and voltage.

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Current through each independent loop is
carried by applying KVL (each loop) and
current in any element of a circuit by
counting all the current (Applicable in Loop
Current Method).

Current through each branch is carried by

applying KCL (each junction) KVL in each
loop of a circuit (Applicable in Loop Current
Method).

Kirchhoff’s Laws are useful in

understanding the transfer of energy through
an electric circuit.

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ADVANTAGES:

Calculation of unknown currents and

voltages is easy.
Simplification and analysis of complex
closed loop circuits becomes manageable.

DISADVANTAGES:

KCL and KVL are not good for high

frequency AC circuits.
KCL is valid only if the total electric charge
is constant in the circuit.
 KVL is based on the assumption that there is
no changing magnetic field within the closed
circuit.

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LIMITATIONS:

KCL is applicable on the assumption that

current flows only in conductors and wires.
While in High Frequency circuits where,
parasitic capacitance can no longer be
ignored. In such cases, Current can flow in
an open circuit because in these cases,
conductors or wires are acting as
transmission lines.

KVL is applicable on the assumption that

there is no fluctuating magnetic field linking
the closed loop. While, in presence of
changing magnetic field in a High
Frequency but short wave length AC
circuits, the electric field is not a
conservative vector field. So, the electric
field cannot be the gradient of any potential
and the line integral of the electric field
around the loop is not zero, directly
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 contradicting KVL. That’s why KVL is not
applicable in such a condition.

During the transfer of energy from the

magnetic field to the electric field where
fudge has to be introduced to KVL to make
the P. d (potential differences) around the
circuit equal to 0.

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