Chapter 1

Basic Concepts

Introduction

An electric circuit is an interconnection of electrical elements. Functions:

To transfer energy from one point to another.

Basic concepts:

Charge. Current. Voltage. Power. Circuit elements. Energy.

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Charge q(t)

Basic quantity in an electric circuit. Defined as an electrical property of materials.

Exist as negative (electron) and positive (proton) charges. Measured in Coulombs (C). 1 electron = -1.602*10-19C.

Positive and negative charges move in different direction.

Creates electric current. Consider electric current as movement of positive charge.

Charge may be constant/varying.

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Current i(t)

Defined as the charge flow rate.

Measured in Ampere (A).

Current may be constant/varying.

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Voltage v(t)

Defined to be the charge rate of doing work.

Energy required to move a unit charge through an element.

Measured in volts (V).

Voltage may be constant/varying.

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Power p(t)

Defined to be the time rate of doing work.

Measured in watts (W).

Power can be absorbed or supplied by circuit elements.

Positive power element absorbs power. Negative power element supplies power. Sign determined by voltage and current.

An ideal circuit:

Psupplied + Pabsorbed = 0.
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Energy

Defined as the capacity to do work.

Measured in joules (J).

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Circuit Elements

An element is the basic building block of a circuit. Electric circuit is interconnecting of the elements. Types of elements:

Active elements Capable of generating energy (i.e. batteries, generators). Passive elements Absorbs energy (i.e. resistors, capacitors and inductors). Voltage and current sources the most important active elements.
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Source

Divided into:

Independent source Does not depend to other elements to supply voltage or current. Dependent source Reverse of independent.

Constant voltage source:

Voltage same for all elements.

Constant current source:

Current same throughout the circuits.

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Examples

Determine the current flowing through an element if the charge flow is given by q(t)=(9t2+2t-2)C. Find the charge q(t) flowing through a device if the current (i(t))=(2t+5) mA and q(0)=0. The charge entering a certain element is shown below. Determine current at:

t= 1 ms t= 6 ms t= 10ms

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Examples

Given the graph, plot the corresponding current. Calculate total charge that pass through an element at:

t = 1s t = 3s t = 5s
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Examples

Find the power absorbed by each of the elements.

Assignment 1: download @ http://staff.edu.my/hadibahmr

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