Basic Electrical Circuit

Calculations

1
Objectives:

• Perform electrical circuit calculations using

Ohm’s law.

• Describe and apply Kirchhoff’s Current and

Voltage laws.

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Basic Electrical Laws
• Ohm’s Law
V  IR
• Kirchoff’s Voltage Law

 V  0
• Kirchoff’s Current Law

 I  0
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 Ohm’s Law

Georg Ohm

• There is a simple linear relationship

between voltage, current and resistance.
V  IR
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 Kirchoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)

Gustav Kirchoff
• The sum of the voltage differences around a
closed circuit is equal to zero.

 V  0
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 Circuit Analysis
A 4V battery is placed in a series circuit with a 2 resistor.

What is the total current that will flow through the circuit?

E = IR 2

4V = I x 2 
4v I=?

I = 2A
 Circuit Analysis
What voltage is required to produce 2A through a
circuit with a 3 resistor.

E = IR 3

E = 2A x 3 ? I = 2A

E = 6V
 Circuit Analysis
What resistance is required to limit the current to
4A if a 12 V battery is in the circuit?

E = IR
3
12 = 4A x R
12V I = 4A
R = 3
 Series Combination of Resistors
A

Ia +

Vr1 R1 Ib
+ +
+
-
V V Vreq
Req
+
- - -
Vr2 R2

• Resistors add in series

R E Q  R 1  R 2  . . . R N

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 Series Combination of Resistors

R1

10Vdc 30ohms
V1

R2
10ohms

• The effect of resistors in series is additive.

There is a corresponding voltage drop across
each resistor.
R E Q  R 1  R 2  . . . R N
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 Series Combination of Resistors
A
• Kirchoff’s
Voltage Law: V  V r 1  V
Ia +

+ Vr1 R1 r2
-
V
+
-
Vr2 R2
• Ohm’s Law: V  Ia R1  Ia R 2
-

B
• Solve for Ia:
V V
+
Ib
Ia    Ib
R1  R
+

V Vreq
Req
2 R EQ
- -
• In General
R EQ  R 1  R 2  . . . R N
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 Series Circuit Analysis
Resistance in series added together when calculating
total resistance

What is the current in the circuit below?

E = IR
2 4
12 = I x (2 + 4)
12V I=?
I = 2A
 Series Circuit Analysis

What is the resistance of the light bulb?

E = IR

12 = 4 x (2 + R) R=?
2
R = 1
12v I=4
 Kirchhoff’s Law of Voltages
• The algebraic sum of all voltages in a complete circuit is
equal to zero
• If we consider the source voltage to be positive, there will
be a negative “voltage drop” across each resistor
• The voltage drop across each resistor can be calculated
with Ohm’s law
-4v -8v
2 4

12V I = 2A
 Parallel Combination of Resistors
A

I1 Vr1 Ib
+ + +
+ +
I2 R1 I3 R2
V - - Vr2 V Vreq
Req

- - -
I4

• The reciprocal or inverse of resistors add in

parallel. 1 1 1 1
   . . .
R EQ R1 R2 RN

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 Parallel Combination of Resistors

10Vdc
V1 R1 R2
30ohms 10ohms

• For resistors in parallel, the same voltage occurs across

each resistor and more than one path exists for the current,
which lowers the net resistance.
1 1 1 1
   . . .
R EQ R1 R2 RN
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 Series vs. Parallel Circuits
Series Circuits
o A series circuit is a circuit in which the current can only
flow through one path.
o Current is the same at all points in a series circuit

Parallel Circuits
• In contrast, in a parallel circuit, there are multiple
paths for current flow.
• Different paths may contain different current flow.
This is also based on Ohm’s Law
• Total resistance will be less than the smallest
resistance
By Analogy: Series Vs Parallel

E
I
R1 R2

E R1 I1

R2 I2

R3 I3
 Parallel Combination of Resistors
A
• Kirchoff’s Current Law:
+
I1 Vr1 I1  I 2  I3
+
+
I2 R1 I3 R2
V Vr2
-
- - • Ohm’s Law:
I4 V V V
I1   
B R1 R 2 R EQ

+
Ib • In General:
+

V Vreq
Req
1 1 1 1
- -    . . .
R EQ R1 R2 RN

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 Combination of Resistors
• Series R EQ  R 1  R 2  . . . R N

• Parallel 1 1 1 1
   . . .
R EQ R1 R2 RN
• For two resistors, the second expression can
be written as
R1R 2
R EQ 
R1  R 2

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 Parallel Circuits
What is the total current below?
1. First calculate total resistance
1= 1 + 1 + 1 2. Then use E = IR
Rtot 5 10 30 30V = I x 3 
I = 10A
1 = 1
Rtot .333 5

Rtot = 3  10

30V
30
 Shortcuts to Total R in Parallel
If all N branches have the same resistance, total resistance is
equal to the resistance of one branch divided by the number
of branches

Total Resistance = 10

30

30

30V
30
 Shortcuts to Total R in Parallel
If there are only two branches, the total resistance is equal to
the product of the resistances divided by the sum of the
resistances
12 * 4 = 3
Total resistance= 12 + 4

12

4

30v
 Combination of Resistors

• Adding resistors in series always results in a

larger resistance than any of the individual
resistors
• Adding resistors in parallel always results in
a smaller resistance than any of the
individual resistors

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Questions?

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