ENGR 2305 Electric Circuits 1

Review syllabus
• Instructor
• Prerequisite/co-requisite
• Text
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Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Read Section 1.1
• Gives an overview of circuit theory
• Presents a general “recipe” for solving circuit
problems

Review Section 1.2

• Review Tables 1.1 and 1.2 – Units!
• Memorize (parts of) Table 1.3
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
The projected government deficit for 2019 is
$980 billion. How much would the government
need to collect every millisecond of 2019 to
cover the deficit?

$31.08/ms

If a signal in a cable can travel at 80% of the

speed of light, what length of cable (in inches)
can that signal cover in 1 ns?

9.45”
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables

Memorize the boxed

prefixes – we use
them ALL THE TIME!!
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
How does circuit
theory fit into the
overall scheme of
things?
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• Voltage
• Definition – the energy per unit charge
created when + and  charges are
separated. dw
• Defining equation: v 
where
dq
v is voltage in volts [V]
w is energy in joules [J]
q is charge in coulombs [C]
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• Current
• Definition – the time rate of change of
charge flow. dq
• Defining equation: i 
where dt
i is current in amperes [A]
q is charge in coulombs [C]
t is time in seconds [s]
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Ideal Basic Circuit Element
• Ideal – the element can be described solely in
terms of the relationship between its voltage
and its current.
• Basic – the element cannot be sub-divided
into simpler elements.
• Circuit Element – the element has two
terminals used to connect it to other
elements and form a circuit.

i
1 i
+
v OR 1 2
 2
+ v 
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Find the total charge entering terminal 1.

i
i  0, t0
1 2
i  20e 5000t A, t0
+ v 
dq 
i  qtotal   idt  q(0)
dt 0


 20
qtotal   20e 5000t
dt  0  e 5000t
0  5000 0

20 20
 (0)  (1)
 5000  5000
 0.004 C  4 mC  4000 C
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Read Section 1.6
• Power
• Definition – the time rate of change of
energy. dw
• Defining equation: p 
where dt
p is power in watts [W]
w is energy in joules [J]
t is time in seconds [s]
• Note that energy is the integral over time
of power!
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• More on power:

dw dw dq
p    vi
dt dq dt
p  vi Memorize this!!
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• More on power:
Actually, p   vi

How do you know which sign to use???

• The passive sign convention:

“Whenever the reference direction for the

current in an element is in the direction of the
reference voltage drop across the element,
use a positive sign in any expression that
relates the voltage to the current. Otherwise,
use a negative sign.”
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• The practical passive sign convention:
i
1 2

+ v 

If the current arrow points to the + terminal

of the voltage, use a + sign in the equation.
Otherwise, use a  sign.

For the ideal basic circuit element above,

p   vi  vi
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• Passive sign convention examples:

i
1 2 p   vi
 v +

i
1 2 p   vi
 v +

i
1 2 p   vi  vi
 v +
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
What is the meaning of positive power and
negative power?
• When the power associated with a circuit
element is negative, the circuit element is
generating (delivering, supplying) power
to the circuit.
• When the power associated with a circuit
element is positive, the circuit element is
absorbing (dissipating) power from the
circuit.
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Find the power associated with the circuit
elements below. State whether the power is
generated or absorbed.

+ 1 + 1
20 V 20 V
 2  2
4A 4A
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
• Examples of interpreting the algebraic sign of
power:

i
1 2 Is power supplied or absorbed
by the circuit element?
 v + Supplied

i
1 2 Is power supplied or absorbed
by the element?
 v + Supplied
i
1 2 Is power supplied or absorbed
by the element?
 v + Absorbed
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Find the total energy delivered to the circuit
element.
i  0, t0
i
i  20e 5000t A, t0
1 2
v  0, t0
+ v 
v  10e 5000t kV, t0
dw 
p  vi   w   vi dt  w(0)
dt 0

 
w   (20e 5000t 4
)(10 e 5000t
)dt  0  2  10
5
 e 10,000t dt
0 0

2  10 10,000t
5
2  105
 e  (0  1)  20 J
 10,000 0
 10,000
Suppose we modify the previous problem as
follows: Find the energy delivered to the
circuit element in the first 2 milliseconds.
How can we modify the solution to the
original problem to get the answer for the
modified problem?
A. Multiply the original answer
by 0.002
B. Change the upper limit on
the original integral to 0.002
C. You cannot modify the
original solution to solve the
modified problem
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
Find the power associated with each circuit
element in the circuit below:
ie
ia

a e
+ va  i + +  ve +
c
c vc d vd
ib if
 
id
b f
 vb + + vf 

va  8 V vb  2 V vc  10 V vd  10 V ve  6 V v f  4 V
ia  7 A ib  7 A ic  15 A id  5 A ie  3 A if  3 A
 ie
ia

a e
+ va  i + +  ve +
c
c vc d vd
ib if
 
id
b f
 vb + + vf 
Comp. v[V] i[A] sign Eqn. p[W] sup/abs?
a 8 7 +vi (8)(7) 56 supply
b 2 7 vi (2)(7) 14 supply
c 10 15 +vi (10)(15) 150 absorb
d 10 5 vi (10)(5) 50 supply
e 6 3 +vi (6)(3) 18 supply
f 4 3 +vi (4)(3) 12 supply
Total 0!!!
Chapter 1 – Circuit Variables
The power in a circuit always balances!

This means that the total power supplied equals

the total power dissipated, so there is no net
power generation or dissipation in a circuit.

Power balance will be an important way to check

our answers when we use circuit analysis to find
the voltage and current for every element in a
circuit.