BasicCircuitAnalysis

CurrentFlow
ConventionalCurrent assumesthat
currentflowsoutofthepositiveside
Conventional
ofthebattery,throughthecircuit,
Current
andbacktothenegativesideofthe
battery.Thiswastheconvention
establishedwhenelectricitywasfirst
discovered,butitisincorrect!
ElectronFlow iswhatactually
happens.Theelectronsflowoutof
thenegativesideofthebattery,
throughthecircuit,andbacktothe
positivesideofthebattery. Electron
Flow

2
 Engineeringvs.Science
Thedirectionthatthecurrentflowsdoesnotaffectwhatthe
currentisdoing;thus,itdoesntmakeanydifferencewhich
conventionisusedaslongasyouareconsistent.
BothConventionalCurrent andElectronFlow areused.Ingeneral,
thesciencedisciplinesuseElectronFlow, whereastheengineering
disciplinesuseConventionalCurrent.
Sincethisisanengineeringcourse,wewilluseConventional
Current.

Electron Conventional
Flow Current

3
 OhmsLaw
Defines the relationship between voltage, current, and
resistance in an electric circuit
Ohms Law:
Current in a resistor varies in direct proportion to the voltage applied
to it and is inversely proportional to the resistors value.
Stated mathematically:

V
V + -
I
R I R

Where: I is the current (amperes)

V is the potential difference (volts)
R is the resistance (ohms)
 OhmsLawTriangle

V V
I ( amperes, A )
I R R

V V
R ( ohms, )
I R I

V
V I R ( volts, V )
I R
 Example:OhmsLaw
Example:
The flashlight shown uses a 6 volt battery and has a bulb
with a resistance of 150 . When the flashlight is on, how
much current will be drawn from the battery?

6
 Example:OhmsLaw
Example:
The flashlight shown uses a 6 volt battery and has a bulb
with a resistance of 150 . When the flashlight is on, how
much current will be drawn from the battery?

Solution:
SchematicDiagram
IR
V
+
VT = VR I R
-

VR 6V
IR 0.04 A 40 mA
R 150
7
 CircuitConfiguration
Components in a circuit can be connected in one
of two ways.
SeriesCircuits ParallelCircuits
Componentsareconnectedend Bothendsofthecomponentsare
toend. connectedtogether.
Thereisonlyasinglepathfor Therearemultiplepathsforcurrent
currenttoflow. toflow.

Components 8
(i.e., resistors, batteries, capacitors, etc.)
Definitionofabranch
Definitionsofnodeandsupernode
(a) A circuit containing three nodes
and five branches.

(b) Node 1 is redrawn to look like two

nodes; it is still one node.
Definitionofaloop

Definitionofamesh
 Example
Howmanynodes,branches&loops?

R1
+

+ Vs Is
R2 R3 Vo
-

-
 Example
Threenodes

R1
+

+ Vs Is
R2 R3 Vo
-

-
 Example
5Branches

R1
+

+ Vs Is
R2 R3 Vo
-

-
 Example
ThreeLoops,ifstartingatnodeA

A B
R1
+

+ Vs Is
R2 R3 Vo
-

-
C
 KirchoffsVoltageLaw(KVL)
Thealgebraicsumofvoltagesaroundeach
loopiszero
Beginningwithonenode,addvoltagesacross
eachbranchintheloop(ifyouencountera+sign
first)andsubtractvoltages(ifyouencountera
signfirst)
voltagedrops voltagerises=0
Or voltagedrops= voltagerises
SignConventions
 Example
KirchoffsVoltageLawaround1st Loop
I1 + I1R1 -
A B
R1
+
I2 +
+ Vs Is
R2 I2R2 R3 Vo
-

-
-
C
Assign current variables and directions
Use Ohms law to assign voltages and polarities consistent with
passive devices (current enters at the + side)
 Example
KirchoffsVoltageLawaround1st Loop
I1 + I1R1 -
A B
R1
+
I2 +
+ Vs Is
R2 I2R2 R3 Vo
-

-
-
C
Starting at node A, add the 1st voltage drop: - I1R1
 Example
KirchoffsVoltageLawaround1st Loop
I1 + I1R1 -
A B
R1
+
I2 +
+ Vs Is
R2 I2R2 R3 Vo
-

-
-
C
Add the voltage drop from B to C through R2: - I1R1 - I2R2
 Example
KirchoffsVoltageLawaround1st Loop
I1 + I1R1 -
A B
R1
+
I2 +
+ Vs Is
R2 I2R2 R3 Vo
-

-
-
C
Subtract the voltage rise from C to A through Vs: - I1R1 - I2R2 + Vs = 0
Notice that the sign of each term matches the polarity encountered 1st
 CircuitAnalysis
Whengivenacircuitwithsourcesand
resistorshavingfixedvalues,youcanuse
KirchoffstwolawsandOhmslawto
determineallbranchvoltagesandcurrents
+ VAB -
A I
7 B
+
+
12 v 3
VBC
-
-
C
 CircuitAnalysis
ByOhmslaw:VAB =I7 andVBC =I3
ByKVL:VAB VBC +12v=0
Substituting:I7 I3 +12v=0
Solving: I = 1.2 A + V - AB
A I
7 B
+
+
12 v 3
VBC
-
-
C
 CircuitAnalysis
SinceVAB =I7 andVBC =I3
And I = 1.2 A
SoVAB =8.4 v andVBC =3.6 v
+ VAB -
A I
7 B
+
+
12 v 3
VBC
-
-
C
 SeriesResistors
KVL:+I10 12v=0,SoI =1.2A
Fromtheviewpointofthesource,the7and3
ohmresistorsinseriesareequivalenttothe
10ohms
I

+
+
12 v 10
I10
-
-
 SeriesResistors
Totherestofthecircuit,seriesresistorscan
bereplacedbyanequivalentresistanceequal
tothesumofallresistors

Series resistors (same current through all)

I ...

I Rseries
 KirchoffsCurrentLaw(KCL)
Thealgebraicsumofcurrentsenteringanode
iszero
Addeachbranchcurrententeringthenodeand
subtracteachbranchcurrentleavingthenode
currentsin currentsout=0
Or currentsin= currentsout
 Example
KirchoffsCurrentLawatB
I1 B
A
R1
+
I2 I3
+ Vs Is
R2 R3 Vo
-

-
C
Assign current variables and directions
Add currents in, subtract currents out: I1 I2 I3 + Is = 0
 CircuitAnalysis
A
+
+ +
I1 I2
10 A 8 4 VAB
- -
-
B

By KVL: - I1 8 + I2 4 = 0
Solving: I 2 = 2 I1
By KCL: 10A = I1 + I2
Substituting: 10A = I1 + 2 I1 = 3 I1
So I1 = 3.33 A and I2 = 6.67 A
And VAB = 26.33 volts
 CircuitAnalysis
A
+

10 A 2.667 VAB

-
B

By Ohms Law: VAB = 10 A 2.667

So VAB = 26.67 volts

Replacing two parallel resistors (8 and 4 )

by one equivalent one produces the same
result from the viewpoint of the rest of the
circuit.
 ParallelResistors
Theequivalentresistanceforanynumberof
resistorsinparallel(i.e.theyhavethesame
voltageacrosseachresistor):
1
Req=
1/R1 +1/R2 ++1/RN

Fortwoparallelresistors:
Req=R1R2/(R1+R2)
 ExampleCircuit

Solve for the currents through each resistor

And the voltages across each resistor
 ExampleCircuit
+ I110 - + I36 -

+ +
I28 I34
- -

Using Ohms law, add polarities and

expressions for each resistor voltage
 ExampleCircuit
+ I110 - + I36 -

+ +
I28 I34
- -

Write 1st Kirchoffs voltage law equation

50 v - I110 - I28 = 0
 ExampleCircuit
+ I110 - + I36 -

+ +
I28 I34
- -

Write 2nd Kirchoffs voltage law equation

-I28 + I36 + I34 = 0
or I2 = I3 (6+4)/8 = 1.25 I3
 ExampleCircuit
A

Write Kirchoffs current law equation at A

+I1 I2 - I3 = 0
 ExampleCircuit
Wenowhave3equationsin3unknowns,so
wecansolveforthecurrentsthrougheach
resistor,thatareusedtofindthevoltage
acrosseachresistor
SinceI1 I2 I3 =0,I1 = I2 +I3
Substitutingintothe1stKVLequation
50v+(I2 +I3)10 +I28 =0
orI218 +I310 =50volts
 ExampleCircuit
Butfromthe2nd KVLequation,I2 =1.25I3
Substitutinginto1st KVLequation:
(1.25I3)18 +I310 =50volts
Or:I322.5 +I310 =50volts
Or:I332.5 =50volts
Or:I3 =50volts/32.5
Or:I3 =1.538amps
 ExampleCircuit
SinceI3 =1.538amps
I2 =1.25I3=1.923amps
SinceI1 =I2 +I3, I1 =3.461amps
Thevoltagesacrosstheresistors:
I110 =34.61volts
I28 =15.38volts
I36 =9.23volts
I34 =6.15volts
 ExampleCircuit

Solve for the currents through each resistor

And the voltages across each resistor using
Series and parallel simplification.
 ExampleCircuit

The 6 and 4 ohm resistors are in series, so

are combined into 6+4 = 10
 ExampleCircuit

The 8 and 10 ohm resistors are in parallel, so

are combined into 810/(8+10) =14.4
 ExampleCircuit

The 10 and 4.4 ohm resistors are in series, so

are combined into 10+4 = 14.4
 ExampleCircuit

+
I114.4
-

Writing KVL, I114.4 50 v = 0

Or I1 = 50 v / 14.4 = 3.46 A
 ExampleCircuit
+34.6 v -

+
15.4 v
-

If I1 = 3.46 A, then I110 = 34.6 v

So the voltage across the 8 = 15.4 v
 ExampleCircuit
+ 34.6 v -

+
15.4 v
-

If I28 = 15.4 v, then I2 = 15.4/8 = 1.93 A

By KCL, I1-I2-I3=0, so I3 = I1I2 = 1.53 A
 RCCircuits
Todate,wehavestudiedsteadystatedirect
currentcircuitsinwhichthecurrentisconstant.
Incircuitscontainingacapacitor,thecurrent
variesovertime.
Whenapotentialdifferenceisappliedacrossa
capacitor,therateatwhichthecapacitorcharges
dependsonthecapacitanceandonthe
resistanceinthecircuit.
AnRCcircuitcanstorechargeandreleaseitata
latertime.
 ChargingaCapacitor
Consideraseriescircuit
containingaresistoranda
capacitorthatisinitially
uncharged.
WithswitchSopen,thereisno
currentinthecircuit.
WhenswitchSisclosedatt=
0s,chargesbegintoflowanda
currentispresentinthecircuit
andthecapacitorbeginsto
charge.
 ChargingaCapacitor
Thegapbetweenthecapacitorplatesrepresentsan
opencircuitandchargedoesnotpassfromthe
positiveplatetothenegativeplate.
Chargeistransferredfromoneplatetotheother
platethroughtheresistor,switch,andbatteryuntil
thecapacitorisfullycharged.
Thevalueofthemaximumchargedependsonthe
EMFofthebattery.
Oncethemaximumchargeisreached,thecurrentin
thecircuitiszero.
 ChargingaCapacitor
ApplyingKirchhoffsloopruletothecircuitafter
theswitchisclosed:
q
E I R Vcapacitor 0 E IR 0
C
I Risthepotentialdropacrosstheresistor.
q/Cisthepotentialdropacrossthecapacitor.
Iandqareinstantaneousvaluesofthecurrent
andchargeasthecapacitorcharges.
 ChargingaCapacitor
Att=0s,whentheswitchisclosed,thecharge
onthecapacitoris0Candtheinitialcurrentis:
E
I max
R
Att=0s,thepotentialdropisentirelyacross
theresistor.
Asthecapacitorischargedtoitsmaximumvalue
Q,thechargesquitflowingandthecurrentin
thecircuitis0Aandthepotentialdropis
entirelyacrossthecapacitor.
 ChargingaCapacitor
Maximumcharge: Qmax C E
Fromt=0suntilthecapacitorisfullycharged
andthecurrentstops,theamountofcurrent
inthecircuitdecreasesovertimeandthe
amountofchargeonthecapacitorincreases
overtime.
Todeterminevaluesforthecurrentinthe
circuitandforthechargeonthecapacitoras
functionsoftime,wehavetouseadifferential
equation.
 ChargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
BeginningwithKirchhoffsloopequation,
differentiatetheequationwithrespectto
time:
q
d E I R
C
0
dt
q
d
dE d I R dI C 1 dq
0 R
dt dt dt dt C dt

dI 1 dq 1 dq dI
R 0 R
dt C dt C dt dt
 ChargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Replacedq/dtwithI:
1 dI I dI
I R R
C dt C dt
Getthecurrenttermsononesideofthe
equationandtheothertermsontheotherside
oftheequation:
dI -1
dt
I R C
Integratebothsidesoftheequation.
 ChargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Thelimitsofintegrationforthecurrentsideof
theequationisfromImax (att=0s)tothe
currentvalueattimet.
Thelimitsofintegrationforthetimesideofthe
equationisfromt=0stotimet.

I dI -1 t
Imax I
dt
R C 0
 ChargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Leftside:
1 I
I dI ln I I ln I ln I max ln
I I

I
max max
I max
Rightside:
1 1 1
t 0
t t
dt t0
R C 0 R C R C
t

R C
 ChargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Combiningbothsidesoftheintegration:
I t
ln
Imax R C
Toeliminatethenaturallogterm(ln),wecan
usethetermsasexponentsforthebasee.
Fromthepropertiesoflogarithms:
e ln x
x
I t t
ln I
e I max
e R C
simplifies to e R C

I max
 ChargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
CurrentinanRCcircuitasafunctionoftime:
t t
E
I(t) I max e R C
e R C

R
GraphofCurrentasafunctionof timefora
chargingcapacitor:
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Tofindthechargeonthecapacitorasafunction
oftime,beginwithKirchhoffsloopequation:

q
E I R Vcapacitor 0 E IR 0
ReplaceIwithdq/dt: C

dq q
E R 0
dt C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation

Getthedq/dttermononesideofthe
equation: dq q
R E
dt C
DividebothsidesbyRtosolvefordq/dt:
dq E q

dt R R C
Commondemominator,RC:
dq E C q dq E C q

dt R C R C dt R C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Multiplybothsidesbydt: EC q
dq dt
R C
DividebothsidesbyECqtogetthechargeterms
togetheronthesamesideoftheequation:
dq dt

EC q R C
Inproblemsinvolvingcapacitance,qispositive,so
multiplybothsidesby1tomakethechargepositive:
dq -1
dt
EC q R C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Integratebothsidesoftheresultingdifferential
equation.
Forthechargesideoftheequation,thelimitsof
integrationarefromq=0att=0stoqattimet.I
rearrangedtheequationtoputthepositiveqfirst
followedbythenegativeEC.
Forthetimesideoftheequation,thelimitsof
integrationarefrom0stot.

dq -1
0 0 dt
q t

q EC R C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Leftside:
dq
0 ln q E C 0 ln q E C ln 0 E C
q q

q EC
q EC
ln q E C ln E C ln
EC
Rightside: 1 1 t 1 t
0 dt 0 dt t 0
t

R C R C R C
1 t
t 0
R C R C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Combiningbothsidesoftheintegrals:

q EC t
ln
EC R C
Toeliminatethenaturallogterm(ln),wecanuse
thetermsasexponentsforthebasee.
q EC t
ln
EC
e e R C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation

q EC
Simplify: t

e R C

EC
Solveforq:
MultiplybothsidesbyEC.
AddECtobothsides.
t

q EC ECe R C

FactorouttheEC: t

q E C (1 e ) R C
 ChargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Substitute:Qmax =EC
t

q(t) Q max (1 e ) R C

GraphofChargevs.timeforacharging
capacitor:
 ChargingACapacitor
Currenthasits
maximumvalueof
Imax =E/Ratt=0s
anddecays
exponentiallyto0
Aastinfinity.
 ChargingACapacitor
Thechargeona
capacitoris0Cat
t=0sand
approachesa
maximumvalueof
Qmax =CEast
infinity.
 ChargingCapacitorGraphs

currentvoltagecharge
 TimeConstantRC
ThequantityRC,whichappearsintheexponential
componentofthechargeandcurrentequationsiscalled
thetimeconstant ofthecircuit.
Thetimeconstantisameasureofhowquicklythe
capacitorbecomescharged.
Thetimeconstantrepresentsthetimeittakesthe:
currenttodecreaseto1/eofitsinitialvalue.
chargetoincreasefrom0CtoCE(1e1)=0.63CE.
Theunitforthetimeconstantisseconds.
F=(V/A)(C/V)=C/(C/s)=s
 ChargeandCurrentduringthe
ChargingofaCapacitor

Qmax q I i
Capacitor Capacitor

0.63I Risein Current

Charge 0.37I Decay

Time, t Time, t

Inatimeofonetimeconstant,thecharge qrisesto
63% ofitsmaximum,whilethecurrent i decaysto37% of
itsmaximumvalue.
 DischargingaCapacitor
Removingthebatteryfromthecircuitwhile
keepingtheswitchopenleavesuswithacircuit
containingonlyachargedcapacitoranda
resistor.
 DischargingaCapacitor
Whentheswitchisopen,thereisapotential
differenceofQ/Cacrossthecapacitorand0V
acrosstheresistorsinceI=0A.
Iftheswitchisclosedattimet=0s,the
capacitorbeginstodischargethroughthe
resistorandacurrentflowsthroughthecircuit.
Atsometimeduringthedischarge,currentin
thecircuitisIandthechargeonthecapacitoris
q.
 DischargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Tofindthechargeonthecapacitorasafunctionof
time,beginwithKirchhoffsloopequation.Thereisno
Etermintheequationbecausethebatteryhasbeen
removed.TheIRtermisnegativebecausetheenergy
carriedbythechargesisdissipatedintheresistor.

q
I R Vcapacitor 0 IR 0
C
q
IR
C
 DischargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
ReplaceIwithdq/dtbecausethecurrentinthe
circuitisdecreasingasthecapacitordischarges
overtime:
dq q
R
dt C
Getthechargetermsononesideofthe
equationandtheremainingvariablesonthe
othersideoftheequation.
dq 1
dt
q R C
 DischargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Integratebothsidesoftheresultingdifferential
equation.
Forthechargesideoftheequation,thelimitsofintegration
arefromq=Qmax att=0stoqattimet.
Forthetimesideoftheequation,thelimitsofintegrationare
from0stot.

dq t 1
0 dt
q

Q max
q R C
1 1 t
dq 0 dt
q

Q max
q R C
 DischargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Leftside:

1 q
dq ln q ln q ln Q max ln
q

Q max
q Q max
Q max

Rightside:

1 t 1 t 1 t
0 dt t 0 t 0
R C R C R C R C
 DischargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Combiningbothsidesoftheintegrals:
q t
ln
Q max R C
Toeliminatethenaturallogterm(ln),wecan
usethetermsasexponentsforthebasee.

ln
q t

e Q max
e R C
 DischargingaCapacitor ChargeEquation
Simplify: t
q
e R C

Q max
Solveforq:

qt Q max e R C
 DischargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Tofindthecurrentonthecapacitorasafunctionof
time,beginwiththechargeequation.
t

qt Q max e R C

CurrentI=dq/dt,sotakethederivativeofthecharge
equationwithrespecttotime:

d Q max e R C

dq

dt dt
 DischargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Leftside: dq
I
dt
Rightside:
d Q max e e
-t -t

R C
d
R C

Q dt I
dq

max
dt dt
t
d
-t
R C
-t
1 dt
Q max e
R C
Q max e
R C

dt R C dt
- Q max R-tC
e
R C
 DischargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Combiningthetwosidesoftheintegral:

Q max t

I e R C

R C
Qmax =CV,substituting:
CV t
V t

It e R C
e R C

R C R
t

It I max e R C
 DischargingaCapacitor CurrentEquation
Thenegativesignindicatesthatthedirectionof
thedischargingcurrentisoppositetothe
directionofthechargingcurrent.
ThevoltageVacrossthecapacitorisequalto
theEMFofthebatterysincethecapacitoris
fullychargedatthetimeoftheswitchisclosed
todischargethecapacitorthroughtheresistor.
 DischargingCapacitorGraphs

voltagechargecurrent