Node Method

Samantha R. Summerson
16 September, 2009

1 Node Method

2
𝑒1
𝑒3 𝑒2
1 1 𝑖

𝑣𝑖𝑛 ± 1 1

In the above circuit, there are four nodes: the three black dots and the ground node. The bottom node
is considered to be the reference node. We define a voltage for each node in reference to the ground node.
In our example,
𝑒3 = 𝑣𝑖𝑛 .
To solve for 𝑖, we use KCL to write equations for all the currents exiting the nodes. In this class, it is
standard to write the equations for all currents leaving the node, though the actual direction of the currents
is arbitrary. The KCL equation for Node 1 is
𝑒1 − 𝑣𝑖𝑛 𝑒1 𝑒1 − 𝑒2
+ + = 0,
1 1 1
⇒ 3𝑒1 − 𝑒2 = 𝑣𝑖𝑛 .

The KCL equation for Node 2 is

𝑒2 − 𝑣𝑖𝑛 𝑒2 − 𝑒1 𝑒2
+ + = 0,
2 1 1
5 1
𝑒2 − 𝑒1 = 𝑣𝑖𝑛 .
2 2
We combine the two and solve for 𝑒2 .
13 5
𝑒2 = 𝑣𝑖𝑛 ,
2 2
5
⇒ 𝑒2 = 𝑣𝑖𝑛 .
13

1
 𝑒2
Since 𝑖 = 1 ,
5
𝑖= 𝑣𝑖𝑛 𝐴.
13

The node method applies to general RLC circuit, not just circuits with sources and resistors.

𝑒1

𝑅1 +
𝑖

𝑣𝑖𝑛 ± 𝑅2 𝐶 𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑡

In the above circuit, there are only two nodes besides the ground node. The top left node voltage is
𝑣𝑖𝑛 . We also note that 𝑒1 = 𝑣𝑜𝑢𝑡 , the unknown voltage we wish to solve for. We start by writing the KCL
equation for the node with voltage 𝑒1 with all currents exiting the node.
𝑒1 − 𝑣𝑖𝑛 𝑒1 𝑒1
+ + 1 = 0,
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑗2𝜋𝑓 𝐶
( )
1 1 𝑣𝑖𝑛
⇒ 𝑒1 + + 𝑗2𝜋𝑓 𝐶 = ,
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅1
( )
𝑅2 + 𝑅1 + 𝑗2𝜋𝑓 𝐶𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑣𝑖𝑛
⇒ 𝑒1 = ,
𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅1
𝑅2
⇒ 𝑒1 = 𝑣𝑖𝑛 .
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑗2𝜋𝑓 𝐶𝑅1 𝑅2
By definition of the transfer function, we also know
𝑅2
𝐻(𝑓 ) = ,
𝑅1 + 𝑅2 + 𝑗2𝜋𝑓 𝐶𝑅1 𝑅2
and since 𝐻(𝑓 ) → 0 as 𝑓 → ∞, this is a LPF.

2 Conservation of Power
Consider the sum of powers for the elements depicted below. We assume that no currents are entering the
loop, the only currents are those drawn: 𝑖1 , 𝑖2 , and 𝑖3 . The total power is
∑
𝑣𝑘 𝑖𝑘 = (𝑒𝑎 − 𝑒𝑏 )𝑖1 + (𝑒𝑏 − 𝑒𝑐 )𝑖2 + (𝑒𝑎 − 𝑒𝑐 )𝑖3 ,
𝑘
= 𝑒𝑎 (𝑖1 + 𝑖3 ) + 𝑒𝑏 (𝑖2 − 𝑖1 ) + 𝑒𝑐 (−𝑖2 − 𝑖3 ),
= 0 (by KCL).
Therefore, power is conserved. Note that we only required KCL and KVL to prove this result. An interesting
observation is that if the sum was computed for voltages measured at time 𝑡1 and currents measured at time
𝑡2 , it is still equal to zero. In this case, it is not total power that is computed, but it is interesting nonetheless.

2
 𝑒𝑎
𝑖1
+ 𝑖3 +
𝑣1 𝑣3
− −

𝑒𝑏 𝑖2 𝑒𝑐
+ 𝑣2 −