Norton’s Theorem

Emina Džaferović
Amina Obradović Piro

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 Developers (1926)
Hans Ferdinand Mayer (1895 - 1980) Edward Lawry Norton (1898 - 1983)

• Born in Germany • Born in Rockland, Maine

• Mathematician and physicist • Served as a radio operator in the
• Developed numerous patents U.S Navy
during a long career at Siemens • Published multiple papers during
• "Oslo Report" his career at Bell Laboratories

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 “Any linear circuit containing several energy sources and resistances
can be replaced by a single Constant Current generator in parallel with
a Single Resistor “. (Electronics Tutorial, 2017)

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 Facts
• Norton equivalent circuit
consists of an independent
current source with Norton
equivalent resistance in
parallel.
• The circuit can be found by
using source transformation
technique on Thevenin
equivalent circuit.

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 Steps
1. Find the Norton source current by removing the load resistor from the
original circuit and calculating current through a short (wire) jumping
across the open connection points where the load resistor used to be.
2. Find the Norton resistance by removing all power sources in the original
circuit (voltage sources shorted and current sources open) and
calculating total resistance between the open connection points.
3. Draw the Norton equivalent circuit, with the Norton current source in
parallel with the Norton resistance. The load resistor re-attaches
between the two open points of the equivalent circuit.
4. Analyze voltage and current for the load resistor following the rules for
parallel circuits.

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Example 1

Fig(1)

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Step 1.

Step 2.
Fig (2)

Fig (3)

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Step 3.

Fig(4)
Step 4.

Fig(5)
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Step 5.

Fig(6)
Step 6.

Fig(7)

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References:
Electrical Technology . (2015, October 15). Electrical Technology. Retrieved from Norton’s Theorem -
Easy Step by Step Procedure with Example :
https://www.electricaltechnology.org/2014/01/Norton-theorem.html

Santiago, J. (n.d.). Dummies. Retrieved from Find Thévenin’s and Norton’s Equivalents for Complex
Source Circuit: http://www.dummies.com/education/science/science-electronics/find-thvenins-
and-nortons-equivalents-for-complex-source-circuit/

Source transformation.. Retrieved from http://d2r5da613aq50s.cloudfront.net/wp-

content/uploads/377857.image2.jpg

The Norton Equivalent.. In J. W. Nilsson, & S. A. Riedel, Electric Circuits (pp. 137 - 139).

Tutorials, E. (Director). (2014). Norton's Theorem [Motion Picture]. Retrieved from

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWikHrjw5GI&t=248s

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