Loop Analysis of Electric Circuits

In this method, we set up and solve a system of equations in which the unknowns are loop currents. The
currents in the various branches of the circuit are then easily determined from the loop currents. (Click
here for a tutorial on loop currents vs. branch currents.)
The steps in the loop current method are:
Count the number of loop currents required. Call this number m.
Choose m independent loop currents, call them I1, I2, . . . , Im and draw them on the circuit
diagram.
Write down Kirchhoff's Voltage Law for each loop. The result, after simplification, is a system
of nlinear equations in the n unknown loop currents in this form:

where R11, R12, . . . , Rmm and V1, V2, . . . , Vm are constants.

Alternatively, the system of equations can be gotten (already in simplified form) by using the
inspection method.
Solve the system of equations for the m loop currents I1, I2, . . . , Im using Gaussian elimination or
some other method.
Reconstruct the branch currents from the loop currents.

Example 1: Find the current flowing in each

branch of this circuit.

Solution:
The number of loop currents required
is 3.

We will choose the loop currents

shown to the right. In fact these loop
currents are mesh currents.

Write down Kirchoff's Voltage Law for each loop. The result is the following system of equations:

Collecting terms this becomes:

This form for the system of equations could have been gotten immediately by using the inspection
method.
Solving the system of equations using Gaussian elimination or some other method gives the
following currents, all measured in amperes:
I1=0.245, I2=0.111 and I3=0.117

Reconstructing the branch currents from

the loop currents gives the results
shown in the picture to the right.

Example 2: Find the current

flowing in each branch of this
circuit.

Solution:
The number of loop currents required is 3.

This time we will choose

the loop currents shown to
the right.

Write down Kirchoff's Voltage Law for each loop. The result is the following system of equations:

Collecting terms this becomes:

This form for the system of equations could have been gotten immediately by using the inspection
method.
Solving the system of equations using Gaussian elimination or some other method gives the
following currents, all measured in amperes:
I1 = - 4.57, I2 = 13.7 and I3 = - 1.05

Reconstructing the
branch currents from the
loop currents gives the
results shown in the
picture to the right.

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