Thvenin's theorem is a theorem in electrical circuit theory that allows any one-port network to

be reduced to a single voltage source and a single impedance. As originally stated in terms of DC
resistive circuits only, the theorem holds that:
Any linear electrical network with voltage and current sources and only
resistances can be replaced at terminals A-B by an equivalent voltage source V
th

in series connection with an equivalent resistance R
th
.
This equivalent voltage V
th
is the voltage obtained at terminals A-B of the
network with terminals A-B open circuited.
This equivalent resistance R
th
is the resistance obtained at terminals A-B of the
network with all its independent current sources open circuited and all its
independent voltage sources short circuited.
The theorem also applies to frequency domain AC circuits consisting of reactive and resistive
impedances.
The theorem was independently derived in 1853 by the German scientist Hermann von
Helmholtz and in 1883 by Lon Charles Thvenin (18571926), an electrical engineer with
France's national Postes et Tlgraphes telecommunications organization.
[1][2][3][4][5][6]

Thvenin's theorem and its dual, Norton's theorem, are widely used for circuit analysis
simplification and to study circuit's initial-condition and steady-state response.
[7][8]
Thvenin's
theorem can be used to convert any circuit's sources and impedances to a Thvenin equivalent;
use of the theorem may in some cases be more convenient than use of Kirchhoff's circuit
laws.
[6][9]

1. ^ Helmholtz
2. ^ Thvenin (1883a)
3. ^ Thvenin (1883b)
4. ^ Johnson (2003a)
5. ^ Brittain
6. ^
a

b
Dorf
7. ^ Brenner
8. ^ Elgerd
9. ^ Dwight
2. Brenner, Egon; Javid, Mansour (1959). "Chapter 12 - Network Functions". Analysis of
Electric Circuits. McGraw-Hill. pp. 268269.
3. Brittain, J.E. (March 1990). "Thevenin's theorem". IEEE Spectrum 27 (3): 42.
doi:10.1109/6.48845. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
4. Dorf, Richard C.; Svoboda, James A. (2010). "Chapter 5 - Circuit Theorems".
Introduction to Electric Circuits (8th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 162
207. ISBN 978-0-470-52157-1.
5. Dwight, Herbert B. (1949). "Sec. 2 - Electric and Magnetic Circuits". In Knowlton, A.E.
Standard Handbook for Electrical Engineers (8th ed.). McGraw-Hill. p. 26.
6. Elgerd, Olle I. (2007). "Chapter 10, Energy System Transients - Surge Phenomena and
Symmetrical Fault Analysis". Electric Energy Systems Theory: An Introduction. Tata
McGraw-Hill. pp. 402429. ISBN 978-0070192300.
7. Helmhotz, H. (1853). "ber einige Gesetze der Vertheilung elektrischer Strme in
krperlichen Leitern mit Anwendung auf die thierisch-elektrischen Versuche (Some laws
concerning the distribution of electrical currents in conductors with applications to
experiments on animal electricity)". Annalen der Physik und Chemie 89 (6): 211233.
8. Johnson, D.H. (2003a). "Origins of the equivalent circuit concept: the voltage-source
equivalent". Proceedings of the IEEE 91 (4): 636640.
doi:10.1109/JPROC.2003.811716.
9. Johnson, D.H. (2003b). "Origins of the equivalent circuit concept: the current-source
equivalent". Proceedings of the IEEE 91 (5): 817821.
doi:10.1109/JPROC.2003.811795.
10. Thvenin, L. (1883a). "Extension de la loi dOhm aux circuits lectromoteurs complexes
(Extension of Ohms law to complex electromotive circuits)". Annales Tlgraphiques. 3
e

series 10: 222224.
11. Thvenin, L. (1883b). "Sur un nouveau thorme d'lectricit dynamique (On a new
theorem of dynamic electricity)". Comptes rendus hebdomadaires des sances de
l'Acadmie des Sciences 97: 159161.
12. Wenner, F. (1926). Sci. Paper S531, A principle governing the distribution of current in
systems of linear conductors. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Standards.