Nodal Analysis of AC Circuits

Cayabyab, Thomas David F., Pamplona, John Michael A., Precilla, Carl Vincent S., Punzalan,
Justine Roy A., Se, Lenette S.
College of Engineering
School of Technology
First Asia Institute of Technology and Humanities

Abstract
This experiment is to calculate and
analyze an AC Circuit using Nodal Analysis and
compare its result to the measured value.

I. INTRODUCTION
Nodal Analysis or the branch current method is a
method for determining the potential difference between
two nodes in an electric circuit with respect to a reference
node commonly defined as ground. This method has its
fundamentals on Kirchhoffs Law particularly the
Kirchhoff Current Law. Nodal analysis produces a
compact set of equations for the network, which can be
solved by hand if small, or can be quickly solved using
linear algebra by computer.
This principle applies both to AC and DC
analyses. Difference for each analysis is that AC has
complex numbers which is identified to be the reactanceinductive reactance and capacitive reactance. The real
part is the resistance.
With this method, one can simplify the ac
analysis of different networks. System of equations is
vital as well for this analysis. The equation will be
represented with its unknowns as the voltages at the
principal nodes of the circuit. From these nodal voltages
the currents in the various branches of the circuit are
easily determined.

Fig.1 A circuit diagram with four nodes- va, vb, vc and GND as
reference node

II. CIRCUIT DESIGN AND COMPUTATION

The experiment is divided into two parts. The first
part is for AC Nodal Analysis whereas the network has
two nodes- Va and GND (Fig.2). Its difference on the
second part is the number of its nodes. The second part is
consisted of three nodes- Va, Vb, GND (Fig.3). Both the
circuits used an AC Signal Source with the following
specifications- 10.00 Vrms, 1kHZ Frequency and phase
of 0.

 = 10 cos(2000) 14.1421 cos(2000)

= 100 14.14210
The ac signal source must be converted to its polar form.

100 14.14210 are both the same except that 10

is in Vrms and 14.1421 is its peak value.
@

=
+
1
2 + 2 +
100

=
1000
775 + (2000)(100 103 )

+
1
600 +
(0.2 106 )(2000)
0.01 = (2.382647 103 + 1.699604 104 )
= 4.175765 0.297868 4.186375
4.080145

Fig.2 Two Nodes

Thus, Va= .
2.

Value of Va and Vb- Three Nodes

In contrast to the first part, two values is neededVa and Vb which is again to be compared to the measured
value. Multimeter is used for each of the nodes as
illustrated. Fig.5 for Va and Fig.6 for Vb.
Fig.3 Three Nodes

1. Value of Va- Two Nodes

For the first part, value of Va is to be solved and
be compared to the measured value using the software
Mulitsim12. For the measured value of Va on the
network, a multimeter is used as shown in Fig.4

Fig.5 Multimeter for measuring Va

Fig.4 For measuring Va

Likewise, Va is calculated using Nodal Analysis and
is shown below. (Refer to Fig.2)

= 2
= 2(1000)
= 2000

Fig.6 Multimeter for measuring Vb

The calculation follows the same procedure with the

first part except that this one had used matrix for simplifying
the equations. (Refer to Fig.3)

=
+
1
3 + 3 4 + 4
14.14210
1000

1
600 +
(2000)(0.2 106 )

+
1
600 +
(2000)(0.2 106 )
3
(2.208146 10 + 1.602353 103 )
(6.040730 104 8.011767
104 ) = 0.0141421
@

Matrix Form for determining 2

2.208146 103 + 1.602353 103
0.0141421
(6.040730 104 8.011767 104 )
0
6
5
2 = 8.542861 10 + 1.133032 10
1
=
= 4.774539 3.250118 .

2
=
= 1.62818 1.083373 .

By dividing both results with 2, since on this solution

Vp is used, the result will be Va=4.148 and Vb=1.383
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The results on the experiment is summarized henceforth
in this section.
1. Value of Va- Two Nodes (SIMULATION)
Upon simulation on Multisim12, Va is equivalent to
4.186V (Fig.7).

=
+
3 + 3 5 + 5 2 + 2

1
600 +
(2000)(0.2 106 )

=
1
600 +
(2000)(0.2 106 )

+
1
600 +
(2000)(0.2 106 )
Fig.7

(6.040730 104 8.011767 104 )

+ (1.812219 103 2.403530
103 ) = 0
*NOTE: Whole decimal value as displayed on
calculator is used.

2. Value of Va and Vb- Three Nodes

(SIMULATION)
Likewise, the value of Va and Vb is shown by Fig.8 and
Fig.9 respectively.

Matrix Form for determining D(determinant).

2.21 103 + 1.6 103
6.04 104 8.01 104 = 0.014
4
4
(6.04 10 8.01 10 )
1.81 103 2.4 103 = 0

= 4.273194 107 + 7.243223

Matrix Form for determining 1
0.0141421 6.040730 104 8.011767 104
0
1.812219 103 2.403530 103
1 = 2.56285 10

+ 3.399096 10

Fig.7 Va= 4.148V

amplitude voltage we get the exact value of the voltage on

a certain node while, the peak-to-peak voltage must be
multiplied by 2.
-Precilla, Carl Vincent S.
For the AC Nodal Analysis, it can be conferred
that it is almost the same as the DC Nodal Analysis only
that it contains real and imaginary part. As stated on the
theorem of this experiment, it is defined as resistance and
reactance respectively. Thus, the difference between AC
and DC nodal analysis is established which is in relation
to the complex numbers in doing any ac analysis.
Fig.7 Vb= 1.383

3. Comparison of Values
The values of the measured and computed values
is very close to each other. For the computed values, it
must be accurate enough so that comparison basis would
be of higher reliability. In this regard, using the store
functions in the calculator must be utilized. Using this
function, the results could be summarized as at the most
that the measured value is the same as the computed
value. Value of Va for the first part (Two Nodes) is
4.186V. On the other hand, value of Va and Vb (Three
Nodes) is 4.148V and 1.383V respectively.
IV. CONCLUSIONS
Nodal analysis is about determining the voltage at each
node relative to the reference node (or ground). It uses the
nodal equation of Kirchhoffs first Law, which is the
Kirchhoffs Current Law that states, The currents
entering a node are exactly equal in value to the currents
leaving the node. In this experiment we determined if the
calculated value is equal to the value that we get using
multisim. Using nodal analysis and with the given circuit,
we solved for the value of Va and Vb . After we solved,
we found out that the computed theoretical values (using
Nodal Analysis) and experimental values are almost the
same.
John Michael Pamplona
In this experiment, we determine the voltages in a circuit
using the Nodal analysis. Nodal analysis uses the same
principle of the Kirchhoffs Current Law that the current
entering on a certain node is equal to the current leaving
the node. I conclude that the nodal analysis of the AC and
DC circuits are almost the same, except that the
computation of the AC is through complex numbers. In
AC, the input voltage use as amplitude voltage is either
peak-to-peak voltage or the Vrms. When we use the Vrms

In line with this, in computing such networks, it

is important to understand the principle of Kirchhoffs
Law. Henceforth, with our experience in actual
computation of a network, when using the voltage
amplitude as Vp(14.1421V), the final result must be
divided into the square root of two since the reading in
multimeters is in Vrms. In conclusion, smaller networks
with fewer nodes is easier to analyze since the number of
nodes determines the number of unknown voltages on the
circuit.
-Punzalan, Justine Roy A.
Nodal analysis is an effective way to solve for the current
or voltage of a specific component. It is always useful for
every complicated circuit. Based on the results acquired
in the experiment, the measured voltage value is exactly
the same as the computed voltage value. Thus, nodal
analysis produces accurate values of voltages and current
and can be used for any given circuit.
-Se, Lenette S.
REFERENCES
[1] Fundamental of Electric Circuits fifth edition by C.K.
Alexander and M.N.O. Sadiku
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nodal_analysis
[3] http://mathonweb.com/help/backgd5.htm
[4] http://www.electronicstutorials.ws/dccircuits/dcp_6.html