EN1560 Introduction to Electrical Engineering

Topic 3 Kirchhoffs Laws and Circuit Analysis

3.1 Statement of Laws

In our look at series and parallel circuits with resistors we identified two
Laws which we can now formally re-state.

First Law (the Current Law)

The algebraic sum of the current flowing towards any point in a circuit is
equal to the sum of the current flowing away from the point.

Second Law (the Voltage Law)

In any closed circuit (loop or mesh) the algebraic sum of the emfs and
potential drops is zero.

These laws, laid down by the German physicist Gustav Robert Kirchhoff
enable use to determine equations which we can solve to determine the
currents and potential differences in a network.

3.2 Kirchhoffs Current Law

Currents IA, IB and IC in

IB Fig 3.1 flow towards the
IC
IA junction J (a junction is also
known as a node) and
J current IC flows away from
ID
it.

Fig 3.1

Total current flowing towards J = IA + IB + ID

Current flowing away from J = IC

Therefore IA + I B + I D = IC

A junction or node can be defined as a point in a circuit where three or

more wires meet.

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3.3 Kirchhoffs Voltage Law

In any closed circuit the algebraic sum of the emfs and pds is zero.

Consider the circuit shown below, in Fig 3.2(a), with a closed loop ABCDA.

F 100 A 80 B

E1 50 E2
100V 80V
C
E D
Fig 3.2(a)

The general procedure to be adopted in establishing the circuit equation is

as follows:

1. Draw on the circuit the direction in which the current flows.

If this is not obvious arbitrarily chose a direction.

2. Draw an emf arrow, by the side of each voltage source,

which points from the negative pole to the positive pole.

3. Draw a potential drop arrow, at the side of each resistor, in

the opposite direction to the chosen current flow. Label
each of these arrows with the corresponding pd.

F 100 A 80 B
I1 I2
I1R1 I2R2
E1 I3R3 50 E2
100V 80V
I3=I1+I2
C
E D

Fig 3.2(b)
4. Proceed around the loop, starting at any point and finishing
at the starting point, write down Kirchhoffs voltage
equations for the loop.

eg Starting at C and moving clockwise.

- IR3 + E2 IR1 E1 IR2 = 0

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or E2 E1 = IR1 + IR2 + IR3 = I (R1 + R2 + R3)

Hence:

=

If the result happens to be negative it just means that the original

direction chosen for the current was wrong.

SAQ 4

For the network shown below, calculate the circuit current, the potential
difference across the 20 resistor, and the power dissipated by it.

20

15V
8 4
7V

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3.4 The Branch Current Method of Solving Circuits

We can also solve circuits using what is known as the branch current
method of applying Kirchhoffs Laws. Using this method we assign a
current to each branch of the network. This is best illustrated by an
example.

Example: Find the current in each branch of the network shown in Fig
3.3 below.

F 100 A 80 B
I1 I2
I1R1 I2R2
E1 I3R3 50 E2
100V 80V
I3=I1+I2
C
E D

Fig 3.3

Following the general procedure laid out in Section 3.3 above.

i. Choose directions of current for each branch;

Let us assume that a current flows from the positive pole of each
battery, ie: I1 and I2. Current in the third branch
I3 = I1 + I2 (KCL)

ii. Draw emf arrows by the side of each source;

iii. Draw pd arrows by the side of each resistor and determine the
pd, ie: IR1, I2R2 and I3R3

Finally we need to obtain loop equations which will allow us to find the
unknown currents. We require the same number of equations as we
have unknown values of current.

In this case there are three wires meeting at node A so we only need to
find I1 and I2 to give I3.

Choose a closed loop and write down the Kirchhoff voltage equations.

Loop ABCDA I2R2 E2 + I3R3 = 0

Or I2R2 + I3R3 = E2

Putting in numerical values:

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80I2 + 50I3 = 80 but since I3 = I1 + I2

80I2 + 50(I1 + I2) = 80

50I3 + 130I2 = 80 (i)

And for loop ABCDEFA

I2R2 E2 + E1 I1R1 = 0

Or E1 E2 I1R1 - I2R2 putting in values

100 80 = 100I1 80I2

20 = 100I1 80I2 (ii)

From (i) and (ii) we can find I1 and I2 and by simultaneous equations

50I1 + 130I2 = 80 (i) x 2

100I1 80I2 = 20 (ii)

100I1 + 260I2 = 160

Subtract - 340I2 = -140

Therefore I2 = 140 = 0.412 A

340

Put the value for I2 back into (i)

50I1 + 130(0.412) = 80

80 1300.412
= = 0.53
50

And I3 = I1 + I2 = 0.412 + 0.53 = 0.942A

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SAQ 5

Find the current for each branch of the network shown below.

A 8 B 10 C

10V 1 12V

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3.5 Calculation of the pd between two points in a circuit

It is often necessary to calculate the pd between any two points in a

circuit. This can be done using the potential arrow notation that we
have previously used.

Example:

For the circuit of Fig 3.4 calculate the potential of point Y with respect to
point X (ie: Vyx).
E3=30V R5=50
A
L
X
R4=40
E2=20V

Y M
C R =20 B R3=30
2

R1=10

E1=10V

Fig 3.4

It is first necessary to label the circuit diagram with current directions,

emf and pd arrows. The circuit equations can then be written and
solved to give:

VYX
E3=30V R5=50
A
L
I2 X
I2R4 R4=40 I2R5
E2=20V I1R2 I3R3
Y M
C R =20 I1 B I3=I1+I2 R3=30
2
I1R1 R1=10

E1=10V

I1 = 0.4286 A, I2 = 0.1429 A, I3 = 0.5715 A

To determine the potential of point Y with respect to X we start at point Y

and proceed to point X through any complete path, eg YCBAX.

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Hence VYX = VYC + CCB + VBA +VAX Note!

= - E2 + I1R2 I2R4 + E3

= 20 + (0.4286 x 20) (0.1429 x 40) + 30

VYX = 12.853v

SAQ 6

Calculate the potential difference between points A and D of the circuit

given below.

20V
A B 40 C

30V
D
20 30
50

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3.6 Introduction to Mesh (Loop) Current Analysis

The analysis of circuits using the branch current method of Section 3.4 is
often considered difficult. A method of solution which is usually easier
to implement is the Mesh or Loop current method, in which currents are
assigned to specific meshes or loops in a circuit rather than to each
individual circuit branch.

The analysis procedure is similar to that given on Page 23 except for step
(i) in which we now choose directions of current for each mesh (loop) of
the circuit. This is best illustrated by considering, as an example, the
circuit of Fig 3.3.

R1=100 R2=80
A B C

E1 E2
100V R3=50 80V

I 1 R1 I 2 R2
A B C
R1=100 R2=80

E1 R3 E2
100V = 80V
5
I1 0
I2

D
(I1+I2)R3

Fig 3.3

The mesh (loop) equations now become:

Loop ABCDA

I2R2 E2 + R3(I1 + I2) = 0

Or I1R3 + I2(R2 + R3) = E2

Loop ABCDEFA

E3 I1R1 + I2R2 E2 = 0

Or - I1R1 + I2R2 = E2 E1
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Putting in values

50I1 + 130I2 = 80 (i)

-100I1 + 80I2 = 20 (ii)

Which are the same equations as previously derived.

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