Circuit Theory Laws

1
This presentation will
Define voltage, current, and resistance.
Define and apply Ohms Law.
Introduce series circuits.
o Current in a series circuit
o Resistance in a series circuit
o Voltage in a series circuit
Define and apply Kirchhoffs Voltage Law.
Introduce parallel circuits.
o Current in a parallel circuit
o Resistance in a parallel circuit
o Voltage in a parallel circuit
Define and apply Kirchhoffs Current Law.

Electricity The Basics
An understanding of the basics of electricity
requires the understanding of three fundamental
concepts.
Voltage
Current
Resistance
A direct mathematical relationship exists between
voltage, resistance, and current in all electronic
circuits.

2
Voltage, Current, & Resistance
3
Andre Ampere
1775-1836
French Physicist
Current Current is the flow of electrical
charge through an electronic circuit. The
direction of a current is opposite to the
direction of electron flow. Current is
measured in AMPERES (AMPS).

Voltage
4
Alessandro Volta
1745-1827
Italian Physicist
Voltage Voltage is the electrical force that
causes current to flow in a circuit. It is
measured in VOLTS.
Current
5
Andre Ampere
1775-1836
French Physicist
Current Current is the flow of electrical
charge through an electronic circuit. The
direction of a current is opposite to the
direction of electron flow. Current is
measured in AMPERES (AMPS).

First, An Analogy
6
Force
The flow of water from one tank to another is a good analogy for
an electrical circuit and the mathematical relationship between
voltage, resistance, and current.
Force: The difference in the water levels Voltage
Flow: The flow of the water between the tanks Current
Opposition: The valve that limits the amount of water Resistance

Flow
Opposition
- +
Anatomy of a Flashlight
7
Switch
Switch
Light
Bulb
Light
Bulb
Battery
Battery
Block Diagram Schematic Diagram
Flashlight Schematic
Closed circuit (switch closed)
Current flow
Lamp is on
Lamp is resistance, uses
energy to produce light (and
heat)
Open circuit (switch open)
No current flow
Lamp is off
Lamp is resistance, but is not
using any energy
8
- +
- +
Current
Voltage
Resistance
Current Flow
Conventional Current assumes
that current flows out of the
positive side of the battery,
through the circuit, and back to
the negative side of the battery.
This was the convention
established when electricity was
first discovered, but it is incorrect!
Electron Flow is what actually
happens. The electrons flow out
of the negative side of the battery,
through the circuit, and back to
the positive side of the battery.
9
Electron
Flow
Conventional
Current
Engineering vs. Science
The direction that the current flows does not affect what the
current is doing; thus, it doesnt make any difference which
convention is used as long as you are consistent.
Both Conventional Current and Electron Flow are used. In
general, the science disciplines use Electron Flow, whereas
the engineering disciplines use Conventional Current.
Since this is an engineering course, we will use Conventional
Current .
10
Electron
Flow
Conventional
Current
Ohms Law
Defines the relationship between voltage, current, and
resistance in an electric circuit
Ohms Law:
Current in a resistor varies in direct proportion to the voltage
applied to it and is inversely proportional to the resistors value.
Stated mathematically:

R
V
I
Where: I is the current (amperes)
V is the potential difference (volts)
R is the resistance (ohms)
V
I R
+ -
Ohms Law Triangle
V
I R
) A , amperes (
R
V
I
) , ohms (
I
V
R
) V , volts ( R I V
V
I R
V
I R
Example: Ohms Law
Example:
The flashlight shown uses a 6 volt battery and has a bulb
with a resistance of 150 . When the flashlight is on, how
much current will be drawn from the battery?
13
Example: Ohms Law
Example:
The flashlight shown uses a 6 volt battery and has a bulb
with a resistance of 150 . When the flashlight is on, how
much current will be drawn from the battery?
Solution:
14
V
T
=
+

-
V
R
I
R
Schematic Diagram
mA 40 A 0.04
150
V 6
R
V
I
R
R

V
I R
Circuit Configuration
Series Circuits
Components are connected
end-to-end.
There is only a single path for
current to flow.

Parallel Circuits
Both ends of the components are
connected together.
There are multiple paths for current
to flow.

15
Components
(i.e., resistors, batteries, capacitors, etc.)
Components in a circuit can be connected in one
of two ways.
Series Circuits
Characteristics of a series circuit
The current flowing through every series component is equal.
The total resistance (R
T
) is equal to the sum of all of the resistances
(i.e., R
1
+ R
2
+ R
3
).
The sum of all of the voltage drops (V
R1
+ V
R2
+ V
R2
) is equal to the
total applied voltage (V
T
). This is called Kirchhoffs Voltage Law.

16
V
T
+

-

V
R2
+

-

V
R1
+

-

V
R3
+

-

R
T
I
T
Example: Series Circuit
Example:
For the series circuit shown, use the laws of circuit theory to calculate
the following:
The total resistance (R
T
)
The current flowing through each component (I
T
, I
R1
, I
R2
, & I
R3
)
The voltage across each component (V
T
, V
R1
, V
R2
, & V
R3
)
Use the results to verify Kirchhoffs Voltage Law.
17
V
T
+

-

V
R2
+

-

V
R1
+

-

V
R3
+

-

R
T
I
T
I
R1
I
R3
I
R2
Example: Series Circuit
Solution:
18
V
I R



k 1.89 1890 R
k 1.2 470 220 R
R3 R2 R1 R
T
T
T
Total Resistance:
mAmp 6.349 I I I I
: circuit series a is this Since
mAmp 6.349
k 1.89
v 12
I
Law) s (Ohm'
R
V
I
R3 R2 R1 T
T
T
T
T

Current Through Each Component:

Example: Series Circuit
Solution:
19
volts 7.619 K 1.2 mA 6.349 V
Law) s (Ohm' R3 I V
volts 2.984 470 mA 6.349 V
Law) s (Ohm' R2 I V
volts 1.397 220 mA 6.349 V
Law) s (Ohm' R1 I V
R3
R3 R3
R2
R2 R2
R1
R1 R1






Voltage Across Each Component:
V
I R
Example: Series Circuit
Solution:
20
v 12 v 12
v 619 . 7 v 984 . 2 v 397 . 1 v 12
V V V V
R3 R2 R1 T

Verify Kirchhoffs Voltage Law:
Parallel Circuits
Characteristics of a Parallel Circuit
The voltage across every parallel component is equal.
The total resistance (R
T
) is equal to the reciprocal of the sum of the
reciprocal:


The sum of all of the currents in each branch (I
R1
+ I
R2
+ I
R3
) is equal
to the total current (I
T
). This is called Kirchhoffs Current Law.

21
3 2 1
T
3 2 1 T
R
1

R
1

R
1
1
R
R
1

R
1

R
1

R
1


+

-

+

-

V
R1
+

-

V
R2
V
R3
R
T
V
T
I
T
+

-

Example: Parallel Circuit
Example:
For the parallel circuit shown, use the laws of circuit theory to calculate
the following:
The total resistance (R
T
)
The voltage across each component (V
T
, V
R1
, V
R2
, & V
R3
)
The current flowing through each component (I
T
, I
R1
, I
R2
, & I
R3
)
Use the results to verify Kirchhoffs Current Law.
22 22
+

-

+

-

V
R1
+

-

V
R2
V
R3
R
T
V
T
I
T
+

-

I
R1
I
R2
I
R3
Example: Parallel Circuit
Solution:
23
Total Resistance:
volts 15 V V V V
: circuit parallel a is this Since
R3 R2 R1 T

59 . 346 R
k 3.3
1

k 2.2
1

470
1
1
R
R
1

R
1

R
1
1
R
T
T
3 2 1
T
Voltage Across Each Component:
Example: Parallel Circuit
Solution:
24
mAmp 43.278
346.59
v 15

R
V
I
mAmp 545 . 4
k 3.3
v 15

R3
V
I
mAmps 6.818
k 2.2
v 15

R2
V
I
mAmps 31.915
470
v 15

R1
V
I
Law) s (Ohm'
R1
V
I
T
T
T
R3
R3
R2
R2
R1
R1
R1
R1

V
I R
Current Through Each Component:
Example: Parallel Circuit
Solution:
25
Verify Kirchhoffs Current Law:
mAmps 43.278 mAmps 43.278
mA 545 . 4 mA 818 . 6 mA 31.915 mAmps 43.278
I I I I
R3 R2 R1 T

Summary of Kirchhoffs Laws
26
Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL):
The sum of all of the voltage drops in a
series circuit equals the total applied
voltage.

Gustav Kirchhoff
1824-1887
German Physicist
Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL):
The total current in a parallel circuit equals
the sum of the individual branch currents.