Electrical Circuit Analysis: Simple Circuits

A closed conducting path through which an electric current flows or is intended to flow.

The elements of an electric circuit, such as resistance, inductance, and capacitance.

A circuit where the parameters (like resistance) do not change with voltage or current.

A circuit where circuit parameters change with voltage or current.

A circuit whose properties are the same in either direction.

A circuit whose properties/characteristics change with direction of operation.

A combination of electric elements connected in any way.

A junction in a circuit where two or more circuit elements connect.

A loop that does not contain other loops within it.

The ratio of potential difference (voltage) across a conductor to the current flowing through it is constant, which is the resistance.

A measure of how much a material opposes the flow of electric current.

The algebraic sum of currents entering and leaving a junction in an electrical network is zero.

The difference in electrical potential between two points in a circuit.

The rate at which electric charge flows through a circuit.

A point in an electrical circuit where two or more conductors meet.

A method to find the current through and voltage across a specific component in a network by manipulating the circuit equations to isolate that component.

Equations representing the voltage drops and rises in a closed loop of a circuit, based on Kirchhoff's Voltage Law.

Finding the value of current I2 using a system of loop equations and algebraic manipulation.

A method to simplify a complex circuit into a simpler equivalent circuit with a voltage source and series resistance.

The load resistance in a circuit, the component we want to find the current through.

In Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL), currents flowing into a junction are considered positive.

In Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL), currents flowing out of a junction are considered negative.

The algebraic sum of voltage drops across resistors and electromotive forces (EMFs) in a closed loop of a circuit equals zero.

In Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL), we consider the direction of voltage drops and EMFs, using positive for increases and negative for decreases.

Voltage drops occur across resistors in a circuit due to the energy dissipated by the resistance.

EMF is the energy source in a circuit, creating a potential difference that drives current flow.

To apply KVL, start at any point in the closed loop, assign a direction of travel, and add up voltage drops and EMFs, accounting for polarities and setting the sum equal to zero.

The equivalent voltage source seen across the terminals after the circuit is simplified using Thevenin's Theorem.

The equivalent resistance seen across the terminals after the circuit is simplified, representing the total resistance of the network.

Remove the load (the branch where you want the current) and calculate the open-circuit voltage across the terminals.

Apply a test current source at the terminals and calculate the voltage across it (open-circuit voltage).

Short-circuit all independent voltage sources and open-circuit all independent current sources.

Calculate the equivalent resistance seen across the terminals, representing the total resistance of the network.

After finding Vth and Rth, use Ohm's Law to calculate the current in the branch (load) using the simplified Thevenin equivalent circuit.

1. Deactivate all independent sources (short-circuit voltage sources and open-circuit current sources). 2. Find the voltage across the load terminals using any circuit analysis method.

1. Deactivate all independent sources (short-circuit voltage sources and open-circuit current sources). 2. Find the equivalent resistance seen from the load terminals.

Simplifies complex circuits for easier analysis. Allows for faster calculations for load current and voltage. Useful for understanding how a circuit behaves under varying load conditions.

1. Identify the load (RL). 2. Find Vth (the voltage across the load terminals with RL removed). 3. Find Rth (the equivalent resistance seen from the load terminals with all sources deactivated). 4. Replace the original circuit with Vth in series with Rth and the load RL.

The current flowing through the load resistor (RL) in a circuit.