2017/06/19

Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer

Engineering
Mr. Werner Badenhorst

EIR 221 (2017)

Revision Lecture 4
Chapter 4 – part 1
1 1. Super Position
2. Source Transformation
3. Thevenin and Norton

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2 Linearity and Superposition

(Physics)

Physics:
 A linear system is one that satisfies:
 ‫ݔ ܨ‬ଵ ൅ ‫ݔ‬ଶ ൌ ‫ݔ ܨ‬ଵ ൅ ‫ݔ ܨ‬ଶ [additivity]
 ‫ ݔܽ ܨ‬ൌ ܽ‫ݔ ܨ‬ [homogeneity]
 Superposition: The net response of a linear
system caused by two or more stimuli is the sum
of responses that would have been caused by
each stimulus individually.

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3 Linearity
 A linear circuit is one whose output is linearly
related (or directly proportional) to its input.
 In general, a circuit is linear if it obeys the
homogeneity and additivity properties
 Homogeneity:

 Additivity:

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Superposition
4  The superposition principle states that the voltage across (or current
through) an element in a linear circuit is the sum of the voltages across (or
currents through) that element due to each independent source acting
alone.
 Superposition helps us analyse a linear circuit with multiple independent
sources by calculating the contribution of each source separately.
1. Turn off all independent sources except one source. Find the output
(voltage or current) due to that active source using the techniques covered
in Chapters 2 and 3.
2. Repeat step 1 for each of the other independent sources.
3. Find the total contribution by adding all the contributions due to the
independent sources.

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5 Source Transformation
A source transformation is the process of
replacing a voltage source vs in series with a resistor
R by a current source is in parallel with a resistor R,
or vice versa.

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6 Thevenin and Nortons Theorems

 Assume we have a fixed circuit with a variable load
attached to it.
 We don’t want to have to reanalyse the circuit every
time the load changes
 Solution: We separate the fixed part of the circuit from
the variable part and we analyse that once.
 The analysed fixed circuit is replaced by an
equivalent source resistance combination (Thevinin
equivalent) or a current resistance combination (Norton
equivalent)

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7 Thevenin’s Theorem

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8 Thevenin’s Theorem
 Calculate the open circuit voltage at the terminals
 Set all independent sources = 0 and find resistance

Note:
zero voltage => short circuit,
zero current => open circuit
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9 Thevenin’s Theorem
Compute RTh:
 Case 1: No dependent sources:
1. Turn off all independent sources
2. Calculate RTh
 Case 2: Dependent sources present: Use ohms law.
1. Turn off all independent sources.
2. Apply an (imaginary) voltage source vo=1 at terminals a and b
3. Determine resulting current io flowing from vo.
4. RTh = vo/io.

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Example 1:
Find10the Thevinin Equivalent
of the following circuit

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Example 1:
Find11the Thevenin Equivalent
of the following circuit

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Example 2:
Find12the Thevenin
Equivalent of the
following circuit

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Example 2:
Find13the Thevenin
Equivalent of the
following circuit

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14 Example 2:
More elaborate...

Find the Thevenin Equivalent of the following circuit

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15 Example

Find RTh:
Step 1: Make all independent sources zero.
There is only one voltage source. Setting the voltage to zero means a
short circuit.
There are dependent sources present in the circuit. Set a 1V voltage
source between nodes a and b.

16 Example

Find RTh:
Step 2: Find current ix supplied by the 1V voltage source
Vx is in parallel with the voltage source => Vx = 1V. Thus the
dependent voltage source = 2Vx = 2V.
Thus by ohms law, Io = -V/R = -2V/1kΩ = -2mA
Thus , the dependent current source = 40Io = 40(-2mA) = -80mA.

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17 Example

Find RTh:
Step 2: To find ix, should we use KVL or KCL?
We have a current source and a voltage source. There are 2 nodes and
2 meshes. However, we are looking for a current => KCL

18 Example

Find RTh:
Step 2: Find ix (Nodal Analysis)
ix = Vx/50+40Io
ix = 1/50+(-80mA)
ix = -60mA

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19 Example

Find RTh: For the mesh i2:

Step 2: Find ix (Mesh Analysis) -50(i2-i1) – 1 = 0
i1 = -40Io = -(-80mA) = 80mA and i2 = -ix (i2-i1) = -1/50
i2 = i1-1/50
-ix = 80mA – 1/50
ix =-60mA

20 Example

Find RTh:
Vx = 1V
ix = -60mA
Thus
RTh = Vx/ix = 1/(-60mA) = -16.67Ω

Note that the resistance is negative. This can (only) occur when there
are dependent sources. A negative resistance means power is being
produced. The power that is produced is due to the dependent
sources.

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21 Example
Find VTh:
Calculate the open circuit voltage…
Left loop (i1): Right loop (i3):
3 - 1000Io - 2Vx = 0 (1) -50(i3-i2) – Vx = 0
but i3 = 0 as it is an open circuit
Middle loop (i2): and i2 = -40Io
i2 = -40Io Vx = -50(0 - (-40Io ))
Vx = -2000Io (2)

22 Example

Find VTh:
3 - 1000Io - 2Vx = 0 (1)
Vx = -2000Io (2)
Solve (1) and (2):
Io = -1mA THUS: Vx = VTh = 2V

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