3.

Analysis Methods
• KCL and KVL are fundamental laws for analyzing circuits.
• Their application may not be always clear
• Specifically, for large circuits involving many components
and connections, it may be difficult to derive necessary
relationships between voltages and currents, while avoiding
duplications and linearly dependent equations.

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Analysis Method:
Nodal Analysis
Steps for nodal analysis
1. Ground selection: Select a reference node with zero voltage. Any
node can be selected, but it usually better to choose one with more
connections than the others. The node selected is called the ground
of the circuit. All voltages at other nodes are defined with respect to
the ground.
2. Constructing equations: Use only KCL at nodes, except the ground, to
derive all equations. KVL is not preferred in nodal analysis unless
necessary. Write all equations in terms of node voltages.
3. Solution: Next, solve the equations to find the node voltages.
4. Analysis: Finally, by using the node voltages, find the desired voltage,
current, and/or power values.

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Example

Consider the following circuit

33
 Solution Now using Nodal Analysis
First using KCL and KVL
• Selecting node 2 as reference node
2−𝑣𝑣1
• KCL(1): 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 + 47𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 − 𝑖𝑖𝑦𝑦 = 0 ⇒ 𝑖𝑖𝑦𝑦 = • Using Ohm’s law; 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 =
48𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 100
2−𝑣𝑣1 2−𝑣𝑣1 𝑣𝑣1
• KVL(1231): 𝑣𝑣𝑥𝑥 − 2 + 𝑣𝑣𝑥𝑥 = 0 ⇒ 𝑣𝑣𝑥𝑥 + • KCL(1): +47 − =0⇒
𝑣𝑣𝑦𝑦 = 0 100 100 50
96 − 50𝑣𝑣1 = 0
• Finally using ohm’s law 100𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 +
50𝑖𝑖𝑦𝑦 = 2 ⇒ 2500𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 = 2 • Leading to 𝑣𝑣1 = 48/25
2 48
• So 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 = 𝐴𝐴 2−25 2
2500 • Hence 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 = = 𝐴𝐴
100 2500

34
Example

• Consider the following circuit. Find

35
 Solution
• Select ground and nodes
• Note only one node needs to
be defined and used in the
analysis, since two other • KCL(1): 2 −
𝑣𝑣1
−
𝑣𝑣1 +50
−
(𝑣𝑣1 −70)
= 0,
nodes already have well- 10 10 20
defined voltage values (i.e., • Leading to 5𝑣𝑣1 = −100𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 + 110 ⇒ 𝑣𝑣1 =
50𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 and 70 V) − 20𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 + 22
• Using Ohm’s law: 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 = • Using the relation between 𝑣𝑣1 and 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 ;
(𝑣𝑣1 −70)/20 • 𝑣𝑣1 = 70 − 𝑣𝑣1 + 22 ⇒ 𝑣𝑣1 = 46 𝑉𝑉
• Finally 𝒊𝒊𝒙𝒙 = (𝑣𝑣1 −70)/20=-24/20=-6/5 A

36
Example

• Find 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 in the following circuit

37
Solution
• Select nodes and ground and define other
voltages accordingly
12−𝑣𝑣1 𝑣𝑣1 𝑣𝑣1 −𝑣𝑣2
• KCL(1): − − = 0 ⇒ 3𝑣𝑣1 −
2 2 2
𝑣𝑣2 = 12,
𝑣𝑣 −𝑣𝑣 𝑣𝑣
• KCL(2): 1 2 − 6 − 2 = 0 ⇒ 𝑣𝑣1 − 3𝑣𝑣2 =
2 2
12
• Solving the 2 equations, 𝑣𝑣1 = 3 𝑉𝑉 and
𝑣𝑣2 = −3 𝑉𝑉
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 Exercise

Consider the following circuit Find the power in the 5 ohms

39
Concept of a super node
Find 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 in the following circuit

40
 Solution
• A supernode enclosing a
voltage source is particularly
useful, especially when there
are nodes (attached to this
voltage source) at which
voltages cannot be defined
easily.
• Define ground and nodes as
shown.
• KCL(1) is straight forward/
𝑣𝑣2 − 𝑣𝑣1 𝑣𝑣1
• KCL(2) requires current along 𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 1 : − − 10 = 0 ⇒ −5𝑣𝑣1 + 3𝑣𝑣2 = 120
10V voltage source, and 4 6
cannot be defined in terms of 20 − 𝑣𝑣2 𝑣𝑣2 − 𝑣𝑣1 𝑣𝑣3
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 2&3 : − − = 0 ⇒ 5𝑣𝑣1 − 9𝑣𝑣2 − 2𝑣𝑣3 = −80
node voltages 5 4 10
• To facilitate solution, combine Looking inside the node; 𝑣𝑣3 = 𝑣𝑣2 − 10 5 5 25
nodes 2 and 3 t form Solving the 3 equations leads to 𝑣𝑣1 = − 𝑉𝑉, 𝑣𝑣2 = − 𝑉𝑉, 𝑣𝑣3 = − 𝑉𝑉 and
supernode (dashed box) 9
2 2 2
𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 = 𝐴𝐴
2
41
Example
• Find 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥

42
Solution
• Creating supernode by
combining nodes 1 and
3 leads to use of just
one KCL
𝑣𝑣1
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 1&2 : 5 − 3 −
𝑣𝑣2 8
− = 0 ⇒ 𝑣𝑣1 + 2𝑣𝑣2
4
= 16
• Using supernode
𝑣𝑣1 = 𝑣𝑣2 + 10
Hence on solving, 𝑣𝑣1 =
12 𝑉𝑉, 𝑣𝑣2 = 2 𝑉𝑉 and 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥 =
0.5 𝐴𝐴

43
Exercise Find 𝑖𝑖𝑥𝑥

Find the power of the

44
Analysis Method:
Mesh Analysis
Steps for mesh analysis
1. Mesh current definitions: Define mesh currents inside closed loops
(meshes), which contain only a sequence of components (but not an
inner component). A mesh current is not a real current; it is defined
as if it flows inside the loop, when the loop is not affected by the
other parts of the circuit. A real current through a branch is the
combination of the mesh currents sharing the branch.
2. Constructing equations: Use only KVL inside meshes to derive all
equations. KCL is not used in mesh analysis unless necessary. Write
equations in terms of mesh currents.
3. Solution: Solve the equations to find the mesh currents.
4. Analysis: Finally, by using the mesh currents, find the desired voltage,
current, and/or power values.

45
 Example
Find the power of the 50 V source

Class exercise: Use normal KCL and KVL to solve

46
Solution
Using mesh analysis, define 2 mesh currents 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 and 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 .
Note that mesh & real currents are related as follows
𝑖𝑖1 = 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎
𝑖𝑖2 = 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏
𝑖𝑖3 = 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏
If you were to use KVL in mesh a;
4
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 𝑎𝑎 : 40 − 1𝑖𝑖1 − 𝑖𝑖2 − 50 − 3𝑖𝑖1 = 0
5
However, for mesh analysis, write equations in terms of mesh currents as follows
4
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 𝑎𝑎 : 40 − 1𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 − 50 − 3𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 = 0
5
⇒ 12𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 2𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = −25
4
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 𝑏𝑏 : 50 − 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 − 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 6𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 − 40 − 10𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 0
5
⇒ −2𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 + 42𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 25
Solving the 2 equations yields 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 = −2A and 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 0.5 A.
Power across 50V source; 𝑃𝑃 = 50 × 𝑖𝑖2 = 50 × −2 − 0.5 = −125 𝑊𝑊.
47
Example
Find the power of the 2Ω resistor using mesh analysis

48
 Solution
Avoid using KVL in a mesh involving current source since it is
impossible to write the voltage across the current source
By considering that the current source corresponds to branch
current, then 𝑖𝑖𝑐𝑐 = 6 𝐴𝐴.
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 𝑎𝑎 : 2 − 3(𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 −𝑖𝑖𝑐𝑐 ) − 2 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 0
⇒ 5𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 2𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 20
𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾𝐾 𝑏𝑏 : −2 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 − 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 5 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 − 𝑖𝑖𝑐𝑐 − 4 = 0
⇒ −2𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 + 7𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 26
192 170
Solving the equations yields 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 = 𝐴𝐴 and 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 = 𝐴𝐴
31 31
Power across 2Ω resistor;
2
2 2
192 170 𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗
𝑃𝑃 = 𝑖𝑖 𝑅𝑅 = 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 − 𝑖𝑖𝑏𝑏 𝑅𝑅 = − ×2= 𝑾𝑾
31 31 𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗

49
 Exercises Find 𝑣𝑣𝑥𝑥 using mesh analysis

Find 𝑣𝑣𝑥𝑥 using mesh analysis

Find 𝑖𝑖𝑦𝑦 using mesh analysis

50