Electric Circuits I (ELEC305)

Lecture 3
Formal Circuit Analysis Methods
Nodal Analysis
Dr. Asma Wasfi

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 Goals
• Be able to calculate all currents and voltages in
circuits that contain multiple nodes and loops.
• Learn to employ Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL) to
perform a nodal analysis to determine all the node
voltages in a circuit.

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 Important Note
• This is an important note about Circuit Analysis
Approaches.
• The Mesh (loop) as well as Nodal methods can always
be used to solve a circuit, but techniques for
simplifying circuits (using “equivalent circuits”) are
useful:
– series and parallel combination reductions
– Δ-Y and Y-Δ conversions
– source transformations
– Superposition, Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits

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 Definitions
• Node: A node of a network is an
equi-potential surface at which
two or more circuit elements are
joined. Referring to the figure,
we find that A, B, C and D qualify
as nodes in respect of the above
definition.

• Junction: A junction is that point

in a network, where three or
more circuit elements are joined.
In the figure, we find that B and
D are the junctions.

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 Notation: Node and Branch Voltages
• Use one node as the reference (the “common” or “ground”
node) – label it with a symbol
• The voltage drop from node x to the reference node is called
the node voltage vx.
• The voltage across a circuit element is defined as the
difference between the node voltages at its terminals
• Example:

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 Using Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)
• Consider a node connecting several branches:

• Use reference directions to determine whether

currents are “entering” or “leaving” the node – with no
concern about actual current directions

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Formulations of Kirchhoff’s Current Law
• (Charge stored in node is zero.)
• Formulation 1:
Sum of currents entering node = sum of currents
leaving node
• Formulation 2:
Algebraic sum of currents entering node = 0
– Currents leaving are included with a minus sign.
• Formulation 3:
Algebraic sum of currents leaving node = 0
– Currents entering are included with a minus sign.

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 Generalization of KCL
• The sum of currents entering/leaving a closed
surface is zero. Circuit branches can be inside
this surface, i.e. the surface can enclose more
than one node!
• This could be a big chunk of a circuit, e.g. a
“black box” à

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 Introduction
• Nodal Analysis is also called: Node-Voltage
Circuit Analysis Method.
• It is based on KCL at node X:
– Summation of Currents IN @node X= Summation
of Currents OUT @node X

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 Procedure of Nodal or Node-Voltage
Analysis Method
1. Choose a reference node (“ground”)
– Look for the one with the most connections!
2. Define unknown node voltages
– those which are not fixed by voltage sources
3. Write KCL at each unknown node, expressing current
in terms of the node voltages (using the I-V
relationships of branch elements)
– N equations for N unknown node voltages
– Special cases: floating voltage sources
4. Solve the set of independent equations (solve for
node voltages)
– N equations for N unknown node voltages

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 Nodal Analysis
• The variables in the circuit are selected to be
the node voltages

• The currents can be calculated directly when

all node voltages are known

• One node in the circuit is selected to be the

reference node , and all other node voltages
are defined with respect to this node

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 Nodal Analysis
I1 R1 R3 R5
1 2
I3 I5

R2 R4
Vs1 Vs2
I2 I4

• Determine the number of essential nodes in the

circuit:
Two nodes
• Choose the reference node: bottom node

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 Nodal Analysis
• Apply KCL at all nodes except the reference node:

KCL At node 1:
I1 = I2 + I3 (1)
KCL At node 2:
I3 = I4 + I5 (2)

• Using Ohm’s law, express the currents in terms of

node voltages:

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 Nodal Analysis

(Vs1 – V1) (1/R1) = V1 (1/R2) + (V1 – V2) (1/R3) (3)

(V1 – V2) (1/R3) = V2 (1/R4) + (V2 – Vs2) (1/R5) (4)

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 Nodal Analysis

G1(Vs1 – V1) = G2V1 + G3(V1 – V2) (3)

G3(V1 – V2) = G4V2 + G5(V2 – Vs2) (4)

( G = 1/R )

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 Nodal Analysis
• Rearrange the equations:
(G1+G2+G3) V1 – G3V2 = Vs1G1 (5)

– G3V1 + (G3+ G4+G5 )V2 = Vs2G5 (6)

• Write the equations in matrix format:

G1+G2+G3 – G3 V1 Vs1G1
=
– G3 G3+ G4+G5 V2 Vs2G5

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 Nodal Analysis
𝑎! 𝑥 + 𝑏! y= 𝑐!
c1 b1
𝑎" 𝑥 + 𝑏" y= 𝑐"
c2 b2
x= 𝑎! 𝑏! 𝑥 𝑐!
= 𝑐
𝑎" 𝑏" 𝑦 "
a1 b1
a2 b2

a1 c1
Solve the a2 c2
y=
a1 b1
Equations! a2 b2

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 Nodal Analysis
Vs1G1 – G3
Vs2G5 G3+G4+G5
V1 =
G1+G2+G3 – G3
– G3 G3+ G4+G5

G1+G2+G3 Vs1G1
Solve the – G3 Vs2G5
V2 =
G1+G2+G3 – G3
Equations! – G3 G3+ G4+G5

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Example #1
Use nodal analysis to find all branch currents and the voltage Vx.
I1 V1 6 K I3 V2 I5

I2 + Vx – I4

1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K

KCL At node 1:
I1 + I3 = I2 (1)
KCL At node 2:
I3 + I4 + I5 = 0 (2)

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Example #1
I1 V1 6 K I3 V2 I5

I2 + Vx – I4

1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K

1 mA + (V2 – V1) / 6 K= V1 / 12 K (3)

(V2 – V1) / 6 K + 4 mA + V2 / 6 K = 0 (4)

Solving the equations simultaneously as follows:

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 Example #1
1 mA + (V2 – V1) / 6 K= V1 / 12 K

(V2 – V1) / 6 K + 4 mA + V2 / 6 K = 0

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Example #1

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Example #1
I1 V1 6 K I3 V2 I5

I2 + Vx – I4

1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K

1 mA + (V2 – V1) / 6 K= V1 / 12 K (3)

(V2 – V1) / 6 K + 4 mA + V2 / 6 K = 0 (4)

Solving the equations simultaneously yields:

V1 = – 6 V, V2 = – 15 V

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Example #1
I1 V1 6 K I3 V2 I5

I2 + Vx – I4

1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K

I1 = 1 mA
I2 = V1/12 K = – 6/12 K = – 0.5 mA
I3 = (V2 – V1)/6 K = (– 15+6)/6 K = – 1.5 mA
I4 = 4 mA
I5 = V2/6 K = – 15/6 K = – 2.5 mA
Vx = V1 – V2 = – 6 – (– 15) = 9 V

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Example #2
Find Vo using nodal analysis
12 K V1 12 K

+
Vo 18 K 4K
12 V −

9V 6V

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Example #2
Find Vo using nodal analysis
12 K V1 12 K
(V1 – 12) / 12 K + (V1 – 9) / 18 K + (V1+6) / 16 K= 0
+
Vo 18 K 4K
1 + 1/2 – 3/8 12 V −
V1 = = 5.6 V
(1/12 + 1/18 + 1/16)K
9V 6V

Vo = V1 – 9 = – 3.4 V

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 Nodal Analysis

1. Choose a reference node.

2. Define the node voltages (except reference node
and the one set by the voltage source).
3. Apply KCL at the nodes with unknown voltage.
4. Solve for unknown node voltages.
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 Nodal Analysis w/ “Floating Voltage
Source”
• A “floating” voltage source is one for which neither side
is connected to the reference node, e.g. VLL in the circuit
below:

• Problem: We cannot write KCL at nodes a or b because

there is no way to express the current through the
voltage source in terms of Va-Vb.
• à Solution: Define a “super node” – that chunk of the
circuit containing nodes a and b. Express KCL for this
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 Super nodes – Example #3
6V

6 mA 6K 12 K 4 mA

• When an independent voltage source connects two non-

reference nodes, the surface containing the source and the
nodes is commonly known as the super node
• KCL is applied at the super node and other nodes in the circuits
• Additionally, a constraint equation is required to solve for
voltages. This equation is as follows:
Voltage difference between the two nodes = Source Voltage
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 Super nodes – Example #3
6V

• Applying KCL at the super node:

6 mA 6K 12 K 4 mA

− 6 + V1 / 6K + V2 / 12K + 4 = 0
• Constraint equation:

V1 − V2 = 6 V

• Solving the equations simultaneously yields:

V1 = 10 V, V2 = 4 V

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 Nodal Analysis

• Eq’n 1: KCL at supernode

• Eq’n 2: Property of voltage source

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 Dependent Sources
• A dependent source establishes a voltage or current whose value
depends on the value of a voltage or current at a specified location
in the circuit.
(device model, used to model behavior of transistors & amplifiers)
• To specify a dependent source, we must identify:
– 1. the controlling voltage or current (must be calculated, in general)
– 2. the relationship between the controlling voltage or current and
the supplied voltage or current
– 3. the reference direction for the supplied voltage or current
• The relationship between the dependent source and its reference
cannot be broken!
– Dependent sources cannot be turned off for various purposes (e.g. to
find the Thévenin resistance, or in analysis using Superposition).

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 Dependent Sources
• Node-Voltage Method
– Dependent current source:
• treat as independent current source in organizing node
equations
• substitute constraining dependency in terms of defined
node voltages.
– Dependent voltage source:
• treat as independent voltage source in organizing node
equations
• Substitute constraining dependency in terms of defined
node voltages.

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Node-Voltage Method and Dependent
Sources
• If a circuit contains dependent sources, the node-voltage
equations must be supplemented with equations describing
the constraints imposed by the dependent sources.
• Example #4:

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Circuits with Dependent Current Sources
Example #5:

The presence of a dependent current source may destroy the symmetry

of nodal equations
V1 6K V2

2 Io 12 K 3K 2 mA

Io

Apply KCL at nodes 1 & 2 (where all resistor are in KW and currents are
in mA)
2 Io + V1 / 12 + (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
Io − 2 − (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0

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Example #5
Since Io = V2/3K:
2 V2 / 3 + V1 / 12 + (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
V2 / 3 − 2 − (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
Rearranging the equations:
(1/12 + 1/6) V1 + (2/3 − 1/6) V2 = 0
− 1/6 V1 + (1/3 + 1/6) V2 = 2
Solving the equations yields:
V1 = − 24/5 V
V2 = 12/5 V

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Circuits with Dependent Voltage Sources –
Example #6:
6K

2 Vx
V2 12 K
V1 V3
+
12 K Vx 6K 6V
−

• As in the previous example, apply KCL at all non-reference

nodes, then substitute for the controlling quantity (Vx)
• When applying KCL, note that this particular circuit contains a
super node

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Example #9
• Applying KCL at the super node:
V1 / 12 + V2 / 6 + (V2 − V3) / 12 + (V1 − V3) / 6 = 0 (1)
• The constraint equation for the super node is:
V1 − V2 = 2 Vx (2)
• Note that:
V2 = Vx (3)
V3 = 6 V (4)

• Solving these equations yields:

V1 = 4.5 V, V2 = Vx = 1.5 V

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 Matrix formulation by inspection
• The circuit is represented by three matrices:
conductance matrix, voltage matrix and current
matrix

• In the conductance matrix:

– Each diagonal element (Mii) represents the
equivalent conductance connected to node i
– Each element (Mij) represents the equivalent
conductance between nodes i & j. All Mij
elements has a minus sign

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 Matrix formulation by inspection
• Each element of the current matrix (Ii) represent the
equivalent current entering node i

• Each element of the voltage matrix (Vi) represent the

unknown voltage of node i

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Example #7
Find the voltages at nodes 1 &2.
1K 4K 10 K
1 2

2K 5K
10 V 5V

Formulate matrices by inspection:

1+0.5+0.25 − 0.25 V1 10/1K

− 0.25 0.25+0.2+0.1 V2
= 5/10K

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Example #7
1.75 − 0.25 V1 10

− 0.25 0.55 V2
= 0.5

Calculate V1 and V2
10 − 0.25

0.5 0.55
10*0.55 + 0.5*0.25
V1 = = = 6.25 V
1.75 − 0.25 1.75*0.55 – 0.25*0.25
− 0.25 0.55

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Example #7

1.75 10

− 0.25 0.5 1.75*0.5 + 10*0.25

V2 = = = 3.75 V
1.75 − 0.25 1.75*0.55 – 0.25*0.25

− 0.25 0.55

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Example #8
Use nodal analysis to find V1 and V2.
V1 6K V2

+ Vx –

1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K

Formulate matrices by inspection:

1/12+1/6 − 1/6 V1 1

− 1/6 1/6+1/6 V2
= −4

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Example #8
1 − 1/6

−4 1/6+1/6
1/3 – 2/3
V1 = = =–6 V
1/12+1/6 − 1/6
1/4*1/3 – 1/36
− 1/6 1/6+1/6

1/12+1/6 1

− 1/6 −4
− 1 + 1/6
V2 = = = – 15 V
1/12+1/6 − 1/6 1/4*1/3 – 1/36
− 1/6 1/6+1/6

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Example #9 (MATLAB)
4K

2K V2 10 K
V1 V3

1K 2 mA 5K 6 mA

Formulate matrices by inspection:

1+1/2+1/4 − 1/2 − 1/4 V1 2

− 1/2 1/2+1/5+1/10 − 1/10 V2 = 0

− 1/4 − 1/10 1/4+1/10 V3 −6

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Example #9 (MATLAB)
Calculate V1 and V2 using MATLAB:
>> G = [1+1/2+1/4 − 1/2 − 1/4;
− 1/2 1/2+1/5+1/10 − 1/10;
− 1/4 − 1/10 1/4+1/10];
>> I = [2; 0; − 6];
>> V = inv(G)*I
V=
− 3.0968
− 4.5161
− 20.6452

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