EEE3100

Basic Concept of Electric Circuit

Week 1
 Subdivision in Electrical Engineering
• Communication systems
• Computer systems
• Control systems
• Electromagnetic
• Electronics
• Photonics
• Power systems
• Signal processing
System of units – International System
of Unit (SI)

Physical Quantities Symbol Unit

Mass m Kilogram (kg)
Length l Meter (m)
Time t Second (s)
Electric Current I Ampere (A)
Temperature Ѳ Celsius (C)
Energy W Joule (J)
 Charge
• Electric charge is a characteristic property of
many subatomic particles.
• qe= - 1.602 X 10-19 C – charge carried by
electron
• qp= + 1.602 X 10-19 C – charge carried by
proton
• Unit is Coulomb (C)
 Electric Current
• The time rate of flow of electrical charge
passing through a predetermined area of a
conductor.
dq  t  C 
i t    S 
dt

• The unit is in Ampere [A]

• Constant current of 1[A]=1[C/s]
 Fluid Flow Analogy
• Electrical circuits are analogous to fluid flow
systems.
• Battery = Pump
• Charge=Fluid
• Conductors (Copper wires)=pipes
• Current=Flow rate of the fluid
• Voltage=Pressure difference between points in
the fluid circuit
• Switches=Valves
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law(KCL)
• A node in an electrical circuit is a point at
which two ore more circuit elements are
joined together.
• The net current entering a node is zero.
• Current entering---------- (+)
• Current leaving------------ (-)
• I1+I2-I3=0
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law(KCL)
• Another way to state KCL: The sum of
currents entering a node equals the sum of
currents leaving a node.
• I1+I2=I3
 Example
• Let say currents entering the node as being
positive and currents leaving the node as
being negative, define i.
node
i i2
i  i1  i2  0
i1
 i  i1  i2

i
 Conclusion
• No current is lost around the closed circuit
• The sum of the currents at a node must equal
to zero
N
KCL   in  0
n 1
 Voltage
• Measure of the energy transferred per unit
charge when charge moves from one point in
electrical circuit to a second point.
• 12 V means 12 J are transferred to or from the
battery for each coulomb that flow through it
 Voltage
• Also known as potential differences
• Symbol – V
• Unit – Volt [V]= Joule per Coulomb
W J 
V   C  or V
Q  

• Total work per unit charge associate with the

motion of charge between two point
• 1 volt = 1 J/C
 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law(KVL)
• A loop in an electrical circuit is a closed path
starting at a node, proceeding through circuit
element, returning to the starting node.
• KVL: The algebraic sum of the voltages equals
zero for any closed path(loop) in electrical
circuit.
• First polarity to decide the positive or negative
sign.
• -V1+V2-V3-V4=0
 Example
• This example simply demonstrated the KVL
• V1+V2+V3= -10V+4V+6V=0
 Conclusion
• No energy lost in the electric circuit
• The net voltage around the closed circuit is
zero

N
KVL   Vn  0
n 1
 Ideal Sources

Voltage Source Current Source

 Ideal Voltage Source
• An electric device that will generate a
prescribed voltage at its terminals
• An ideal voltage source provides a prescribed
voltage across its terminals irrespective of the
current flowing through it. The amount of
current supplied by the source is determined
by the circuit connected on it. i
i
+
V s v R
-
i
Circuit
Power Flow Representation
 Ideal Current Source
• Electric devices that can generated a constant
current
• Symbol of current source
is ,
Is
 Dependent (Controlled) Sources
• A source which is a function of some other
voltage or current in a circuit
• Symbols of dependent sources
+ is
V s
-

• Very useful in describing certain types of

electronic circuits.
• Eg: amplifier
 Electric Power
• Definition: energy supplied per unit time, or work done per unit time
• It is measured in watts and denoted by 'W‘

• Recall: voltage – work per unit charge = J/C

current – time rate of change of charge = C/s
Work Work Charge
 Power   
Time Charge Time
 Voltage  Current
 VI watt (W)
P  VI
• Power is a signed quantity, like voltage
• How determine the polarity of power??
• Example: I I

+
V s Load V L

-
Power dissipated = -VsI Power dissipated = VLI
Power generated = VsI Power generated = -VLI

• Power dissipated by a load is a positive quantity

• Conversely, the power generated by a source is a
positive quantity
Ways of propagating electrical energy
• Comprising of electrical distribution (source),
electrical consumption (load) and the
elements supporting electrical transmission.
The path of transmitted energy in a system is
called an electrical circuit.
• Basically, there are two ways of propagating
electricity in any electrical distribution system:
AC and DC
 Direct Current (DC)
• In a direct current circuit the flow of charge is
only in one direction for the period of time
under consideration.
• The magnitude of voltage and current in a DC
circuit is always constant at any point of time.
• E.g: Batteries
 Alternating Current(AC)
• An alternating voltage or current waveform is
the one whose value varies with time in a
periodic manner.
• The polarity or direction is continuously
changing with respect to frequency.
• A cycle of AC wave is a complete set of
negative and positive values.
 Alternating Current(AC)
• The time period 'T' is defined as the time required for one
complete cycle. The unit is [s]
• The number of cycles passed through per second is called
frequency and is measured in Hertz (Hz) or cycles per
second.
• In the United States electricity is at 60Hz, in Asia and Europe
it is at 50Hz.
• The polarity or direction is continuously changing with
respect to frequency.
• A cycle of AC wave is a complete set of negative and positive
values.
 Alternating Current(AC)
• The frequency of the waveform is
1
f 
T

• Angular frequency ω is
2
  2f
T
 Alternating Current(AC)
• Types of alternating waveforms: sinusoidal,
triangular, rectangular, pulse.
• Sinusoidal waveforms are easy to generate
(efficient) and are the most often used in
electrical systems.