NORTON’s

THEOREM
•PROJECT REPORT – BASIC ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING
•SUBMITTED BY:
1. 2K20/A17/32 – NEHA CHAWLA
2. 2K20/A17/73- LIPI SINGH
•SUBMITTED TO – Dr. PRAKASH
CHITTORA
  INTRODUCTION
 WHAT IS NORTON’S THEOREM
 STEPS FOR NORTON THEOREM
 EXAMPLES FOR FINDING EQUIVALENT
CIRCUIT TO DC CIRCUIT
CONTENTS  EXAMPLES FOR FINDING EQUIVALENT
CIRCUIT TO AC CIRCUIT
 RELATION BETWEEN NORTON’S AND
THEVENIN’S THEOREMS
 APPLICATION OF NORTON’S THEOREM
 CONCLUSION
 In contrast to the Thevenin’s theorem, Norton’s
theorem replaces the part of the circuit with an
equivalent circuit that constitute a current source
and a parallel resistance.
 This theorem is an extension of the Thevenin’s
theorem, proposed by E. L. Norton in 1926.
Similar to the Thevenin’s theorem, it is also used
to calculate load variables such as load voltage,
INTRODUCTION load current and load power with simple
calculations over other circuit reduction techniques.
 Thus, this theorem is also called as the dual of
the Thevenin’s theorem.
 In most of the cases the choice of load resistance
to transfer maximum power to the load is decided
by either Thevenin’s or Norton’s theorems.
What is Norton's Theorem ?
 Norton Theorem says that any circuit which has many power
supplies and resistors can be swapped with the circuit which has a
current source and one resistor in its parallel.
 This theorem is appropriate to both AC and DC circuits. It works
in AC circuits for impedance and resistance calculations. But in the
case of DC circuits, it works for resistance measurements.
 In the given figure, there is a circuit at which Norton theorem is
applied.
 It is a linear circuit which has current (I) and voltage (V) sources
and a single resistor, this circuit is swapped with the resultant
circuit which has a current source (Ino) with the parallel resistor
(Rno).
 The current (Ino) is the current which is measured at the points (A-
B) of the circuit.
 The resistor (Rno) in the circuit is measured at the points (A-B) by
short-circuiting the voltage supply and open-circuiting the current
supply.
 Steps for Norton
Theorem
Step 1: To apply the Norton theorem first
eliminate the load resistor of the circuit.
Step 2: Measure the interior resistance of the
source system by turning off the supplies in the
circuit.
Step 3:  After this connect the points of the output
and measure the short-circuit current.
Step 4:  The resultant circuit of Norton can be
made by putting interior resistor in parallel with
the short-circuit current.
Step 5: At the end add resistance which we
removed during the first step then find the load
current.
EXAMPLE FOR FINDING EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT TO
DC CIRCUIT

 Let us consider the example to apply

the Norton’s theorem to find the current
flow through branch ab i.e., through the
load resistance RL = R2 = 2 ohms.

1. Disconnect the load resistance and

short the load terminals a and b.
Represent the current flow direction in
every loop as shown in figure.
2. Apply the mesh analysis for each loop to find the current flow IN through the shorted terminals.
By applying KVL to loop 1 we get
6 – (I1 – I2) R4 = 0
Substituting I2 = -4A
I1 = 6 – 16 / 4 = – 2.5 A
•By applying KVL to Loop 3 we get
– I3R1 – (I3 – I2)R3 = 0
-4I3 – 6 (I3 + 4) = 0
– 10I3 = 24
I3 = – 2.4 A
Therefore In = I1 – I3
= -2.5 + 2.4
= 0.1A which is flowing from a to b.
3. Next step is to determine the equivalent resistance RN. To compute this resistance all sources have to be replaced with
their internal resistances by removing the short terminals of the load .
•Then the total resistance across the terminals a and b, RN = 10 × 4 / 10 + 4
= 2.85 Ohms
4. By placing above calculated current In in parallel with resistance Rn forms a Norton’s equivalent circuit as shown
in figure. To determine the load variables we reconnect the load resistance across the load terminals.

Then Load current IL = IN × [RN / (RL + RN)]

= 0.1 × [2.85/ (2 + 2.85)]
= 0.05 Amps
•With the above calculated values, the original circuit is similar to the below shown figure with the representation of
load current at branch ab.
For different values of the load
resistance the current flow is
determined as
When RL = 8 ohms
IL = 0.1 × [2.85 / (8 + 2.85)]
= 0.02 A
When RL = 12 ohms
IL = 0.1 × [2.85 / (12+ 2.85)]
= 0.01 A.
Example of Finding
Equivalent Circuit to AC
Circuit

Consider the below AC circuit.

In this circuit we are going to find
the current through the impedance
4+ 4j ohm using Norton’s theorem.
The above circuit consists of two
voltage sources which can be
transformed into the current source
as
Is1 = Vs1/ Rs1
= 2∠0 / 1
=2A
Similarly
Is2 = Vs2/ Rs2
= 4∠0/ 2
=2A
Then the circuit becomes like it is
shown in this figure
For applying Norton’s theorem, we disconnect
the load impedance and short the load terminals as
shown in figure. Assume the current directions as
represented in figure.

Consider the above figure as single node and the

total current becomes 6 amperes and the total
parallel combination of resistance is 0.574 ohms.
This can be transformed into a voltage source for
ease of finding the Norton’s current is given as
Vs = 6 ∠0 × 0.574
= 3.44∠0
Therefore, IN = VN / 0.574
= 3.44∠0 / 0.574
= 5.97∠0 A
The Norton’s equivalent impedance is equal to the circuit equivalent impedance, ZN
= 0.574
 Therefore the Load current across
the 4 + j4 impedance is, IL = IN ×
[ZN / (ZL + ZN)]
= 5.97∠0× [0.574/ (4 + j4 + 0.574)]
= 3.42 / 6.07∠41.17
= 0.56 ∠-41.17 A

This value is identical to the value

obtained if we solve it by the
Thevenin’s theorem. And hence
Norton’s theorem is the dual of
Thevenin’s theorem. Limitations of
Thevenin’s theorem are also
applicable for Norton’s theorem.
 Relation between
Norton’s and
Thevinin’s
Theorems

By comparing the above example

with example of Thevenin’s
example problem, we can observe
that Norton’s equivalent circuit of a
linear network constitute a Norton
current source IN in parallel with a
Thevenin’s resistance Rth.
Therefore it is possible to perform
a source transformation of
Thevenin’s equivalent circuit to get
the Norton’s equivalent circuit or
vice-versa.
The magnitude of the voltage source (Vth) and a series resistance (Rth)
from Norton’s equivalent circuit using source transformation are
determined as
Vth = RN × IN and
Rth = RN
For above example
Vth = 2.85 × 0.1
= 0.28 Volts.
Therefore, we can use any of these two methods to analyse the circuit in
a simple way. However the advantages of Thevenin’s theorem are also
applicable to Norton’s theorem as well. By using these methods one can
find the current and voltage values of different load resistance values
without doing any complex calculations again and again.
Hence, the Norton’s theorem aids the designing much easier based on the
application. The use of these two theorems is decided by the application
where these equivalents are required, such as current follower circuits (use
Norton’s equivalent) and voltage amplifiers (Thevenin’s equivalent).
 One very useful application of Norton's theorem is in
solving the problem of parallel generators having
unequal emf’s and unequal internal impedances. All
generators (voltage generators) are converted into
current generators by applying Norton's theorem.
Then, these current generators can be combined easily
to form one single current generator with only one
APPLICATION OF impedance connected across it. Now, the current
generator is converted back into voltage generator,
NORTON’S using Thevenin’s theorem. Thus, finally we get one single
voltage generator with a single series impedance.
THEOREM If parallel generators are connected to a load, now it
becomes easier to work out load current and current
shared by each generator.
It is used to reduce a complex circuit into a simple
circuit.
Norton’s theorem is useful to solve problems on parallel
generators with unequal emf’s and unequal impedances.
Conclusion

• Extension of the use of Norton’s theorem beyond the usual applications (i.e. matching problems), as
described in this paper, shows their importance as pedagogical tools for the simple and systematic solution of
many other problem categories that students meet during studies of electrical circuits.

• Thus, when faced with op amp circuits designed to execute specific functions, in which a complicated input
circuit is connected to the inverting terminal or noninverting terminal, the student has the necessary analysis
tools. Also, by applying a similar technique to that used to find Norton equivalent circuits to circuits that
include only passive elements and dependent sources , students can solve problems dealing with finding the
equivalent inductance, input impedance and resonant frequency of complicated circuits. These types of
problem previously may well have proven very difficult for students, causing them to lose self-confidence.

• The method is also applicable to any two-port circuit, enabling students to rapidly determine all network
parameters.