Chapter 2

Dc circuit analysis
 Kirchhoff’s Circuit Laws allow us to solve complex
circuit problems by defining a set of basic network
laws and theorems for the voltages and currents
around a circuit
 Using Kirchhoff’s circuit law relating to the junction
rule and his closed loop rule, we can calculate and
find the currents and voltages around any closed
circuit providing we know the values of the electrical
components within it.
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These two rules are commonly known as: Kirchhoffs Circuit Laws with one of
Kirchhoffs laws dealing with the current flowing around a closed circuit,
Kirchhoffs Current Law, (KCL) while the other law deals with the voltage

sources present in a closed circuit, Kirchhoffs Voltage Law, (KVL).

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Kirchhoffs Current Law or KCL,
 states that the “total current or charge entering a
junction or node is exactly equal to the charge
leaving the node as it has no other place to go
except to leave, as no charge is lost within the
node“.
 In other words the algebraic sum of ALL the
currents entering and leaving a node must be
equal to zero, I(exiting) + I(entering) = 0. This
idea by Kirchhoff is commonly known as the
Conservation of Charge.

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 Node point

.Here, the three currents entering the node, I1, I2, I3 are all positive in value and
the two currents leaving the node, I4 and I5 are negative in value. Then this
means we can also rewrite the equation as; I1 + I2 + I3 – I4 – I5 = 0

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Kirchhoff's Voltage Law or KVL

 states that “in any closed loop network, the total

voltage around the loop is equal to the sum of all the
voltage drops within the same loop” which is also
equal to zero. In other words the algebraic sum of all
voltages within the loop must be equal to zero.

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 Starting at any point in the loop continue in the same
direction noting the direction of all the voltage drops,
either positive or negative, and returning back to the
same starting point
 Node – a node is a junction, connection or terminal within a circuit
were two or more circuit elements are connected or joined together
giving a connection point between two or more branches. A node is
indicated by a dot.
 Branch – a branch is a single or group of components such as
resistors or a source which are connected between two nodes.
 • Loop – a loop is a simple closed path in a circuit.
example
 Find the current flowing in the 40Ω Resistor, R3

 The circuit has 3 branches, 2 nodes (A and B) and 2 independent loops.

 Using Kirchhoffs Current Law, KCL the equations are given as:

At node A :    I1 + I2 = I3
At node B :    I3 = I1 + I2
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Con’d
 Using Kirchhoffs Voltage Law, KVL the equations
are given as:
 Loop 1 is given as :    10 = R1 I1 + R3 I3 = 10I1 + 40I3
 Loop 2 is given as :    20 = R2 I2 + R3 I3 = 20I2 + 40I3
 Loop 3 is given as :    10 – 20 = 10I1 – 20I2
 As I3 is the sum of I1 + I2 we can rewrite the equations as;
 Eq. No 1 :    10 = 10I1 + 40(I1 + I2)  =  50I1 + 40I2
 Eq. No 2 :    20 = 20I2 + 40(I1 + I2)  =  40I1 + 60I2

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Con’d
 We now have two “Simultaneous Equations” that
can be reduced by subtraction to give us the values
of I1 and I2 
 Substitution of I1 in terms of I2 gives us the value
of I1 as -0.143 Amps
 Substitution of I2 in terms of I1 gives us the value
of I2 as +0.429 Amps
As :    I3 = I1 + I2
 The current flowing in resistor R3 is given as :  
  -0.143 + 0.429 = 0.286 Amps
 and the voltage across the resistor R3 is given
as :    0.286 x 40 = 11.44 volts
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 Mesh and node analysis
 This chapter applies the circuit analysis introduced in the
DC circuit analysis

 Two techniques will be presented in this chapter:

 Mesh analysis, which is based on Kichhoff voltage law (KVL)
 Nodal analysis, which is based on Kichhoff current law (KCL)
 Any linear circuit can be analyzed using these two
techniques.
 The analysis will result in a set of simultaneous
equations which may be solved by Cramer’s rule or
computationally (using MATLAB)

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Loop-current Analysis
 Loop analysis is systematic method of network
analysis.
 It is a general method and can be applied to any
electrical network,
 It is based on writing KVL equations for
independent loops.
 A loop is a closed path in a network.
 A node or a junction is a point in the network
where three or more elements have a common
connection.

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 Before the loop analysis can be applied to a
network, we must first check that it has only
voltage sources (independent or dependent).
 Any current source must be transformed into its
equivalent voltage source.
 Sometimes, it is a difficult task to identify
independent loops in a network.
 The method of loop analysis can be best understood
by considering some examples.

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MESH ANALYSIS
 In circuit terminology, a loop is any closed
path.
 A mesh is a special loop, namely, the
smallest loop one can have.
 In other words, a mesh is a loop that
contains no other loops.
 Mesh analysis provide a set of independent
equations.

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Mesh Currents
 By definition, a mesh-current is that current
which flows around the perimeter of a mesh. It is
indicated by a curved arrow that almost closes on
itself.
 Branch-currents have a physical identity. They
can be measured.
 Mesh-currents are fictitious.
 The mesh analysis not only tells us the minimum
number of unknown currents, but it also ensures
that the KVL equations obtained are independent.
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 Illustrative
 Let us consider a simple network having only two
meshes.
 Although the directions of the mesh currents are
arbitrary; but all must be either clockwise or
anticlockwise.
 We shall always choose clockwise mesh currents.
 This results in a certain error-minimizing
symmetry.
 Note that by taking mesh currents, the KCL is
automatically satisfied.

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two mesh network Example 1

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Resistance Matrix

Mesh current matrix

Source matrix

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Applying Crammer’s rule :

The current in 3-ohm resistor is I1 – I2 = 6 – 4 = 2A

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Three-mesh Network example 2
 Write the three equations for the three meshes and
put them in a matrix form.

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Next 20
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Self-resistance of mesh 1

Mutual resistance
between mesh 1 and 2.

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The Resistance Matrix
 It is symmetrical about the major diagonal, as
R12 = R21, R13 = R31, etc.
 All the elements on the major diagonal have
positive values.
 The off-diagonal elements have negative values.
 The mutual resistance between two meshes will
be zero, if there is no resistance common to them.

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Procedure for Mesh Analysis
1. Make sure that it contains only independent
voltage sources.
2. Assign clockwise mesh currents.
3. Write mesh equations in matrix form by
inspection.
4. An element on the principal diagonal is the self-
resistance of the mesh. These elements are all
positive. An element off the major diagonal is
negative (or zero), and represents the mutual
resistance.

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6. Check the symmetry of resistance matrix about
the major diagonal.
7. An element of the voltage source column matrix
on the right side represents the algebraic sum of
the voltage sources that produce current in the
same direction as the assumed mesh current.
8. Solve the equations to determine the unknown
mesh currents, using simultinues or matrix
form
9. Determine the branch currents and voltages.

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Example 3
 Determine the currents in various resistances of the
network shown.

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Solution :
Writing the mesh equations by inspection,

Solving,
we get I1 = 2.55 A, I2 = 3.167 A
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Example 4
 Find the current drawn from the source in the
network, using mesh analysis.

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I1  6 A

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Example 5
Apply mesh analysis to determine current
through 7-Ω resistance in the given network.

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Solution :
• The given network having independent voltage
sources.
• It has three meshes for which the mesh currents I1, I2,
and I3 are marked all with clockwise directions.
• By inspection, the matrix equation is written as
3  4 4 0   I1   42  25 
 4 4  5  6  6   I    25  57  70 
   2  
 0 6 6  7   I 3  70  4 

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 7 4 0   I1  67 
or  4 15     
6   I 2    152 

 0 6 13   I 3  74 

Solving the above equation for I3,

I7  I3  2 A

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Node Voltages Analysis
 It is dual of the Mesh Analysis.
 It involves the application of KCL
equations, instead of KVL.
 One of the nodes is taken as reference or
datum or ground node. It is better to select
the one that has maximum number of
branches connected.
 The reference node is assumed to be at
ground or zero potential.
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 The potentials of all other nodes are defined
w.r.t. the reference node.
 KCL equations are written, one for each
node, except the reference node.
 The equations are solved to give node
voltages.
 Current through any branch and voltage at
any point of the network can be calculated.

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Example 1
 Solve the circuit given, using the node voltage
method.

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Solution : It has only two nodes. Node 2 has been
taken as reference node. The currents in various
branches have been assumed. Writing the KCL
equations,
I1  I 2  I 3  0
V1 V1  60 V1
  0
12 7 4
V1  18 V
V1  60
Now , I2   6 A
7

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Example 2
 Using nodal analysis, determine the current
through the 2-Ω resistor in the network given.
Change the resistance in to conductance

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• Solution : It is much simpler to write the KCL
equations, if the conductance (and not the
resistances) of the branches are given.

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• It has 3 nodes. So, we have to write KCL
equations for only 2 nodes.
• We just equate the total current leaving the
node through several conductance to the total
source-current entering the node.
• At node 1,

• At node 2,

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• Writing the above equations in matrix form,

Solving for V1, using Calculator, we get

Finally, the current in the 2-Ω resistor,

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Nodal Analysis
 The above examples suggests that it is
possible to write the nodal analysis
equations just by inspection of the network.
 Such technique is possible if the network
has only independent current sources.
 All passive elements are shown as
conductances, in siemens (S).

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 In case a network contains a practical
voltage source, first convert it into an
equivalent practical current source.
 Write the Conductance Matrix, Node-
Voltage Matrix and the Node-Current
Source Matrix, in the same way as in the
Mesh Analysis.

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Example 3
 Let us again tackle Example 2 by writing the
matrix equations just by inspection.

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Conductance matrix.
G11 = Self-conductance
of node 1.
G12= Mutual conductance
between node 1 and
2.
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 • Node-voltage Matrix.

• Node current-source Matrix.

• Note that all the elements on the major diagonal

of matrix G are positive.
All off-diagonal elements are negative or zero.
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Choice Between the TWO
 We select a method in which the number of
equations to be solved is less.
 The number of equations to be solved in
mesh analysis is
b – (n – 1)
 The number of equations to be solved in
nodal analysis is
(n – 1)
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Nodal and mesh analysis – comparison

• Nodal analysis: • Mesh analysis:

• Define independent • Define “mesh loops”
nodes
• Apply KCL at • Apply KVL around
independent nodes the mesh loops
• Use Ohm’s Law to • Use Ohm’s Law to
write KCL in terms of write KVL in terms of
node voltages mesh currents
problems : using mesh analysis find i1,i2,i3

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