LOOP ANALYSIS

The second systematic technique

to determine all currents and
voltages in a circuit
IT IS DUAL TO NODE ANALYSIS - IT FIRST DETERMINES ALL CURRENTS IN A CIRCUIT
AND THEN IT USES OHMS LAW TO COMPUTE NECESSARY VOLTAGES

THERE ARE SITUATION WHERE NODE ANALYSIS IS NOT AN EFFICIENT TECHNIQUE

AND WHERE THE NUMBER OF EQUATIONS REQUIRED BY THIS NEW METHOD IS
SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER

LOOPS, MESHES AND LOOP CURRENTS

a
1

I1

I2

e
d
f
6
5
A BASIC3 ICIRCUIT

EACH COMPONENT
IS CHARACTERIZED
4 BY ITS VOLTAGE
ACROSS AND ITS
CURRENT THROUGH

A LOOP IS A CLOSED PATH THAT DOES NOT

GO TWICE OVER ANY NODE.
THIS CIRCUIT HAS THREE LOOPS

CLAIM: IN A CIRCUIT, THE CURRENT THROUGH

ANY COMPONENT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN TERMS
OF THE LOOP CURRENTS

EXAMPLES
I a f I1 I 3
I b e I1 I 2
Ib c I 2 I3

FACT: NOT EVERY LOOP CURRENT IS REQUIRED

TO COMPUTE ALL THE CURRENTS THROUGH
COMPONENTS
a

fabef

ebcde

fabcdef

A MESH IS A LOOP THAT DOES NOT ENCLOSE

ANY OTHER LOOP.
fabef, ebcde ARE MESHES
A LOOP CURRENT IS A (FICTICIOUS) CURRENT
THAT IS ASSUMED TO FLOW AROUND A LOOP

I1 , I 2 , I 3 ARE LOOP CURRENTS

A MESH CURRENT IS A LOOP CURRENT
ASSOCIATED TO A MESH. I1, I2 ARE MESH
CURRENTS

THE DIRECTION OF THE LOOP

CURRENTS IS SIGNIFICANT

I1

USING TWO
LOOP CURRENTS

Ia f I 1 I3

e
d
f
6
5
A BASIC CIRCUIT

I3

Ib e I 1

Ib c I 3

FOR EVERY CIRCUIT THERE IS A MINIMUM

NUMBER OF LOOP CURRENTS THAT ARE
NECESSARY TO COMPUTE EVERY CURRENT
IN THE CIRCUIT (Linearly Independent).
SUCH A COLLECTION IS CALLED A MINIMAL
SET (OF LOOP CURRENTS).

DETERMINATION OF LOOP CURRENTS

FOR A GIVEN CIRCUIT LET
B
NUMBER OF BRANCHES
N
NUMBER OF NODES
THE MINIMUM REQUIRED NUMBER OF
LOOP CURRENTS IS

L B ( N 1)
MESH CURRENTS ARE ALWAYS INDEPENDENT

KVL ON LEFT MESH

KVL ON RIGHT MESH

v S 2 v4 v5 v 3 0
USING OHMS LAW

v1 i1 R1 , v2 i1 R2 , v 3 ( i1 i2 ) R3

AN EXAMPLE

v4 i2 R4 , v5 i2 R5
REPLACING AND REARRANGING

IN MATRIX FORM

B7
N 6
L 7 (6 1) 2

TWO LOOP CURRENTS ARE

REQUIRED.
THE CURRENTS SHOWN ARE
MESH CURRENTS. HENCE
THEY ARE INDEPENDENT AND
FORM A MINIMAL SET

R1 R2 R3

R3

R3

i1 v S 1

R3 R4 R5 i2 v S 2

THESE ARE LOOP EQUATIONS FOR THE

CIRCUIT

WRITE THE MESH EQUATIONS

v R1 i1 R1
BOOKKEEPING
BRANCHES = 8
NODES
= 7
LOOP CURRENTS NEEDED = 2
AND WE ARE TOLD TO
USE MESH CURRENTS!
THIS DEFINES THE LOOP
CURRENTS TO BE USED

v R 3 i2 R3

v R 2 (i1 i2 ) R2
v R 5 i2 R5

IDENTIFY ALL VOLTAGE DROPS

v R 4 i2 R4

WRITE KVL ON EACH MESH

TOP MESH : v S1 v R1 v S 2 v R 2 0
BOTTOM : v R 2 v R5 v R 4 v S 3 v R3 0
USE OHMS LAW

DEVELOPING A SHORTCUT
WRITE THE MESH EQUATIONS
V2

R1

+ -

V1

+
-

I1

R5

R2

I2

R3

WHENEVER AN ELEMENT
HAS MORE THAN ONE
LOOP CURRENT FLOWING
THROUGH IT WE COMPUTE
NET CURRENT IN THE
DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

R4

DRAW THE MESH CURRENTS. ORIENTATION

CAN BE ARBITRARY. BUT BY CONVENTION
THEY ARE DEFINED CLOCKWISE
NOW WRITE KVL FOR EACH MESH AND APPLY
OHMS LAW TO EVERY RESISTOR.
AT EACH LOOP FOLLOW THE PASSIVE SIGN
CONVENTION USING LOOP CURRENT REFERENCE
DIRECTION

V1 I1R1 ( I1 I 2 ) R2 I1R5 0
V2 I 2 R3 I 2 R4 ( I 2 I1 ) R2 0

LEARNING EXAMPLE: FIND Io USING LOOP ANALYSII

AN ALTERNATIVE SELECTION OF LOOP CURRENTS

SHORTCUT: POLARITIES ARE NOT NEEDED.

APPLY OHMS LAW TO EACH ELEMENT AS KVL
IS BEING WRITTEN

KVL @ I1

KVL @ I2

KVL @ I2
REARRANGE

KVL @ I1

NOW IO I1

12kI1 6kI 2 12
6kI1 9kI 2 3 * / 2 and add
12kI 2 6 I 2 0.5mA
5
12kI1 12 6kI2 I1 mA
4

EXPRESS VARIABLE OF
INTEREST AS FUNCTION
OF LOOP CURRENTS

THIS SELECTION IS MORE EFFICIENT

REARRANGE

I O I1 I 2

3
mA
4

12kI1 6kI 2 12 * / 3
6kI1 9kI 2 9 * / 2 and substract
3
24kI1 18 I1 mA
4

A PRACTICE EXAMPLE

IF THE CIRCUIT CONTAINS ONLY INDEPENDENT

SOURCE THE MESH EQUATIONS CAN BE WRITTEN
BY INSPECTION
MUST HAVE ALL MESH CURRENTS WITH THE
SAME ORIENTATION

LOOP 1
IN LOOP K
THE COEFFICENT OF Ik IS THE SUM OF
RESISTANCES AROUND THE LOOP.
THE RIGHT HAND SIDE IS THE ALGEBRAIC SUM
OF VOLTAGE SOURCES AROUND THE LOOP
(VOLTAGE RISES - VOLTAGE DROPS)
THE COEFFICIENT OF Ij IS THE SUM OF
RESISTANCES COMMON TO BOTH k AND j AND
WITH A NEGATIVE SIGN.
LOOP 1

12kI1 6kI 2 12

LOOP 2

6kI1 9kI 2 3

Loop 3

LOOP 2

coefficien t of I1 4k 6k
coefficien t of I 2 0
coefficient of I3 6k RHS 6[V ]

coefficien t of I1 0
coefficien t of I 2 9k 3k
coefficient of I3 3k
RHS 6[V ]

(6k ) I1 (3k ) I 2 (3k 6k 12k ) I 3 0

LEARNING
EXTENSION

1. DRAW THE MESH CURRENTS

I1

I2

2. WRITE MESH EQUATIONS

MESH 1

(2k 4k 2k ) I1 2kI 2 3[V ]

MESH 2

2kI1 (2k 6k ) I 2 (6V 3V )

DIVIDE BY 1k. GET NUMBERS FOR COEFFICIENTS

ON THE LEFT AND mA ON THE RHS

3. SOLVE EQUATIONS

8 I1 2 I 2 3[mA]
2 I1 8 I 2 9[mA] * / 4 and add
33
30 I 2 33[mA]
VO 6kI 2 [V ]
5

WRITE THE MESH EQUATIONS

12V
12k

I2
4k

4k

I4

I1

1. DRAW MESH CURRENTS

2k
6k

I3

9V

BOOKKEEPING: B = 7, N = 4
2. WRITE MESH EQUATIONS. USE KVL

MESH 1 : 12kI1 12V 6k ( I1 I3 ) 0

MESH 2 : 12V 4k ( I 2 I 4 ) 4k ( I 2 I3 ) 0
MESH 3 : 9V 6k ( I3 I1 ) 4k ( I3 I 2 ) 0
MESH 4 : 9V 4k ( I 4 I 2 ) 2kI 4 0

Home Work
E:3.8,
P: 3.62, 3.63, 3.66

EQUATIONS BY INSPECTION

CHOOSE YOUR FAVORITE TECHNIQUE

TO SOLVE THE SYSTEM OF EQUATIONS

18kI1 6kI3 12V

8kI 2 4kI 3 4kI 4 12V
6kI1 4kI 2 10kI3 9V
4kI 2 6kI 4 9V

CIRCUITS WITH INDEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCES

KVL

THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN V1 AND

THE SOURCE CURRENT! HOWEVER ...
MESH 1 CURRENT IS CONSTRAINED
MESH 1 EQUATION

I1 2mA

MESH 2

2kI1 8kI 2 2V
2k (2mA) 2V 3
9
I2
mA VO 6kI 2 [V ]
8k
4
2
BY INSPECTION

CURRENT SOURCES THAT ARE NOT SHARED

BY OTHER MESHES (OR LOOPS) SERVE TO
DEFINE A MESH (LOOP) CURRENT AND
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REQUIRED EQUATIONS
TO OBTAIN V1 APPLY KVL TO ANY CLOSED
PATH THAT INCLUDES V1

LEARNING EXAMPLE COMPUTE VO USING MESH ANALYSIS

KVL FOR Vo

TWO MESH CURRENTS ARE DEFINED BY CURRENT

SOURCES

I1 4mA

I 2 2mA

MESH 3

BY INSPECTION

I3
USE KVL TO
COMPUTE Vo

2kI1 4kI 2 12kI3 3V

3V 2k (4mA) 4k (2mA) 1
mA
12k
4

LEARNING EXTENSIONS

I2

I2
I1

I1

WE ACTUALLY NEED THE CURRENT ON THE

RIGHT MESH. HENCE, USE MESH ANALYSIS
MESH 1:

I1 4mA

MESH 1:

MESH 2:

5[V ] 4k ( I 2 I1 ) 6kI 2 0

MESH 2:

10 I 2 5mA 4 4mA 11mA

VO 6kI 2

33
[V ]
5

I1 4mA
4kI1 12kI 2 0

I2

16 4
mA
12 3

VO 6kI 2 8[V ]

2. Write loop equations.

Problem 3.46 (6th Ed)

Determine VO

Loop 1
Loop 2

+
VS

+
-

I2

4k

I3

Loop 3

6k

VO

IS = 2mA, VS = 6V
SELECTING THE SOLUTION METHOD

4k ( I 3 I 2 ) 6kI3 2k ( I 3 I1 ) 0

HINT: Divide the loop equations by 1k. Coefficients

become numbers and voltage source becomes mA.

2k

I1

VS 4k ( I 2 I 3 ) 2k ( I 2 I1 ) 0

Since we need to compute Vo it is

efficient to solve for I3 only.

2k
IS

I1 I S

We use the fact that

Loop 2
Loop 3

3 non-reference nodes. 3 meshes

One current source, one super node
BOTH APPROACHES SEEM COMPARABLE. CHOOSE
LOOP ANALYSIS

1. Select loop currents.

In this case we use meshes.
We note that the current source
could define one mesh.

I1 = Is

VS
2 I1 (6 4)[mA] * / 2
1k
4 I 2 12 I3 2 I S 4mA * / 3 and add eqs

6 I 2 4 I3

28 I3 10 2 4 3 I3

32
mA
28

48
VO 6kI 3 V
7

CURRENT SOURCES SHARED BY LOOPS - THE SUPERMESH APPROACH

2. WRITE CONSTRAINT EQUATION DUE TO
MESH CURRENTS SHARING CURRENT SOURCES

I 2 I3 4mA
3. WRITE EQUATIONS FOR THE OTHER MESHES

I1 2mA
4. DEFINE A SUPERMESH BY (MENTALLY)
REMOVING THE SHARED CURRENT SOURCE
5. WRITE KVL FOR THE SUPERMESH

6 1kI3 2kI 2 2k ( I 2 I1 ) 1k ( I3 I1 ) 0

1. SELECT MESH CURRENTS

SUPERMESH

NOW WE HAVE THREE EQUATIONS IN THREE

UNKNOWNS. THE MODEL IS COMPLETE

FIND VOLTAGES ACROSS RESISTORS

I1

I S1

V4

V
R2

R1
V1

R4

I3

Now we need a loop current that does

not go over any current source and
passes through all unused components.

I2

IS2

V3

HINT: IF ALL CURRENT SOURCES ARE REMOVED

THERE IS ONLY ONE LOOP LEFT
MESH EQUATIONS FOR LOOPS WITH
CURRENT SOURCES

I 1 I s1

R3

IS3 I
4

I2 IS 2

I3 I S 3

VS
VS

R3 ( I 4

For loop analysis we notice...

Three independent current sources.
Four meshes.
One current source shared by two
meshes.
Careful choice of loop currents
should make only one loop equation
necessary. Three loop currents can
be chosen using meshes and not
sharing any source.

KVL OF REMAINING LOOP

I 2 ) R1 ( I 4 I3 I1 ) R4 ( I 4 I3 ) 0
SOLVE FOR THE CURRENT I4.
USE OHMS LAW TO C0MPUTE REQUIRED
VOLTAGES

V1 R1 ( I1 I3 I 4 )

V2 R2 ( I 2 I1 )
V3 R3 ( I 2 I 4 )
V4 R4 ( I3 I 4 )

A COMMENT ON METHOD SELECTION

The same problem can be solved by node analysis
but it requires 3 equations
V1

V2 VS

R2

I S1

R1

V4

IS2

V3

V2

R3
R4

IS3

VS

V1 V3
I S1 I S 2 0
R2
IS3

V3 V2 V3 V1 V3 V4

0
R3
R2
R1

I S1

V4 V4 V1

0
R1
R1

CIRCUITS WITH DEPENDENT SOURCES Treat the dependent source as though

it were independent.
Add one equation for the controlling
variable
COMBINE EQUATIONS. DIVIDE BY 1k

I1 4
I1 I 2 I 3 0
I 2 3I3 2 I 4 8
I 2 I 3 2 I 4 12

MESH CURRENTS
DETERMINED BY SOURCES
I1 4mA
VX
2k
MESH 3 : 1kI x 2k ( I3 I1 ) 1k ( I3 I 4 ) 0
I2

MESH 4 : 1k ( I 4 I3 ) 1k ( I 4 I 2 ) 12V 0
CONTROLLIN G VARIABLES

I x I4 I2

Vx 2k ( I3 I1 )

DEFINE THE MATRIX

SOLVE USING MATLAB

I1 4
I1 I 2 I 3 0
I 2 3I3 2 I 4 8

Since we divided by
1k the RHS is mA and
all the coefficients
are numbers

I 2 I 3 2 I 4 12
PUT IN MATRIX FORM

0 I1 4
1 0 0
1 1 1 0 I 0

0 1 3 2 I 3 8

I
0

1
2

12

>> is the MATLAB prompt. What

follows is the command entered

R=[1,0,0,0; %FIRST ROW

1,1, -1, 0; %SECOND ROW
0,1,3,-2; %THIRD ROW
0,-1,-1,2] %FOURTH ROW
R=
1
1
0
0

0
1
1
-1

0 0
-1 0
3 -2
-1 2

DEFINE THE RIGHT HAND SIDE VECTOR

V=[4;0;8;12]
V=
4
0
8
-12

SOLVE AND GET THE ANSWER

The answers are in mA

I=R\V
I=
4
-6
-2
-10

Find Vo

LEARNING EXTENSION: Dependent Sources

USING LOOP CURRENTS

USING MESH CURRENTS

We treat the dependent source as one more voltage source

MESH 1

2Vx 2kI1 4k ( I1 I 2 ) 0

LOOP 1

2Vx 2k ( I1 I 2 ) 4kI1 0

MESH 2

3 6kI 2 4k ( I 2 I1 ) 0

LOOP 2

2Vx 2k ( I1 I 2 ) 3 6kI 2 0

NOW WE EXPRESS THE CONTROLLING VARIABLE IN TERMS OF THE LOOP CURRENTS

Vx 4k ( I1 I 2 )

2kI1 4kI 2 0

and solve...

Vx 4kI1

REPLACE AND REARRANGE

4kI1 10kI 2 3
I1 3mA, I 2 1.5mA

6kI1 6kI 2 0
6kI1 8kI 2 3
I1 1.5mA, I 2 1.5mA

SOLUTIONS

VO 6kI 2 9[V ]
NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MESH
CURRENT I1 AND LOOP CURRENT I1 EVEN
THOUGH THEY ARE ASSOCIATED TO THE
SAME PATH

The selection of loop currents

simplifies expression for Vx
and computation of Vo.

DEPENDENT CURRENT SOURCE. CURRENT SOURCES NOT SHARED BY MESHES

WE ARE ASKED FOR Vo. WE ONLY NEED
TO SOLVE FOR I3
REPLACE AND REARRANGE

Vx 2kI1

I1 2 I 2 4mA
Vx 4k ( I1 I 2 )
11
8kI 3 3 2kI 2 I3 mA
8
We treat the dependent source as a
conventional source
Equations for meshes with current sources

Then KVL on the remaining loop(s)

And express the controlling variable,

Vx, in terms of loop currents

VO 6kI3

33
[V ]
4

I1

DRAW MESH CURRENTS

WRITE MESH EQUATIONS.

MESH 1 : 2kI x 2kI1 4k ( I1 I 2 ) 0

MESH 2 : 12 2kI 2 4k ( I 2 I1 ) 0
CONTROLLING VARIABLE IN TERMS OF
LOOP CURRENTS

I x I2

I2

REPLACE AND REARRANGE

6kI1 6kI 2 0
4kI1 6kI 2 12
SOLVE FOR I2

2kI 2 12 I 2 6mA
VO 2kI 2 12[V ]

In the following we shall solve using loop

analysis two circuits that had previously been
solved using node analysis

This is one circuit.

we recap first the node analysis
approach and then we solve using
loop analysis

LEARNING EXAMPLE

FIND THE VOLTAGE Vo

RECAP OF NODE ANALYSIS

@V4 : V4 4V
AT SUPER NODE

V1 V2 2VX
V2 V2 V3 V1 V3 V1 4V

2
mA

0
1k
1k
1k
1k
1k

1k @V : 2mA V V V V 0
3

IDENTIFY NODES AND SUPER NODES

1k

CONTROLLING VARIABLE

1k

VX V2

SOLVE EQUATIONS NOW

V1 3VX
2V1 2VX V3 6V
V1 VX 2V3 2V
VARIABLE OF INTEREST

VO V1 V3

USING LOOP ANALYSIS

DETERMINE Vo

Write loop equations

Loop 1 : I1 2mA
Loop 3 : I 3 2mA

Loop 2 : 2VX 1kI 2 1k ( I 2 I 3 ) 0

Loop 4 : 4V 1k ( I 4 I 3 I1 ) 2VX 1kI 4 0
Controlling variable:VX 1k ( I1 I 3 I 4 )
SELECT LOOP CURRENTS

I1

I2

I4

I3
START SELECTION USING MESHES
SELECT A GENERAL LOOP TO AVOID
SHARING A CURRENT SOURCE

2kI 2 2kI 4 6
I 2 1mA, I 4 2mA
4kI 4 8
Variable of Interest VO 1kI 2

LEARNING EXAMPLE

RECAP OF NODE ANALYSIS

Find the current Io

@V2 : V2 12V

@V3 : V3 2VX
@ super node:
V4 V1 6V (constraint eq.)
V V3 V4 V5 V4
V1 V2 V1 V3

2I X 4

0
1k
1k
1k
1k
1k
FIND NODES AND SUPER NODES

@V5 : 2 I X

V5 V4 V5

0
1k
1k

CONTROLLING VARIABLES
VX V1 V2
IX

V4
1k

7 eqs in 7 variables

VARIABLE OF INTEREST

IO

V5
1k

Find the current Io using mesh analysis

Write loop/mesh equations

Loop1: 1kI1 1k ( I1 I 2 ) 1k ( I1 I 4 ) 0

Loop 2: 1k ( I 2 I1 ) 6V 1k ( I 2 I 5 ) 0
Loop 3: I 3 2 I X
Loop 4: 12V 1k ( I 4 I1 ) 2VX 0
Loop 5: 1k ( I 5 I 2 ) 1k( I 5 I 6 ) 2VX 0
Select mesh currents

Loop 6: 1k ( I 6 I 3 ) 1kI 6 1k ( I 6 I 5 ) 0
Controlling variables

VX 1kI1
I X I5 I6

8 eqs in 8 unknowns

Variable of interest:

IO I6

Home Work
Examples:
3.20 and 3.21
Extensions: 3.11, 3.12 and 3.13
Problems:
3.85, 3.87, 3.89, 3.96 and 3.97
Application Example: 3.22