1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 1

UNIT 1: BASIC CONCEPT

1.0 Intended Learning Outcomes

a. Explain the fundamental components of electric circuit;

b. State the functions and uses of International Standards of Units (SI).
c. Explain the difference between current, voltage, power and energy, charges.
d. Explain the use and applications of circuit elements.

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Electric circuits are used in numerous electrical systems to accomplish different

tasks. Our objective in this module is not the study of various uses and applications
of circuits. Rather our major concern is the analysis of the circuits. By the analysis of
a circuit, we mean a study of the behavior of the circuit: How does it respond to a
given input? How do the interconnected elements and devices in the circuit interact?
Are you ready? Let’s go.

Electric circuit theory and electromagnetic theory are the two fundamental theories
upon which all branches of electrical engineering are built. Many branches of
electrical engineering, such as power, electric machines, control, electronics,
communications, and instrumentation, are based on electric circuit theory.
Therefore, the basic electric circuit theory course is the most important course for an
electrical engineering student, Computer engineering and always an excellent
starting point for a beginning student in computer engineering education.

An electric circuit is an interconnection of electrical elements.

A simple electric circuit is shown in Fig. 1.1. It consists of three basic components: a
battery, a lamp, and connecting wires. Such a simple circuit can exist by itself; it has
several applications, such as a torch light, a search light, and so forth.

Figure 1.1 simple electric circuits

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A complicated real circuit is displayed in Fig. 1.2, representing the schematic

diagram for a radio receiver. Although it seems complicated, don’t worry this circuit
can be analyzed using the techniques we cover in this module. Our goal in this
module is to learn various analytical techniques and computer software applications
for describing the behavior of a circuit like this.

Figure 1.2 electric circuit of a radio receiver

? SAQ 1-1

What does an electric circuit do?

ASAQ 1
Provide path for transmitting electrical current.

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 1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 3

1.2 SYSTEMS OF UNITS

In reality, we measure quantities. Our measurement, however, must be

communicated in a standard language that virtually all professionals can
understand, irrespective of the country where the measurement is conducted. Such
an international measurement language is the International System of Units (SI),
adopted by the General Conference on Weights and Measures in 1960. In this
system, there are six principal units from which the units of all other physical
quantities can be derived.

Table 1.1 shows the six units, their symbols, and the physical quantities they
represent. The SI units are used throughout this module. One great advantage of the
SI unit is that it uses prefixes based on the power of 10 to relate larger and smaller
units to the basic unit.

Quantity Basic Unit Symbol

Length meter m
Mass kilogram kg
Time second s
Electric current ampere A
Thermodynamic temperature Kelvin k
Luminous intensity candela cd
Table 1.1 the six basic SI units.

Table 1.2 shows the SI prefixes and their symbols. For example, the following are
expressions of the same distance in meters (m):

600,000,000 mm 600,000 m 600 km

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Table 1.2 the SI prefixes

? SAQ 1-2

What is the importance of SI units in electrical circuit?

ASAQ 1-2
It is the standard unit of quantity used in electrical measurement.

1.3 CHARGE AND CURRENT

The concept of electric charge is the underlying principle for explaining all electrical
phenomena. Also, the most basic quantity in an electric circuit is the electric charge.
We all experience the effect of electric charge when we try to remove our wool
sweater and have it stick to our body or walk across a carpet and receive a shock.

Charge is an electrical property of the atomic particles of which matter consists,

measured in coulombs (C).We know from elementary physics that all matter is made

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of fundamental building blocks known as atoms and that each atom consists of
electrons, protons, and neutrons. We also know that the charge e on an electron is
negative and equal in magnitude to 1.602×10-19 C, while a proton carries a positive
charge of the same magnitude as the electron. The presence of equal numbers of
protons and electrons leaves an atom neutrally charged. The following points should
be noted about electric charge:

1. The coulomb is a large unit for charges. In 1 C of charge, there are 1/(1.602 × 10-
19) = 6.24 × 1018 electrons. Thus realistic or laboratory values of charges are on the

order of pC, nC, or μC.

2. According to experimental observations, the only charges that occur in nature
are integral multiples of the electronic charge e = −1.602 × 10-19 C.
3. The law of conservation of charge states that charge can neither be created nor
destroyed only transferred. Thus the algebraic sum of the electric charges in a
system does not change.

We now consider the flow of electric charges. A unique feature of electric charge or
electricity is the fact that it is mobile; that is, it can be transferred from one place to
another, where it can be converted to another form of energy.

When a conducting wire (consisting of several atoms) is connected to a battery (a

source of electromotive force), the charges are compelled to move; positive charges
move in one direction while negative charges move in the opposite direction. This
motion of charges creates electric current. It is conventional to take the current flow
as the movement of positive charges, that is, opposite to the flow of negative
charges, as Fig.1.3 illustrates. This convention was introduced by Benjamin Franklin
(1706–1790), the American scientist and inventor.

Figure 1.3 an electric current due to flow of electronic charge in a conductor.

Although we now know that current in metallic conductors is due to negatively

charged electrons, we will follow the universally accepted convention that current is

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the net flow of positive charges. Thus,

Electric current is the time rate of change of charge, measured in amperes (A).
Mathematically, the relationship between current i, charge q, and time t is

𝑑𝑞
i= (1.1)
𝑑𝑡

where current is measured in amperes (A), and 1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second. The

charge transferred between time to and t is obtained by integrating both sides of Eq.
(1.1) We obtain

𝑡
q = ∫𝑡𝑜 𝑖𝑑𝑡 (1.2)

The way we define current as i in Eq. (1.1) suggests that current need not be a
constant-valued function. As many of the examples and problems in this module
and subsequent chapters suggest, there can be several types of current; that is,
charge can vary with time in several ways that may be represented by different
kinds of mathematical functions. If the current does not change with time, but
remains constant, we call it as direct current (dc).

A direct current (dc) is a current that remains constant with time.

By convention the symbol I is used to represent such a constant current. A time-

varying current is represented by the symbol i. A common form of time-varying
current is the sinusoidal current or alternating current (ac).

An alternating current (ac) is a current that varies sinusoidal with time.

Such current is used in your household, to run the air conditioner, refrigerator,
washing machine, and other electric appliances. Figure 1.4 shows direct current and
alternating current; these are the two most common types of current. We will
consider other types later in the module.

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Figure 1.4 Two common types of current (a) direct current (dc), (b) alternating
current (ac).

Once we define current as the movement of charge, we expect current to have an

associated direction of flow. As mentioned earlier, the direction of current flows
conventionally taken as the direction of positive charge movement. Based on this
convention, a current of 5 A may be represented positively or negatively as shown in
Fig. 1.5. In other words, a negative current of −5 A flowing in one direction as shown
in Fig. 1.5(b) is the same as a current of +5 A flowing in the opposite direction.

Figure 1.5 conventional current flow (a) positive current flow (b) negative current
flow

? SAQ 1-3

When do we use ac and dc circuit?

ASAQ 1-3
Ac circuit is used in the current appliances at home, while dc circuits are
circuits used in motors generators etc.

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Example 1.1 How much charge is represented by 4,600 electrons?

Solution:

Given:
Each electron charge e = −1.602 × 10-19 Coulomb.
Electrons=4,600

Hence 4,600 electrons will have

Charge= −1.602 × 10-19 C/electron × 4,600 electrons
= −7.369 × 10-16 Coulomb.

Example 1.2 The total charge entering a terminal is given by q = 5t sin 4πt
mC. Calculate the current at t = 0.5 s.

Solution:

Given:
q = 5t sin 4πt mC
t = 0.5 s
𝑑𝑞 𝑑𝑞
i= = (5t sin 4πt) mC/s = (5 sin 4πt + 20πt cos 4πt) mA
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

At t =0.5 s,

i= 5 sin 2π + 10π cos 2π = 0 + 10π = 31.42 mA

Example 1.3

Determine the total charge entering a terminal between t = 1 s and t = 2 s

if the current passing the terminal is i = (3t2 − t) A.

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Solution:
Given:

i = (3t2 − t) A.

between t= 1s and t = 2s

2 2
q = ∫1=1 𝑖𝑑𝑡 = ∫1 (3𝑡 2 − 𝑡)𝑑𝑡
2
𝑡2 1
= ( t3 - ) = (8-2) - ( 1 - ) = 5.5 C
2 2
1

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

1.1 Calculate the amount of charge represented by two million protons.

Answer: + 3.204 × 10-13 C.

1. 2 If in Example 1.2, q = (10 − 10e-2t ) mC, find the current at t = 0.5 s.

Answer: 7.36 mA.

1.3 The current flowing through an element is

2𝐴, 0<𝑡<1
i={ 2
2𝑡 𝐴, 𝑡>1

Calculate the charge entering the element from t = 0 to t = 2 s.

Answer: 6.667 C.

1.4 VOLTAGE

As explained briefly in the previous section, to move the electron in a conductor in a

particular direction requires some work or energy transfer. This work is performed by
an external electromotive force (emf), typically represented by the battery in Fig. 1.3.
This emf is also known as voltage or potential difference. The voltage vab between two
points a and b in an electric circuit is the energy (or work) needed to move a unit

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charge from a to b; mathematically,

𝑑𝑤
Vab = (1.3)
𝑑𝑞

where w is energy in joules (J) and q is charge in coulombs (C). The voltage vab or
simply v is measured in volts (V), From Eq. (1.3), it is evident that

1 volt = 1 joule/coulomb = 1 newton meter/coulomb

Thus,

Voltage (or potential difference) is the energy required to move a unit charge
through an element, measured in volts (V).

Figure 1.6 shows the voltage across an element (represented by a rectangular

block) connected to points a and b. The plus (+) and minus (−) signs are used to
define reference direction or voltage polarity. The vab can be interpreted in two
ways: (1) point a is at a potential of vab volts higher than point b, or (2) the potential
at point a with respect to point b is vab. It follows that in general

vab = −vab (1.4)

Figure 1.6 Polarity of voltage vab

For example, in Fig. 1.7, we have two representations of the same voltage. In Fig.
1.7(a), point a is +9V above point b ; in Fig. 1.7(b), point b is −9 V above point a. We
may say that in Fig. 1.7(a), there is a 9-V voltage drop from a to b or equivalently a 9-
V voltage rise from b to a. In other words, a voltage drop from a to b is equivalent to
a voltage rise from b to a.

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Figure 1.7 Two equivalent representation of the same voltage vab: (a) point a is 9
volts above point b, (b) point b is -9 Volts above point a.

Current and voltage are the two basic variables in electric circuits. The common term
signal is used for an electric quantity such as a current or a voltage (or even
electromagnetic wave) when it is used for conveying information. Engineers prefer to
call variables signals rather than mathematical functions of time because of their
importance in communications and other disciplines.

Like electric current, a constant voltage is called a dc voltage and is represented by V,

whereas a sinusoidal time-varying voltage is called an ac voltage and is represented by
v. A dc voltage is commonly produced by a battery; ac voltage is produced by an
electric generator.

1.5 POWER AND ENERGY

Although current and voltage are the two basic variables in an electric circuit, they
are not sufficient by themselves. For practical purposes, we need to know how much
power an electric device can handle. We all know from experience that a 100-watt
bulb gives more light than a 60-watt bulb. We also know that when we pay our bills
to the electric utility companies, we are paying for the electric energy consumed over
a certain period of time. Thus power and energy calculations are important in circuit
analysis. To relate power and energy to voltage and current, we recall from physics
that:

Power is the time rate of expending or absorbing energy, measured in watts (W).

We write this relationship as

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𝑑𝑤
p= (1.5)
𝑑𝑡

where p is power in watts (W), w is energy in joules (J), and t is time in seconds (s).
From Eqs. (1.1), (1.3), and (1.5), it follows that

𝑑𝑤 𝑑𝑤 𝑑𝑞
p= = . = vi (1.6)
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑞 𝑑𝑡

or

p = vi (1.7)

The power p in Eq. (1.7) is a time-varying quantity and is called the instantaneous
power. Thus, the power absorbed or supplied by an element is the product of the
voltage across the element and the current through it. If the power has a + sign,
power is being delivered to or absorbed by the element. If, on the other hand, the
power has a − sign, power is being supplied by the element. But how do we know
when the power has a negative or a positive sign?

Current direction and voltage polarity play a major role in determining the sign of
power. It is therefore important that we pay attention to the relationship between
current i and voltage v in Fig. 1.8(a). The voltage polarity and current direction must
conform to those shown in Fig. 1.8(a) in order for the power to have a positive sign.
This is known as the passive sign convention. By the passive sign convention, current
enters through the positive polarity of the voltage.

In this case, p = +vi or vi > 0 implies that the element is absorbing power. However,
if p = −vi or vi < 0, as in Fig. 1.8(b), the element is releasing or supplying power.

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Figure 1.8 Reference polarities for power using the passive sign convention: (a)
absorbing power, (b) supplying power

Passive sign convention is satisfied when the current enters through

The positive terminal of an element and p = +vi. If the current
Enters through the negative terminal, p = −vi.

Unless otherwise stated, we will follow the passive sign convention throughout this
module. For example, the element in both circuits of Fig. 1.9 has an absorbing power
of +12 W because a positive current enters the positive terminal in both cases. In Fig.
1.10, however, the element is supplying power of −12Wbecause a positive current
enters the negative terminal. Of course, an absorbing power of +12 W is equivalent
to a supplying power of −12 W. In general,

Power absorbed = −Power supplied

Figure 1.9 Two cases of an element Figure 1.10 Two cases of an element
with an absorbing power of 12 W: with an absorbing power of 12 W:
(a) p = 4 × 3 = 12 W, (a) p = 4 × (-3) = -12 W,
(b) p = 4 × 3 = 12 W. (b) p = 4 × (-3) = -12 W.

In fact, the law of conservation of energy must be obeyed in any electric circuit. For this
reason, the algebraic sum of power in a circuit, at any instant of time, must be zero:

∑𝑝 = 0 (1.8)

This again confirms the fact that the total power supplied to the circuit must balance
the total power absorbed. From Eq. (1.6), the energy absorbed or supplied by an
element from time to to time t is

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𝑡 𝑡
w = ∫𝑡𝑜 𝑝 𝑑𝑡 = ∫𝑡𝑜 𝑣𝑖 𝑑𝑡 (1.9)

Energy is the capacity to do work, measured in joules ( J).

The electric power utility companies measure energy in watt-hours (Wh), where

1 Wh = 3,600 J

Example 1.4 An energy source forces a constant current of 2 A for 10 s to flow

through a light bulb. If 2.3 kJ is given off in the form of light and heat
energy, calculate the voltage drop across the bulb.

SOLUTION:

The total charge is

Δq = iΔt = 2 x 10 = 20 C
The voltage drop is
𝛥𝑤 2.3 𝑥 103
v= = = 115 V
𝛥𝑞 20

Example 1.5 Find the power delivered to an element at t = 3 ms if the current

entering its positive terminal is i = 5 cos 60πt A and the voltage is: (a) v
= 3i, (b) v = 3 di/dt .

Solution:

(a) The voltage is v = 3i = 15 cos 60πt; hence, the power is

p = vi = 75 cos2 60πt W

At t = 3 ms,

p = 75 cos2(60π × 3 × 10-3) = 75 cos2 0.18π = 53.48 W

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(b) We find the voltage and the power as

𝑑𝑖
v=3 = 3(−60π)5 sin 60πt = −900π sin 60πt V
𝑑𝑡

p = vi = −4500π sin 60πt cos 60πt W

At t = 3 ms,

p = −4500π sin 0.18π cos 0.18π W

= −14137.167 sin 32.4◦ cos 32.4◦ = −6.396 kW

Example 1.6 How much energy does a 100-W electric bulb consume in two
hours?

Solution:

w = pt = 100 (W) × 2 (h) × 60 (min/h) × 60 (s/min)

= 720,000 J = 720 kJ
This is the same as

w = pt = 100 W× 2 h = 200 Wh

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

1.4 To move charge q from point a to point b requires −30 J. Find the voltage
drop vab if: (a) q = 2 C, (b) q = −6 C .

Answer: (a) −15 V, (b) 5 V.

1.5 Find the power delivered to the element in Example 1.5 at t = 5 ms if the current
remains the same but the voltage is: (a) v = 2i V, (b) v =

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𝑡
(10 + 5 ∫ 𝑖𝑑𝑡) V
𝑜
Answer: (a) 17.27 W, (b) 29.7 W.

1.6 CIRCUIT ELEMENTS

There are two types of elements found in electric circuits: passive elements and
active elements. An active element is capable of generating energy while a passive
element is not.

Examples of passive elements are resistors, capacitors, and inductors. Typical active
elements include generators, batteries, and operational amplifiers. Our aim in this
section is to gain familiarity with some important active elements. The most
important active elements are voltage or current sources that generally deliver
power to the circuit connected to them. There are two kinds of sources: independent
and dependent sources.

An ideal independent source is an active element that provides a specified

voltage or current that is completely independent of other circuit variables.

In other words, an ideal independent voltage source delivers to the circuit whatever
current is necessary to maintain its terminal voltage. Physical sources such as
batteries and generators may be regarded as approximations to ideal voltage
sources. Figure 1.11 shows the symbols for independent voltage sources. Notice that
both symbols in Fig. 1.11(a) and (b) can be used to represent a dc voltage source, but
only the symbol in Fig. 1.11(a) can be used for a time-varying voltage source.
Similarly, an ideal independent current source is an active element that provides a
specified current completely independent of the voltage across the source. That is,
the current source delivers to the circuit whatever voltage is necessary to maintain
the designated current. The symbol for an independent current source is displayed
in Fig. 1.12, where the arrow indicates the direction of current i.

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Figure 1.11 Symbols for independent voltages sources: (a) used for constant or
time-varying voltage, (b) used for constant voltage (dc).

Figure 1.12 symbols for independent source

Dependent sources are usually designated by diamond-shaped symbols, as shown

in Fig. 1.13. Since the control of the dependent source is achieved by a voltage or
current of some other element in the circuit, and the source can be voltage or current,
it follows that there are four possible types of dependent sources, namely:

1. A voltage-controlled voltage source (VCVS).

2. A current-controlled voltage source (CCVS).
3. A voltage-controlled current source (VCCS).
4. A current-controlled current source (CCCS).

Figure 1.13 Symbols for: (a) dependent voltage source, (b) dependent current
source.

Dependent sources are useful in modeling elements such as transistors, operational

amplifiers and integrated circuits. An example of a current controlled voltage source
is shown on the right-hand side of Fig. 1.14, where the voltage 10i of the voltage
source depends on the current I through element C. Students might be surprised that

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the value of the dependent voltage source is 10i V (and not 10i A) because it is a
voltage source. The key idea to keep in mind is that a voltage source comes with
polarities (+ −) in its symbol, while a current source comes with an arrow,
irrespective of what it depends on.

Figure 1.14 the source on the right-hand side is a current-controlled voltage

source.

Example 1.7 Calculate the power supplied or absorbed by each element in Fig. 1.15.

Figure 1.15 for example 1.7

Solution:

We apply the sign convention for power shown in Figs. 1.8 and 1.9. For p1, the 5-A
current is out of the positive terminal (or into the negative terminal); hence,

p1 = 20(−5) = −100 W Supplied power

For p2 and p3, the current flows into the positive terminal of the element in each case.

p2 = 12(5) = 60 W Absorbed power

p3 = 8(6) = 48 W Absorbed power

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For p4, we should note that the voltage is 8V(positive at the top), the same as the
voltage for p3, since both the passive element and the dependent source are
connected to the same terminals. (Remember that voltage is always measured across
an element in a circuit.) Since the current flows out of the positive terminal,

p4 = 8(−0.2I) = 8(−0.2 × 5) = −8 W Supplied power

We should observe that the 20-V independent voltage source and 0.2I dependent
current source are supplying power to the rest of the network, while the two passive
elements are absorbing power. Also,

p1 + p2 + p3 + p4 = −100 + 60 + 48 − 8 = 0

In agreement with Eq. (1.8), the total power supplied equals the total power
absorbed.

PRACTICE PROBLEMS

1.7 Compute the power absorbed or supplied by each component of the circuit in
Fig. 1.16.

Figure 1.16 for problem 1.7

Answer: p1 = −40 W, p2 = 16 W, p3 = 9 W, p4 = 15 W.

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1.7 APPLICATIONS

In this section, we will consider two practical applications of the concepts developed
in this chapter. The first one deals with the TV picture tube and the other with how
electric utilities determine your electric bill.

1.7.1 TV PICTURE TUBE

One important application of the motion of electrons is found in both the

transmission and reception of TV signals. At the transmission end, a TV camera
reduces a scene from an optical image to an electrical signal. Scanning is
accomplished with a thin beam of electrons in an iconoscope camera tube. At the
receiving end, the image is reconstructed by using a cathode- ray tube (CRT) located
in the TV receiver.3 The CRT is depicted in Fig. 1.17. Unlike the iconoscope tube,
which produces an electron beam of constant intensity, the CRT beam varies in
intensity according to the incoming signal. The electron gun, maintained at a high
potential, fires the electron beam. The beam passes through two sets of plates for
vertical and horizontal deflections so that the spot on the screen where the beam
strikes can move right and left and up and down. When the electron beam strikes
the fluorescent screen, it gives off light at that spot. Thus the beam can be made to
“paint” a picture on the TV screen.

Figure 1.17 Cathode-ray tube

Example 1.8 the electron beam in a TV picture tube carries 1015 electrons per second.
As a design engineer, determine the voltage Vo needed to accelerate the electron

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beam to achieve 4 W.

Figure 1.18 example 1.8

Solution:

The charge on an electron is e = −1.6 × 10-19 C

If the number of electrons is n, then q = ne and

𝑑𝑞 𝑑𝑛
i= =e = (−1.6 × 10-19)(1015) = −1.6 × 10-4 A
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

The negative sign indicates that the electron flows in a direction opposite to
electron flow as shown in Fig. 1.18, which is a simplified diagram of the CRT for
the case when the vertical deflection plates carry no charge. The beam power is

𝑝 4
P = Voi or Vo = = = 25,000 V
𝑖 1.6 𝑥 10𝑥 −4

Thus the required voltage is 25KV

PRACTICE PROBLEM

1.8 If an electron beam in a TV picture tube carries 1013 electrons/second and is

passing through plates maintained at a potential difference of 30 kV, calculate the
power in the beam.

Answer: 48 mW.

1.7.2 ELECTRIC BILLS

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The second application deals with how an electric utility company charges their
customers. The cost of electricity depends upon the amount of energy consumed in
kilowatt-hours (kWh). (Other factors that affect the cost include demand and power
factors; we will ignore these for now.) However, even if a consumer uses no energy
at all, there is a minimum service charge the customer must pay because it costs
money to stay connected to the power line. As energy consumption increases, the
cost per kWh drops. It is interesting to note the average monthly consumption of
household appliances for a family of five, shown in Table 1.3.

Example 1.9 A home owner consumes 3,300 kWh in January. Determine the
electricity bill for the month using the following residential rate
schedule: Base monthly charge of $12.00.

First 100 kWh per month at 16 cents/kWh.

Next 200 kWh per month at 10 cents/kWh.
Over 200 kWh per month at 6 cents/kWh.

Solution:

We calculate the electricity bill as follows.

Base monthly charge = $12.00

First 100 kWh @ $0.16/kWh = $16.00
Next 200 kWh @ $0.10/kWh = $20.00

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Remaining 100 kWh @ $0.06/kWh = $6.00

Total Charge = $54.00

$54
Average cost = = 13.5 cents/kWh
100+200+100

1.8 PRACTICE PROBLEM

Referring to the residential rate schedule in Example 1.9, calculate the average cost
per kWh if only 400 kWh are consumed in July when the family is on vacation
most of the time.

Answer: 13.5 cents/kWh.

1.9 SUMMARY

1. An electric circuit consists of electrical elements connected together.

2. The International System of Units (SI) is the international measurement language,
which enables engineers to communicate their results. From the six principal units,
the units of other physical quantities can be derived.
3. Current is the rate of charge flow.

𝑑𝑞
I =
𝑑𝑡

4. Voltage is the energy required to move 1 C of charge through an element.

𝑑𝑤
v =
𝑑𝑞

5. Power is the energy supplied or absorbed per unit time. It is also the
product of voltage and current.

𝑑𝑤
p = = vi
𝑑𝑡

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 1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 24

6. According to the passive sign convention, power assumes a positive sign when
the current enters the positive polarity of the voltage across an element.

7. An ideal voltage source produces a specific potential difference across its

terminals regardless of what is connected to it. An ideal current source produces a
specific its terminals regardless of what is connected to it.
8. Voltage and current sources can be dependent or independent. A dependent
source is one whose value depends on some other circuit variable.

9. Two areas of application of the concepts covered in this chapter are the TV picture
tube and electricity billing procedure.

REVIEW QUESTIONS

1. One millivolt is one millionth of a volt.

(a) True (b) False
2. The prefix micro stands for:
(a) 106 (b) 103 (c) 10−3 (d) 10−6
3. The voltage 2,000,000 V can be expressed in powers of 10 as:
(a) 2 mV (b) 2 kV (c) 2 MV (d) 2 GV
4. A charge of 2 C flowing past a given point each second is a current of 2 A.
(a) True (b) False
5. A 4-A current charging a dielectric material will Accumulate a charge of 24 C after
6 s.
(a) True (b) False
6. The unit of current is:
(a) Coulomb (b) Ampere (c) Volt (d) Joule
7. Voltage is measured in:
(a) Watts (b) Amperes (c) Volts (d) Joules per second
8. The voltage across a 1.1 kW toaster that produces a Current of 10 A is:
(a) 11 kV (b) 1100 V (c) 110 V (d) 11 V
9. Which of these is not an electrical quantity?
(a) charge (b) time (c) voltage (d) Current (e) power
10. The dependent source in figure at right is:
(a) voltage-controlled current source
(b) voltage-controlled voltage source

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 1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 25

(c) current-controlled voltage source

(d) current-controlled current source

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 1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 26

Assignment No. 1

Name: _____________________________ Course, Year & Section: ________

Subject: EE 1 Instructor: Francisco Dequito,Jr.

Directions: Solve the following comprehensively based on your own

understanding. Write your answers on a short bond paper.

1. How many coulombs are represented by these amounts of electrons:

(a) 6.482 × 1017 (b) 1.24 × 1018
(c) 2.46 × 1019 (d) 1.628 × 1020

2. Find the current flowing through an element if the charge flow is given
by:
(a) q(t) = (t + 2) mC
(b) q(t) = (5t2 + 4t − 3) C
(c) q(t) = 10e-4t pC

3. Find the charge q(t) flowing through a device if the current is:
(a) i(t) = 3 A, q(0) = 1 C
(b) i(t) = (2t + 5) mA, q(0) = 0
(c) i(t) = 20 cos(10t + π/6)μA, q(0) = 2μC

4. The current flowing through a device is i(t) = 5 sin 6πt A. Calculate the
total charge flow through the device from t = 0 to t = 10 ms.

5. Determine the total charge flowing into an element for 0 < t < 2 s when
the current entering its positive terminal is i(t) = e-2t mA.

1.10 REFERENCES

1. Fundamentals of Electric circuits. Charles Alexander,5TH edition Matheu Sadiku.

McGrw Hill Book of Company.

1.11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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 1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 27

Further revealed that the images, tables, figures and information contained in this
module were taken from the references cited above.

C. M. D. Hamo-ay
1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 28

C. M. D. Hamo-ay
1 | Fundamentals of Electrical Circuits 29

C. M. D. Hamo-ay