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Kirchhoff's Laws Explained: KCL & KVL

Kirchhoff's First Law, or Current Law (KCL), states that the total current entering a junction equals the total current leaving it, reflecting the Conservation of Charge. Kirchhoff's Second Law, or Voltage Law (KVL), asserts that in a closed loop, the total voltage is equal to the sum of all voltage drops, embodying the Conservation of Energy. Both laws are essential for analyzing electrical circuits, with KCL applied to parallel circuits and KVL to series circuits.

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10 views81 pages

Kirchhoff's Laws Explained: KCL & KVL

Kirchhoff's First Law, or Current Law (KCL), states that the total current entering a junction equals the total current leaving it, reflecting the Conservation of Charge. Kirchhoff's Second Law, or Voltage Law (KVL), asserts that in a closed loop, the total voltage is equal to the sum of all voltage drops, embodying the Conservation of Energy. Both laws are essential for analyzing electrical circuits, with KCL applied to parallel circuits and KVL to series circuits.

Uploaded by

kathalappachinna141
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Kirchhoff’s First Law

Kirchhoff’s First Law – The Current Law, (KCL)

Kirchhoff’s 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.

Kirchhoff’s Current Law

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

The term Node in an electrical circuit generally refers to a connection or junction of two or more
current carrying paths or elements such as cables and components. Also for current to flow either
in or out of a node a closed circuit path must exist. We can use Kirchhoff’s current law when
analyzing parallel circuits.

Kirchhoff’s Second Law – The Voltage Law, (KVL)

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. This idea by Kirchhoff is known as the Conservation of Energy.

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law

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. It is
important to maintain the same direction either clockwise or anti-clockwise or the final voltage
sum will not be equal to zero. We can use Kirchhoff’s voltage law when analyzing series circuits.

Example: A Typical DC Circuit


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