Lesson 2.
Kirchhoff’s Laws
2.2 Combination of Kirchhoff’s Voltage and Current Law
At the end of the lesson, the students will be able to:
1. The students will be able to solve problems in DC circuits using both Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law and
Current Law
Some problems in electric circuits requires both the use of KVL and KCL. This case occurs when elements
are connected in series-parallel. The number of KVL equations will correspond with the number of loops,
while the number of KCL equations will depend on the number of nodes (except the reference node)
where currents diverge.
Illustrative Problems
1. Find the currents and voltages in the circuit
Solution:
First, we express voltages in terms of current. But we first need to see on which sign does the loop
enters.
𝑣1 = + 8𝑖1 𝑣2 = + 3𝑖2 𝑣3 = + 6𝑖3
The voltage labels can now be removed
Now we can generate the KVL equations (two loops will yield two KVL equations)
KVL at loop 1
−30 + 8𝑖1 + 3𝑖2 = 0
8𝑖1 + 3𝑖2 = 30 − 𝐸𝑞. 1
KVL at loop 2
−3𝑖2 + 6𝑖3 = 0
6𝑖3 = 3𝑖2
3
𝑖3 = 𝑖2 𝑜𝑟 0.5𝑖2 − 𝐸𝑞. 2
6
KCL at node a
𝑖1 − 𝑖2 − 𝑖3 = 0 − 𝐸𝑞. 3
Having three (3) equations and three (3) unknowns, we can now use algebra
From Eq. 1
8𝑖1 + 3𝑖2 = 30
8𝑖1 = 30 − 3𝑖2
30 − 3𝑖2
𝑖1 =
8
Substitute Eq. 1 and Eq. 2 to Eq. 3
𝑖1 − 𝑖2 − 𝑖3 = 0
30 − 3𝑖2
( ) − 𝑖2 − (0.5𝑖2 ) = 0
8
30 3𝑖2
− − 𝑖2 − (0.5𝑖2 ) = 0
8 8
3𝑖2 30
− − 𝑖2 − (0.5𝑖2 ) = −
8 8
15 30
− 𝑖2 = −
8 8
𝑖2 = 2 𝐴
Solve for i3 using Eq. 2
𝑖3 = 0.5𝑖2
𝑖3 = 0.5(2)
𝑖3 = 1 𝐴
Solve for i1 using Eq. 1
8𝑖1 + 3𝑖2 = 30
8𝑖1 + 3(2) = 30
𝑖1 = 3 𝐴
Check currents using KCL
𝑖1 − 𝑖2 − 𝑖3 = 0
(3) − (2) − (1) = 0
0=0
Now, we can solve for the voltages
𝑣1 = + 8𝑖1 = 8(3) = 24 𝑉
𝑣2 = + 3𝑖2 = 3(2) = 6 𝑉
𝑣3 = + 6𝑖3 = 6(1) = 6 𝑉
Check using KVL using Eq. 1
−30 + 8𝑖1 + 3𝑖2 = 0
−30 + 8(3) + 3(2) = 0
0=0
or Eq. 2
−3𝑖2 + 6𝑖3 = 0
−3(2) + 6(1) = 0
0=0
2. Solve for the voltages and the currents
Solution:
Express voltages in terms of current
𝑣1 = + 2𝑖1 𝑣2 = + 8𝑖2 𝑣3 = + 4𝑖3
The voltage labels can now be removed
KVL at loop 1
−5 + 2𝑖1 + 8𝑖2 = 0
2𝑖1 + 8𝑖2 = 5 − 𝐸𝑞. 1
KVL at loop 2
−8𝑖2 + 4𝑖3 − 3 = 0
−8𝑖2 + 4𝑖3 = 3 − 𝐸𝑞. 2
KCL at node a
𝑖1 − 𝑖2 − 𝑖3 = 0 − 𝐸𝑞. 3
From Eq. 1
2𝑖1 + 8𝑖2 = 5
2𝑖1 = 5 − 8𝑖2
5 − 8𝑖2
𝑖1 =
2
From Eq. 2
−8𝑖2 + 4𝑖3 = 3
4𝑖3 = −3 + 8𝑖2
3 + 8𝑖2
𝑖3 =
4
Substitute Eq. 1 and Eq. 2 to Eq. 3
𝑖1 − 𝑖2 − 𝑖3 = 0
5 − 8𝑖2 3 + 8𝑖2
( ) − 𝑖2 − ( )=0
2 4
5 8𝑖2 3 8𝑖2
− − 𝑖2 − − =0
2 2 4 4
8𝑖2 8𝑖2 5 3
− − 𝑖2 − =− +
2 4 2 4
7
−7𝑖2 = −
4
1
𝑖2 = 𝐴 𝑜𝑟 0.25 𝐴
4
Use Eq. 1 to solve for i1
5 − 8𝑖2
𝑖1 =
2
5 − 8(0.25)
𝑖1 =
2
3
𝑖1 = 𝑜𝑟 1.5 𝐴
2
Use Eq. 3 to solve for i3
3 + 8𝑖2
𝑖3 =
4
3 + 8(0.25)
𝑖3 =
4
𝑖3 = 1.25 𝐴
Check using KCL
𝑖1 − 𝑖2 − 𝑖3 = 0
(1.5) − (0.25) − (1.25) = 0
0=0
Solve for the voltages
𝑣1 = + 2𝑖1
𝑣1 = + 2(1.5)
𝑣1 = 3 𝑉
𝑣2 = + 8𝑖2
𝑣2 = + 8(0.25)
𝑣2 = 2 𝑉
𝑣3 = + 4𝑖3
𝑣3 = + 4(1.25)
𝑣3 = 5 𝑉
Check using KVL Eq. 1
−5 + 2𝑖1 + 8𝑖2 = 0
−5 + 2(1.5) + 8(0.25) = 0
0=0
or Eq. 2
−8𝑖2 + 4𝑖3 − 3 = 0
−8(1.5) + 4(1.25) − 3 = 0
0=0