Interview Questions of Network Analysis & Synthesis

Q.1. What are respective values of internal resistances of ideal voltage and ideal current sources?
Is it possible to convert an ideal voltage into an ideal current source or vice versa?
Answer: Internal resistances of ideal voltage and ideal current sources are zero and infinite
respectively.
It is not possible to convert ideal voltage source into ideal current source and vice versa.

Q.2. Define current, voltage and power

Answer: The time rate of flow of electric charge across a cross-sectional boundary is termed as current.
Voltage is defined as work done in moving a unit positive charge once around the closed path.
The instantaneous power delivered to circuit elements is the product of the instantaneous value of
voltage and current of the element. In terms of energy, power is defined as “The time rate of change of
energy is called power”.
Q.3. What is self-inductance (L) and mutual inductance (M)?
Answer: The property of coil due to which it opposes any increase or decrease of current or flux
through it is called self-inductance.
Mutual inductance is the property of two coil because of which each opposes any change in the current
flowing through the other by developing an induced emf.
Q.4. What is the utility of Thevenin theorem?
Answer: Thevenin’s theorem is advantageous when we are to determine the current in a particular
element of a linear bilateral network particularly when it is desired to find the current which flows
through a resistor for its different values. It makes the solution of the complicated networks (particularly
electronic networks) quite simple.
Q.5. What are lumped network and distributed network?
Answer: A network in which physically separate resistors, capacitors and inductors can be represented.
A network in which resistors, capacitors and inductors cannot be electrically separable and isolated as
individual elements. A transmission line has distributed resistor, inductor and capacitor which are not
isolated from the network.
Q.6. What are the limitations of Ohm’s law?
Answer: Ohm’s law cannot be applied to the circuits consisting of (i) electronic tubes or transistors
(because such elements are not bilateral) and (ii) nonlinear elements such as powdered iron, electric arc
etc.
Q.7. What is the difference between the unilateral and bilateral network?
Answer: A unilateral network is one whose elements follow different laws relating to voltage and
current for different direction of voltage and current polarities. For example, vacuum tubes, crystal and
metal rectifiers are unilateral elements.
A bilateral network is defined as those whose elements can transmit well in either direction. For
example, elements made of high conductivity material like iron core conductor is bilateral elements.
Q.8. What are linear networks?
Answer: A linear network is one for which the principle of superposition holds. A circuit element is
linear if the relation between voltage and current involves a constant coefficient.
Therefore, it is concluded that a linear network must be bilateral, but a bilateral network is not
necessarily linear. For example, an iron core conductor is bilateral, but it is non linear.
Q.9. What is a current source and voltage source?
Answer: A generator which maintains its output current independent of the voltage across its terminals.
It is indicated by a circle enclosing an arrow for reference current direction. An ideal current source has
infinite internal resistance.
A generator which maintains its value of potential independent of the output current. An AC source is
indicated by a circle enclosing a wavy line. An ideal voltage source has zero internal resistance.
Q.10. What is the utility of superposition theorem?
Answer: This theorem is applied when we are to determine the current in one particular branch of a
network containing several voltage sources or current sources or both voltage sources and current
sources
Q.11. What should be the internal resistance of an ideal voltmeter and ammeter?
Answer: Ideally the internal resistance of a voltmeter should be infinite and ideally the internal
resistance of an ammeter should be zero.
Q.12. State Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL).
Answer: It is based on conservation of charge. It states that, “The algebraic sum of currents at any node
of a circuit is zero”.
Q.13. State Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL).
Answer: It is based on conservation of energy. It states that, “The algebraic sum of voltages in any
closed path of network that is traversed in any single direction is zero”.
Q.14. Explain the switching action of an inductor?
Answer: The current through an inductor cannot change instantaneously. If an energy source is
suddenly connected to an inductor, then it will not cause current to flow initially. Thus, inductor acts as
open circuit for the new applied source at the instant of switching.
If a current of vale IO flows in the inductor at the instant switching takes place, that current will continue
to flow. For the initial instant, the inductor may be considered as a current source of current IO.
Q.15. Explain the switching action of a capacitor?
Answer: The voltage across a capacitor cannot change instantaneously. Since, we have V=q/c, hence
zero charge corresponds to zero voltage. Thus, for a suddenly applied energy source, voltage across
capacitor is initially zero i.e. equivalent to a short circuit.
Hence on connecting an uncharged capacitor to an energy source, a current flows instantaneously. But
with an initial charge in the system, the capacitor is equivalent to a voltage source of vale V O = qo /c,
where qo the initial charge.
Q.16. State clearly the Thevenin’s theorem.
Answer: This theorem states that a linear, bilateral network consisting of active and passive elements
can be replaced by a voltage source connected in series with impedance. The value of voltage source is
equal to the open circuited voltage seen across the terminals and the impedance is equal to the
impedance seen across the open circuited terminals with all sources replaced by their internal
impedances.
Q.17. Explain the usefulness of Thevenin’s theorem in linear network?
Answer: Thevenin’s theorem is very useful in linear network analysis because using Thevenin’s
theorem a large part of network, often a complicated and uninteresting part, can be replaced by a very
simple equivalent which enables us to make rapid calculations.
It is very useful when it is desired to determine the current through or voltage across any one element in
a network instead of going through the lengthy method of soling the network.
Q.18. State clearly the superposition theorem.
Answer: This theorem states that the voltage across or current through any element due to multiple
sources present in a linear network is equal to the algebraic sum of voltage across or current through that
element due to individual source with all other sources replaced by their internal impedances.
Q.19. Explain the usefulness of superposition theorem in linear network?
Answer: Superposition theorem is very useful in linear network analysis because a complex network
can be solved easily by breaking it in simpler networks and using superposition theorem.
This theorem is very useful to calculate the voltage and current when more than one active source is
present in the network.
Q.20. State Tellegen’s theorem and its application.
Answer: It states that for any given time, the sum and power delivered to each branch of any electric
network is zero. In other words, the summation of instantaneous power or summation of complex power
of sinusoidal sources in a electrical network is zero.
Tellegen’s theorem is applicable for any lumped network having elements which are linear or non-
linear, active or passive, time-varying or time-invariant.
Q.21. What is Reciprocity theorem?
Answer: This theorem states that the current in branch X due to voltage source in branch Y of a linear
bilateral network is same as the current in branch Y when the same voltage source is connected in
branch X of the network.
▪ Only one source should be present in the network.
▪ Initial condition must be zero.
▪ Network must be time invariant.
▪ Dependent sources are not permitted.
Q.22. State Norton’s Theorem.
Answer: It states that, any two terminals of a network containing linear passive and active elements may
be replaced by an equivalent current source IN in parallel with a resistance RN where IN is the current
flowing through a short circuit placed across the terminals and RN is the equivalent resistance of the
network as seen from the two terminals with all the independent sources suppressed.
Q.23. State Millman’s Theorem.
Answer: This theorem states that, any number of current sources in parallel may be replaced by a single
current source, whose current is the algebraic sum of individual source currents and source resistance is
the parallel combination of individual source resistance.
Q.24. What is the condition for maximum power transfer to take place?
Answer: For maximum power transfer to take place the resistance of the load should be equal to the
source resistance and the reactance of the load should be equal to that of source in magnitude but
opposite in sign. It means, if load is capacitive then source is inductive and vice-versa.
Q.25. Where the study of resonance is very useful?
Answer: The study of resonance is very useful in the area of communication particularly. For example,
the ability of a radio receiver to select a certain frequency transmitted by a station and to eliminate
frequencies from other stations is based on the principle of resonance.
Q.26. What is passive network and active network?
Answer: A network containing circuit elements without any energy source is called as passive network.
A network containing energy source together with other circuit elements is called active network.
Q.27. Write the properties of ideal voltage source.
Answer: An ideal voltage source is a constant voltage source and is capable of supplying any current at
a given voltage. The internal resistance of an ideal voltage source is zero and therefore, the terminal
voltage (voltage across the load) is always equal to the source emf and is independent of the magnitude
of current supplied.
There are two noteworthy points regarding ideal voltage source.
1. Ideal voltage source cannot he short circuited
2. Two ideal voltage sources of unequal output cannot be placed in parallel.
Q.28. What is the use of superposition theorem?
Answer: This theorem is used in order to check whether a given element is linear or non-linear.
Q.29. For which network, the superposition theorem is not applicable?
Answer: Superposition theorem is not applicable to the network containing unilateral elements and
nonlinear elements.
Q.30. On which law Tellegan’s theorem is based?
Answer: Tellegan’s theorem works based on the principle of law of conservation of energy.
Q.31. What is transient response?
Answer: Transients are present in circuit, when circuit is subjected to any changes either by changing
source magnitude or by changing any circuit elements provided circuit should consists of any energy
storage elements. Transient response depends only on circuit components and their layout that is on
system not on input and output.
Q.32. Is it possible to obtain transient free response in RLC circuit?
Answer: In RLC circuit it is not possible to obtain transient free response, since circuit is having two
independent energy storage elements Land C.
Q.33. What is Resonance?
Answer: Resonance is the condition when the voltage across a circuit becomes in phase with the current
supplied to the circuit. At resonance, the circuit behaves like a resistive circuit.
Q.34. What is power factor?
Answer: It is the cosine of the angle between the voltage and current in any AC circuit. For a resistive
circuit power factor is unity. For a capacitive circuit power factor is leading (i.e. current leads the
voltage) and for an inductive circuit power factor is lagging (i.e. current lags the voltage).
Q.35. What will be the power factor of the circuit at resonance?
Answer: At resonance, the circuit behaves like a resistive circuit, so the power factor of the circuit at
resonance is unity.
Q.36. What is the Q factor or quality factor?
Answer: The ratio of resonant frequency to the bandwidth is an indication of the degree of selectivity of
the circuit. This is known as quality factor (Q).
Q.37. What will be the effect of Quality factor on bandwidth?
Answer: A higher value of Quality factor results in a smaller bandwidth and a lower value of Quality
factor cause a larger bandwidth.
Q.38. What is the difference between Apparent power and Reactive power?
Answer: Apparent Power- The product VI is called the apparent power and it is usually indicated by the
symbol ‘S’. It is expressed in VA.
Reactive Power- The product of rms value of current and voltage and sine of the angle between them is
called reactive power. It is denoted by ‘Q’ and is expressed in VAR.
Q.39. What is Power Triangle?
Answer: The equations associated with the average, apparent and reactive power can be developed
geometrically on a right triangle called the power triangle.
Q.40. What is the use of Hybrid (h) parameter?
Answer: Hybrid parameters are used in constructing models for transistors.
Q.41. What is image impedance of the network?
Answer: If two impedance Zi1 and Zi2 are such that Zi1 is driving point impedance at port 1 with
Zi2 connected to port 2 and Zi2 is driving point impedance at port 2 with Zi1 connected to port 1 then
Zi1 and Zi2 are called image impedance of the network.
Q.42. What is magnetic coupling?
Answer: When a portion of magnetic flux established by one circuit interlinks with the second circuit,
the two circuits are said to be coupled magnetically and energy may be transferred from one circuit to
other through the medium of magnetic flux which is common to both.
Q.43. Define bandwidth of series RLC circuit.
Answer: The bandwidth of a series RLC circuit is defined as the range of frequency for which the
power delivered to the resistance is greater than or equal to half the power delivered at resonance.
Q.44. What are the methods of realization of reactance functions?
Answer: Any reactance function can be realized in two forms-
▪ Cauer form or ladder form.
▪ Foster form.
Q.45. Define “Tree” of a connected graph?
Answer: A tree is a connected sub-graph of a connected graph containing all the nodes of the graph but
containing no loops.
A “Tree” is a very important concept in linear graph theory which is a set of branches with every node
connected to every other node (directly or in directly) such that removal of any single branch destroys
this property.
[Link] does “tree” aid in network analysis?
Answer: The tree is helpful in finding the fundamental cut set matrix which gives the branch voltage
and branch current of each branch on solving. The tree is also helpful in finding the rank of a graph.
Q.47. What are the properties of a tree?
Answer: The properties of a tree are as follows-
▪ There should be only one single path between the two nodes of the tree.
▪ There should not be any closed path.
▪ Tree contains all the nodes of the graph.
▪ The number of branches in the tree = (n-1)
▪ Rank of the tree = (n-1) = rank of the graph.
Q.48. What is twig?
Answer: Branches of the tree are called twig, it is also called edge.
Q.49. What is co-tree and links?
Answer: Remaining part of a graph after removal of twigs is called co-tree. It is collection of rings.
Links are branches removed from the graph to make a tree.
Q.50. What is fundamental cut set matrix?
Answer: Fundamental cut set matrix is a group of branch containing only one twig and the minimum
number of links. Fundamental cut set matrix can be used to write KCL equations for the given network.