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Circuit Basics: Laws & Concepts Explained

This document provides an introduction and overview of basic circuit concepts for a circuits course. It defines key electrical quantities like current, voltage, and power. It describes different circuit elements including passive components like resistors and sources. It introduces Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's laws, which relate current, voltage, resistance, and power. Kirchhoff's current law and voltage law are covered, along with examples of their application to circuit analysis.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
12 views19 pages

Circuit Basics: Laws & Concepts Explained

This document provides an introduction and overview of basic circuit concepts for a circuits course. It defines key electrical quantities like current, voltage, and power. It describes different circuit elements including passive components like resistors and sources. It introduces Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's laws, which relate current, voltage, resistance, and power. Kirchhoff's current law and voltage law are covered, along with examples of their application to circuit analysis.

Uploaded by

michelle
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Lecture 1.

Getting Started

1.1 Introduction
* Objectives
* Requirements & Grading Policy
* Other information

1.2 Basic Circuit Concepts


* Electrical quantities
 current, voltage & power, sign conventions
* Circuit elements
 Passive, active and sources
* Basic laws
 Ohm’s law and Kirchhoff’s laws

1
EEE 202: Circuits 1, Spring 2008

Prerequisite EEE 101


Pre- or co-requisites: MAT 274 or MAT 275, PHY 131, 132.

Instructor: Dr. NJ Tao (njtao@[Link])


Where: Schwada Classroom & Office 150
When: Tu and Th 3:15-4:30 pm
Office Hours: Tu and Th 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. or by appointment.
Office Location: GWC618

Class Website:
[Link]

2
1.2. Basic Circuit Concepts

* Electrical quantities
 current, voltage & power, sign conventions
* Circuit elements
 Passive, active and sources
* Basic laws
 Ohm’s law and Kirchhoff’s laws

3
Electrical Quantities
• Basic quantities:
– Current (I): time rate of change of electric charge
I = dq/dt
Unit: 1 Amp = 1 Coulomb/sec

– Voltage (V): electromotive force or potential


Unit: 1 Volt = 1 Joule/Coulomb = 1 N·m/coulomb

– Power (P): rate at which work is done


P=IV
1 Watt = 1 Volt·Amp = 1 Joule/sec

4
Water Analogy

Electrical Hydraulic
Base
Charge (q) Mass (m)
quantity
Flow
Current (I) Fluid flow (G)
variable
Potential
Voltage (V) Pressure (p)
variable
5
Current, I
• The sign of the current indicates the direction of flow
• Current due to positive & negative charge carried; the moving
direction of positive charge is conventionally defined as direct of
current.
What are charge carries in copper wire, Silicon and salt solution?

• DC & AC currents:
– direct current (dc):
batteries and some special generators I(t)

– alternating current (ac):


household current which varies
with time

6
Voltage, V
• Voltage is the difference in electrical potentials between,
e.g., two points in a circuit; it is the energy required to move
an unit charge from one point to the other.
• Voltage with respect to a common point or “ground”.
• Positive (high) and negative (low) voltages.

Circuit Element(s)

+ V(t) –

What is electrical potential?

7
Default Sign Convention

• Passive sign convention : current should enter the


positive voltage terminal

I
Circuit Element
+ –

• Passive sign convention: P = I V


– Positive (+) Power: element absorbs power
– Negative (-) Power: element supplies power

8
Active vs. Passive Elements

• Active elements can generate energy


– Voltage and current sources
– Batteries

• Passive elements cannot generate energy


– Resistors
– Capacitors and Inductors (but CAN store energy)

9
Independent Sources

An independent source (voltage or current) may be DC


(constant) or time-varying (AC), but does not depend on
other voltages or currents in the circuit

+

10
Resistors

• A resistor is a circuit element that dissipates electrical


energy (usually as heat)

• Real-world devices that are modeled by resistors:


incandescent light bulbs, heating elements (stoves,
heaters, etc.), long wires

• Resistance is measured in Ohms (Ω)

11
Ohm’s Law

v(t) = i(t) R - or - V=IR


p(t) = i2(t) R = v2(t)/R [+ (absorbing)]

i(t)
The +
Rest R v(t)
of the
Circuit –

12
Open Circuit

• What if R=?
i(t)=0
The +
Rest of v(t)
the
Circuit –

• i(t) = v(t)/R = 0

13
Short Circuit

• What if R=0?
i(t)
The +
Rest of v(t)=0
the
Circuit –

• v(t) = R i(t) = 0

14
Resistors in Series

Two or more elements are in series if the current that flows


through one must also flow through the other.

In series
R1 R2 I1 = I2
Not in series
R1 R2 I1 ≠ I2

15
Resistors in Parallel
• Two or more elements are in parallel if they are connected
between (share) the same two (distinct) end nodes;

• The voltages across these elements are the same.


R1

R1

R2 R2

Parallel Not Parallel

16
Kirchhoff’s Laws

• Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)


– sum of all currents entering a node is zero
– sum of currents entering node is equal to sum of currents
leaving node
– Conservation of charge

• Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)


– sum of voltages around any loop in a circuit is zero
– Conservation of energy

17
KCL (Kirchhoff’s Current Law)

i1(t) i5(t)
i2(t) i4(t)
i3(t)

The sum of currents entering the node is zero:

 i (t )  0
j 1
j

Analogy: mass flow at pipe junction

18
Class Examples

• Drill Problems 1, 2, 4

19

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