PRACTICAL CURRENT
SOURCES
Define a current source
- It is an electronic circuit that provides a constant electric
current to a load, regardless of the voltage
- A practical current source is an electronic circuit or device
that delivers a constant current to a connected load
regardless of small changes in the load resistance or
terminal voltage
Characteristics of a
practical current source
* It has constant current...... It's primary function is to maintain a nearly
constant
* It has finite internal resistance unlike the ideal current source which has
am infinite resistance
* It is the opposite of a practical voltage source due to the connection of the
internal resistance
- In a Practical voltage source the internal resistance is connected in series
with the source
- In a current source the internal resistance is connected in parallel to the
source
* A small portion of current is delivered to the resistor Rp
* A current source is considered to be good when the Current flowing
through the load is greater than the current through Rp
Difference between Ideal
and practical current
source Ideal current
Practical sources sources
* Varries slightly with * Constant, independent
terminal voltage or load of terminal voltage or
load
* High but finite
* Infinite resistance
* Ideal current source in
parallel with the * current source symbol
internal resistance only
* IL is slightly less than Is *IL remains equal to Is
due to current division
* example is Transistor * Theoretical concept
collector current only