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Lecture 2: D.C. Networks

Course textbook reference:
Electrical & Electronic Technology
by E. Hughes, 9th edition,
chapter 3, pages 30 60.
chapter 4, pages 61 70

Kirchhoffs Current Law

Two currents flow through the meter AM1.

There is a division of current through AM2 and AM3 respectively.
Therefore;
I1 + I2 = I3
I3 = I4 + I5
I1 + I2 - I3 = 0
I3 - I4 - I5 = 0

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law

Open Circuits 1

An ideal voltage source may be converted into an equivalent current source, and visa versa, using a simple Ohms Law
relationship.

Voltage & Current Sources

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With a short circuit applied; calculate the illustrated results.

Can you guess the outcomes of each condition intuitively?

Voltage & Current Sources

Consider the voltages & currents in a more complicated network.

Note the magnitude and polarity of each predicted node voltage.

Short Circuits 2

What happens if we apply a short between nodes A & B?

Open Circuits 2

The diagram illustrates a TINA simulation of the voltage for a network that is open circuited across
nodes A to B.

Short Circuits 1

The voltage source VS1 of 20V on the Left Hand Side (LHS) of the network equals the sum of the
voltage drops around the loop on the Right Hand Side (RHS) of the network.

An example circuit with a source driving a 10 k load is shown below.

Voltage & Current Sources

So a clearly defined source can be converted into its alternative representation.

It is recommended that for all networks containing mixed sources, these are converted to a
single type, if possible.
Note that a truly ideal source will not include any internal resistance.
In practice all sources do contain some internal resistance which means that the terminal voltage
(the voltage observed across the source terminals) is always less than the internal (ideal) source

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voltage.
What are the respective source and terminal voltages for the circuits shown on the previous slide?

Tutorial Exercise 1

Two circuits are connected in parallel to a 25V battery which has an internal resistance of
0.25 .

Circuit A consists of two resistors, 6 and 4 , connected in series.

Circuit B consists of two resistors, 10 and 5 , also joined in series.

Calculate;
1.
2.
3.

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the total circuit current

the potential difference across each resistor
the total power expended in circuits A and B.

Tutorial Exercise 2

Simplify the circuit illustrated to evaluate the total equivalent resistance between terminals:(i) A to B

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(ii) A to C

(iii) B to C.

Further References:

Basic electronics information can be found at

TINA Pro Circuit Simulation software and onon-line teaching materials may be accessed from:

Try a selection of the exercises at the end of Hughes, Chapter 4.

http://www.elexp.com/t_resist.htm
http://www.elexp.com/t_resist.htm
http://www.tina.com
http://www.tina.com//
and TUTORIAL SHEET 1 !!!!