Direct Current and

Circuits Analysis

Chapter 4

Lesson outcomes
At the end of the lesson students should be able to:
- Understand electric current as the rate of flow of charges.
- Understand the definition and able to apply its formula to
solve problems in calculation for the topics of:
-

Resistance and resistivity

Ohms law
Terminal voltage
Power

- Apply the formula to solve the problem regarding series

or parallel resistors
- Use Kirchhoff's first l and Kirchhoff's second law
- Use Kirchhoff's laws to solve problems.

Current
direction

The direction of conventional current flow is that of positive charge. In a wire,

it is actually negatively charged electrons that move, so they flow in direction
opposite to the conventional current. Positive conventional current always
flows from a high potential to a low potential

Flow of
electrons
The direction of conventional current flow is that of positive charge. In a wire,
it is actually negatively charged electrons that move, so they flow in direction
opposite to the conventional current. Positive conventional current always
flows from a high potential to a low potential

C s-1

Current, IdQ
=

Unit in Ampere, A or Coulomb per second,

dt

Electric current is the rate of flow of charge through a conductor. It is

measured in Ampere, A or coulomb per second.
Click on symbol of current
I

Exercise 1
A wire carries a steady current of
0.1 A over a period of 20 s. What
total charge passes through the wire
inSolution
this time interval?
Formula:

dQ
Current, I =
dt

Rearrange:

dQ = I(dt)

Substitute:dQ = (0.1 A)(20 s)

Answer:

=2C

Exercise 2
The current in an electron beam in a
cathoderay tube is measured to be
70 A. How many electrons hit the
screen in 5.0 s? (e = 1.6 1019 C)
a. 2.2 10 electrons
b. 8.8 10 electrons
c. 2.2 10 electrons
d. 8.8 10 electrons
11

13

15

18

Ohms Law
V
Metal
conduct
+
or +

+
+

-A

Experimentally,
it
is
found that the current in
a wire is proportional to
the potential difference
between its ends:

The ratio of voltage to current is called

the resistance:

Resistivity
V
Metal
conductor

+
+
+
+

-A

resistanc
e
The resistance of a conductor is directly proportional to its length, l and
inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area, A of the conductor.

Resistance
V

Metal conductor

+
+
+
+

I
l

-A

l
R
Resistance,
A
l
R
A
Where is resistivity of
the material
Resistivity, R

A
l
1

l
Conductivity,

RA

Exercise 3
A chrome wire has a radius of 0.50
mm and a resistivity of 1.5 106
m. What is the resistance per unit
length of this wire?

Solution

Formula:
l
ResistanceR

Formula:
A
Resistivity,

R
A 0.20-m-long metal rod has a radius

Rearrange:
R
Resistance per unit length,

l A
= 1.5 x 10-6 m
Area, A = r2 = (0.5 x 10-3 m)2
= 7.85 x 10-7 m2
6
R
1
.
5

10
m
Substitute:
l 7.85 10 7 m2

Answer:

Solution

=1.91 m-1

of 1.0 cm and a lresistance of 3.2

5 . What R
Resistance,
x 10-5 of the
10
is =
the3.2
resistivity
metal?
Length, l = 0. 2 m

Area, A = r2 = (1.0 x 10-2

m)2
= 3.14Ax 10-4
(3.2 105 )
l
Substitute:
Answer:

= 5.02 x 10-8

Power
powe
r

I
Q

The energy lost by one

coulomb of charge as it
passes through the resistor
is V. Therefore the energy, E
lost by Q coulomb of charge
E = QV
is
dE
Power is the
P rate of change of
dt
energy:

d
QV
dt
IV

Exercis
e

Exercise 4

Formula:P IV

V
I
R V
Rearrange:P
V
R

Substitute:P 10 10

20

30

10 V

15 V

Calculate the power

dissipated by resistors 20
and 30
solution

20

=5W

15
15
30

P
Answer:

= 7.5 W

EMF and terminal voltage

Electric circuit needs battery or generator to produce current
these are called sources of emf.
Battery is a nearly constant voltage source, but does have a
small internal resistance, which reduces the actual voltage from
the ideal emf:

This resistance behaves as though

it were in series with the emf.

Resistor in series
Resistor can be combined in
series or parallel. In this
circuit 3 resistors are
connected in series. It is
noted that:
1. The current through
each resistor is the
same.
2. the voltage depends
on the resistance.
3. The
sum
of
the
voltage drops across
the resistors equals
the
batterythrough
voltage.each
A series connection has a single path from the
battery,
Equivalent
resistance

circuit element in turn, then back to the battery.

Resistor in series
V V1 V2 V3
IR1 IR2 IR3
I R1 R2 R3

Equivalent
resistance

IReq
Req R1 R2 R3

A series connection has a single path from the battery, through each
circuit element in turn, then back to the battery.

Resistor in parallel
A parallel connection
splits the current:
1. the voltage across
each resistor is the
same

Equivalent
resistance

2. The total current is

the sum of the
currents across
each resistor

A parallel circuit is one in which two or more components are connected to

two common points in the circuit

Resistor in parallel
I I1 I 2 I 3
V
V V V

Req R1 R2 R3
1
1
1
1

Req R1 R2 R3
Equivalent
resistance
A parallel circuit is one in which two or more components are connected to
two common points in the circuit

Exercise 5
Voltmeter

e.m.f

r
Ammeter

Figure above show a source of battery with e.m.f of 15 V and

internal resistance, r of 0.5 . If a resistor, R of 4 is added to form
a complete circuit. What are the reading of voltmeter and ammeter?

Exercise 6

For each of the circuit shown, calculate the

(a) Equivalent resistance of the circuit.
(b)Values of the current I1 and I2.
(c) Voltage across points AB.

answer

Exercise 5

For each of the circuit shown, calculate the

(a) Equivalent resistance of the circuit. [(i)5.13 ,(ii) 7.4 ]
(b)Values of the current I1 and I2. [(i)3.08 A, 1.30A (ii)]
(c) Voltage across points AB. [(i)27.0 V,(ii) 7.76V] answer

Kirchoffs rules

Some circuits cannot be broken down into series and parallel connections.
Therefore, Kirchhoff's rules can be used to solve some of the problems in
circuit analysis.

Kirchhoffs first law

What do you notice
about the traffic at
the busy junction?
Answer
The numbers of car
entering is equal to
the numbers of car
leaving the junction
When current flow in the circuit the rate of electrons flowing into and out of
a junction are the same.

switc
h

6A

Kirchhoff s law is based on the

principle of conservation of charge.
Whatever charge goes into a
junction must emerge from it.

2A

4A

Battery

R2

R1

Statement of first Kirchoffs

law
At a junction,
Sum of current entering = sum of
current leaving

Introductio
n

Activity
Activity 2 Activity 3
1

Summar
y

Try it!!
R2

i1

2.5A

Key in your answer in the box

below

i4

curren answe
t
r

i3
R3

3.5 A

i1
i2

R1

i2
i6

i5

R4

i3
i4
i5
i6

Kirchhoffs Second Law

The roller coaster gains potential
energy when it is pulled up to the
top of the track. As the roller
coaster move down the energy
converted
to
kinetic
energy.
Similarly in an electric circuit, the
source of emf such as battery raises
the electrical potential energy of
the charge. As the electric charges
flow in the circuit the electrical
potential energy converted to the
other form of energy. Energy is
conserved.

Kirchhoffs second law based on conservation of energy

Kirchhoffs Second Law

R2

i
E1

R3
E2

Click on

R1
D

For a closed loop ABCDA, the current or

emf is considered:
Positive (+) if it is in same direction
with the loop and,
Negative (-) if it is in opposite
direction with the loop.
When applying Kirchhoffs second law,
direction of the loop is arbitrary

or -

Current
,i

E1

E2

correct
?
correct
?
correct
?

E1

R1

i1

R2

E2

E3
C

R3

i2

i3

Click on each of the possible loop in the

circuit.
For each loop, state the sign + or for each
emf and current.
Possible loop
AFEB
BEDC
AFDC
A
B
A
E1 + - E2 + - E1 + E2 + i + -

E3 + + i

E3 + i + -

i2

i3

i3

R2

Kirchhoffs Second Law

R3
E2

In a close loop
(ABCDA) :
E = (iR)

R1
D

E = E1+E2
(iR) = iR1 + iR2 + iR3

30

i1

Exercise 1
F

Determine the value of current i1, i2 and i3

i3

i2
C

1 E2 = 45V

40

answer
i1 = -2.49 A
i2 = 5.40 A
i3 = 2.92 A

E1 =80 V

1
D

working steps

i1

i3

Apply first law at any junction (example junction

30
F

1 E2 = 45V

40

i1 + i2 = i3

Apply second law for any possible close loops:

2nd law states that E = iR
Loop AFEBA
45 V = i1 (30 ) + i3 (1 ) + i3 (40
)

Loop BCDEB

i2
C

E1 =80 V

1
D

45 V + 80 V = i2 (1 ) + i3 (1 ) + i3
(40 )
Solve the equations by using
simultaneous equation or matrix
method .

12 V

Exercise 2
F

Determine the value of resistor R and emf E

2A

20 E 10

answer
E

R = 0.67
E = 70 V
5A
C

2
D

Summary

current is the rate of flow of charge through a

dQ
conductor:
I
dt

The direction of current is taken to be the

direction of flow of the positive charge, this is
opposite to
V the
IR direction of the flow of electrons.
Ohms law:
Resistance of a wire directly proportional to its
l
length
and inversely proportional to its crossR
A
sectional
area:
where is resistivity of the material

Power is the rate of change of energy:

P

dE
IV
dt

Terminal voltage = emf lost voltage

Vab Ir

where r is internal resistance

Resistor in series:

the voltage depends on the resistance

The current through each resistor is the same.

Resistor in parallel:
The current through each resistor is the same.

the voltage depends on the resistance

Equivalent resistance
Series:

Req R1 R2 R3

Parallel: 1 1 1 1
Req R1 R2 R3

Summary
Kirchhoffs first law states that, at a junction
sum of current entering = sum of current leaving

Kirchhoffs first law is based on the principle

of conservation of charges.
Kirchhoffs second law states that for a close
loop
sum of emfs = sum of the products of the current
and resistance

Kirchhoffs second law is based on the

principle of conservation of energy.