Part 1

Essential & Practical

Circuit Analysis
By Solid State Workshop

What is circuit analysis?

Circuit analysis is a toolkit for understanding and designing
more complex circuits.
Circuit analysis is a layer of abstraction. It is based off of
other abstractions, while other abstractions are built off of it.

Physics

Circuit Analysis

Electronics

Systems

What will be covered in this video?

Linear Circuit Elements

Ohms Law
Series & Parallel Circuits
Voltage & Current Dividers
Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL)
Nodal Analysis
Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL)
Loop Analysis
Source Transformation
Thvenin & Norton Equivalence
Superposition Theorem

Linear Circuit Elements

+-

Resistor

Ohm

Capacitor

Farad

Inductor

Henry

Voltage Source

Volt

Current Source

Ampere

Nodes, Branches, and Loops

A node is a junction of
connecting wires. Every
point on a node is at the
same potential (same
voltage).

Branch

Branch
Node

Node

Node

Loop
Branch

A branch just another

name for any circuit
element between two
nodes.
A loop is a closed path
that begins and ends at
the same node.

Branch

Loop

Loop

Node

Branch

Ohms Law

I=?
Ohms Law makes it possible to
solve for an unknown current,
voltage, or resistance.
In this case,

30V

75

Series Circuits

There is only one path for current,

so the current is the same
everywhere in the circuit.

Applying Ohms Law,

100

50

30V
I=?

Parallel Circuits

All resistors share a common voltage, but

the currents through each depend on the
value of each resistor.

150
Ohms Law

30V

100

Voltage Dividers

A voltage divider creates a voltage

which is some fraction of its voltage
source.

It is a series circuit where the output

voltage is (usually) taken across the
second resistor.

40
10V
10

Vout

Voltage Dividers

We can write a general equation that

describes the output of any two-resistor
voltage divider.

R1

Most generally,

VS
R2

Vout

Voltage Dividers

Attaching a load reduces the dividers

output voltage.

R1
where
If the load resistance is much greater the
resistance of R2 then the output voltage
only drops a bit.
i.e. The load current should be much less
than the divider current.

VS
R2

RL

Current Dividers

RT

A current divider creates a current

which is some fraction of its current
source.

It is a parallel circuit where the output

current is observed in one of the
branches.

Iout
IS

RX

R1

R2

Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL)

Kirchhoffs Current Law states that all

currents entering a node equals all
currents exiting a node.

The sum of all currents in a node = 0.

Current Entering & Exiting a Node

Current (mA)

Entering a node = positive (+I)

Exiting a node = negative (-I)

9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

Entering

Exiting

Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL)

Find using KCL.

Ask yourself: Do I need to find one
current before I can find the other?
KCL at Node B

Node A

4mA

Node B

12mA

KCL at Node A
2mA

Nodal Analysis with KCL

Nodal analysis is a process that uses KCL

to determine node voltages.

A reference node (ground) is used to

make life easier.
A current through a resistor is described
by Ohms Law

To find node voltages, write a KCL

equation for each node, except the
reference node. (N-1)

+
Vy

Vx
-

Reference Node
(ground)

Nodal Analysis with KCL

KCL at

1
1

Vo

KCL at
2

Nodal Analysis with KCL

KCL at

1
1

Vo

Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL)

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law states that all

voltage drops must equal all voltage
rises in a closed loop.

That is, the sum of all voltages in a

closed loop = 0.

V1

V2

V3

V4

Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL)

V2
Voltage Rise (-V)

Voltage Drop (+V)

V1

Voltage Drop (+V)

V4

V3

Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL)

Find using KVL.

6V

First, we need to find the current

around the loop.

KVL starting at B

2
B

15V

Loop Analysis with KVL

Loop analysis is a process that uses
KVL to determine loop currents.
Loop currents are assigned to all
independent loops.
To solve for all loop currents, write
a KVL equation for all independent
loops and then solve.

Loop Analysis with KVL

1K

KVL for

15V

2K
KVL for
2

2K

4K

5mA

Source Transformation
Thvenin circuit: Voltage source in series with a resistor
Norton circuit: Current source in parallel with a resistor
Source transformation allows simple conversion between
these circuits.

Thvenins & Nortons Theorems

Black Box Circuit

VTh

INo

RTh

Thvenin
Equivalent
Circuit

RNo

Norton
Equivalent
Circuit

Thvenins & Nortons Theorems

To find :

1.) Detach the load resistor (if present).

2.) Set all sources equal to 0.
Voltage source Short-circuit
Current source Open-circuit
3.) Find the equivalent resistance looking in from
the two output terminals.

Thvenin Equivalent Circuits

To find :

1.) Detach the load resistor

(if present).
2.) Find the open-circuit voltage
across the circuits output
terminals.
Use any form of analysis
(nodal, loop, voltage divider,
source transformation, etc.)

Known Circuit

VOC

Thvenin Equivalent Circuits

Find using Thvenin's theorem.

KCL

KVL

Norton Equivalent Circuits

To find :

1.) Detach the load resistor

(if present).

Known Circuit

2.) Short circuit the output terminals

3.) Find the short-circuit current
through the shorted output.
Use any form of analysis
(nodal, loop, voltage divider,
source transformation, etc.)

ISC

Norton Equivalent Circuits

Find using Norton's theorem.

Superposition Theorem
Superposition says that a circuit with
multiple sources can be solved by this
process:
1.) Set all sources = 0, except one.
2.) Solve necessary currents and
voltages, using only that source.
3.) Repeat Step 2 for each source.
4.) Superimpose the solutions onto
each other.
Use the symbol prime ( ) to
differentiate variables with the

Superposition Theorem

Find using superposition.

6mA

Ending Remarks
The key to solving circuit problems quickly and correctly is practice!
Each technique is not terribly difficult on its own. The challenging part is
identifying which technique (or combination of techniques) is appropriate
for a given circuit.
Experiment with circuits on your own!
The components used in this video are inexpensive and easily obtained
through distributors such as Mouser and DigiKey.
Use simulation software such as LTSpice (free) to verify your findings
and to learn more about circuit behavior.

Thanks for watching!

Id love to hear your feedback!

Subscribe