Matthew Fearrington

Mesh Analysis and Thevenin's Theorem

Objective

The objectives of this lab were to compare measured voltage and current values with values
obtained from a mesh analysis, to compare measured values with calculated values for a Thevenin
equivalent resistance and a Thevenin equivalent voltage and to also compare the effects of a Thevenin
equivalent circuit on a load resistor with the effects of the original circuit on that same load resistor.

Procedure

The circuit shown in Figure 1 was constructed. The resistance values for each resistor were
measured with a multimeter for accuracy. An ammeter and a voltmeter were connected to find the
current through each resistor in the circuit and the voltage across each resistor.

Figure 1, Schematic

Data

After recording these values the load resistor was removed from the circuit. A multimeter was
used to record the Thevenin voltage between points A and B after the load resistance was removed. The
12V power supply was then removed and the Thevenin resistance was measured between points A and
B.
 A Thevenin equivalent circuit was then constructed with the load resistance put back in place..
This was done constructing a circuit using the Thevenin equivalent voltage and resistance. A
multimeter was used to measure the current through and the voltage across the load resistor in the
Thevenin equivalent circuit. The tables below detail all the measurements taken.

Table 1 Recorded Resistance Values

Resistance Values (kΩ)

Nominal 1 .27 8.2 1(Load)
Measured .98 .27 8.08 .98

Table 2 Recorded and Calculated Values of Current through Resistors

Current Values (mA)

1kΩ .27kΩ 8.2kΩ 1kΩ(Load)
Measured 5.61 5 .78 5
Calculated 5.8 4.9 .76 5

Table 3 Recorded and Calculated Values of Voltage through Resistors

Voltage Values (V)

1kΩ .27kΩ 8.2kΩ 1kΩ(Load)
Measured 5.71 1.3 6.28 4.94
Calculated 5.8 1.33 6.3 5

Table 4 Recorded and Calculated Values of Thevenin equivalents

Measured Calculated
Voltage (V) 10.72 10.69
Resistance(kΩ) 1.14 1.12
 Table 5 Currents and Voltages of Load Resistor

Measured Measured Calculated Calculated

Thevenin Thevenin
Voltage (V) 4.94 5.07 5 5.02
Current(mA) 5 5 5 5

Analysis

A mesh analysis is performed by creating equations for every closed loop in a circuit using a
combination of Kirchhoff's Voltage Law and Ohms Law. The equations are solved for the current and
once the current for every element of a circuit is known you can use that to derive other values, such as
voltage and power. The values garnered from the mesh analysis performed (see Appendix 1) are not far
off from the calculated and measured values. The difference in the measurements can be accounted for
by either human error or discrepancies between the nominal and actual resistances of the resistors used.
However, the Thevenin values calculated (see Appendix 2) are very close to the original values.
The Thevenin equivalent of a circuit is a circuit composed of one power source and resistor that is
equivalent to the circuit from which it was derived.
The load resistor maintained the almost the same voltage and current when put under the
Thevenin equivalent circuit. As there were not small enough resistors to build the Thevenin equivalent
accurately, the voltage amounts are off by a few points but for all intents and purposes this is fine.
 Appendix

Appendix 1: Mesh Analysis

Table 6 Mesh Analysis Values

Current Values (mA)

1kΩ .27kΩ 8.2kΩ 1kΩ(Load)
Calculated 6 5.2 .8 5.2

Voltage Values (V)

1kΩ .27kΩ 8.2kΩ 1kΩ(Load)
Calculated 6 1.4 6.56 5.2
Appendix 2: Thevenin Calculations