APPARATUS

& ENGINEERING
SERVICES

In addition to Ohms Law, another set of elementary

laws were discovered during the basic exploration
of electrical phenomena. These were discovered
experimentally and are known as Kirchoffs Laws.
These are natural fundamental laws which may be
applied to the flow of electric currents in a circuit
or network.

THE DIFFERENCE IN ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL

B E T W E E N A N Y T W O POlNTS I N C I R C U I T I S
SAME REGARDLESS OF PATH MEASURED
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KIRCHOFFS FIRST LAW

The first law refers to current and states that with
direct currents, the amount of current flowing away
from a point or junction in a circuit equals the current flowing into that point. This law is similar to
the conservation of matter wherein changes occur
in an electric circuit with no loss of electrons.
Thus, for direct current. the sum of la and lb
equals I and electric current does not stack up at
point P in the circuit.

Figure 2. Kirchoff''s Second Law

the load. Now, when the potential load drop equals
the source voltage, the current flows continuously
and is said to be in a steady state. Recall Ohms
Law E = IR and Kirchoffs second law.
To distinguish between voltage rise and voltage
drop, the custom is to indicate the electromotive
force, or emf, rise by a plus (+) sign and the voltage drop with a minus (-) sign. When plus and
minus voltages equalize, a steady continuous current flows.

WITH DIRECT CURRENTS, THE AMOUNT

OF CURRENT FLOWING AWAY FROM A
JUNCTION EQUALS THE CURRENT
FLOWING TO THAT POINT

RESISTORS IN SERIES

Figure 1. Kirchoffs First Law

RESISTORS IN PARALLEL

Figure 3. Voltage Rise and Drop

KIRCHOFFS SECOND LAW

Kirchoffs second law refers to voltage. The difference in electrical potential between any two
points in a circuit is the same regardless of the
path measured, In other words, if more than one
path exists between two points, P1 and P2, the
voltage is the same across both paths.
Whenever a voltage is produced by either a battery
or generator, such an electromotive force represents a voltage rise, which appears at some terminals as a potential source of power. As soon as
an electrical load or resistance is connected across
the terminals, the voltage immediately pushes the
electrons through the circuit, produces a load current, and establishes a potential drop (V) across
@ 1972 General Electric Co.
E-61
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When the IR drops equal E, a steady-state current

flows from the battery. When the load resistances
are connected in series, the current everywhere is
the same. In the case of parallel load resistances,
the current divides inversely as the resistances, so
the branch circuit having less resistance will pass
the greater current. The potential (IR) drop through
both parallel loads is the same. In these illustrations, assumptions have been made that current
flows out from the positive terminal and returns to
the negative terminal.
For alternating current, the direction of flow is not
applicable. Whenever a voltage rises, a plus value
should be shown: whenever a potential drops, a
minus sign should be used.

GENERAL @
1 E L E C T R I C