Circuit Theory

Dr Paul S Spencer

(IES1007)

Room: 230, Tele: 382738 Email: pauls@sees.bangor.ac.uk

20 Lectures and 4 Tutorials 6 Laboratory Sessions

Three Main Areas

Fundamentals: Ohms Law, Kirchhoffs Law,
Phasor and j Notation.

Resonant Circuits: RC, RL, RLC series and

parallel circuits, Q-factor.

Circuit Analysis: Mesh Current & Node Voltage

Methods, Norton and Thevenin Theorems, Superposition.

Circuit Theory (a special case)

Electrical effects happen instantaneously through out the system: Lumped-Parameter system. The net charge on every component is zero: Universe is charge neutral(?) There is NO magnetic coupling between components. No magnetic circuits.

Ideal Basic Circuit Element

Has three attributes: Two terminal device Described mathematically in terms of current and voltage. Cannot be sub-divided into other elements

Ideal implies circuit element doesnt exist as a realizable component.

Passive and Active Circuit Elements

Passive Circuit Elements Absorb Energy
Dissipation (Heat Loss, Vibration) Energy Storage Examples: Resistors, Inductor, Capacitors, Relays, Transformers Each has an Equivalent Circuit

Active Circuit Elements Deliver Energy

Current and Voltage Sources (act as energy sources) Examples: Battery, Generator, Fuel Cell, Solar Cell Each has Equivalent Circuit

Ohms Law
Resistance, R
In metal conductors electron movement is impeded by thermally induced vibrations of the lattice, and this hindrance to the flow is termed

Resistance

Definition: A circuit element has a resistance of 1 Ohm if a potential difference of 1 Volt applied across it causes a current of 1 Amp to flow

V=IR Conductance, G
Ability to conduct electrical current is termed Conductance

G = 1/R
Thus Ohms law becomes,

I=GV

Passive Sign Convention

Whenever the reference direction for the current in an element is in the direction of the voltage drop across the element, use a positive sign in the expression that relates the voltage to the current.
I I +

VS

R
-

VR

Current, Voltage & Power

Current: Rate of charge carrier flow. 1A = 1C/s Voltage: Energy required to separate a positive and negative charge. 1V = 1J/C Power: Rate of energy use. Power (Watts) = VI

Energy Sources
1) Independent Voltage Sources

VS
VS

I
An IDEAL Voltage source maintains a constant terminal voltage irrespective of load. This implies ZERO internal resistance. A Practical Voltage source has an internal resistance,

VS

Ri

Voltage drop inside of the device dependent on the load

Energy Sources
2) Independent Current Sources

IS
IS V

V
An IDEAL current source maintains a constant terminal current irrespective of load. This implies ZERO internal resistance. A Practical current source has an internal resistance,

I IS Ri V
Current flow inside of the device is dependent on the external load.

Dependent or Controlled Sources

Dependent sources are controlled by a voltage or current elsewhere in the circuit. Two types of LINEAR dependent sources VOLTAGE Controlled, V
Voltage Sources Current Sources V=AV I=GV Especially useful in building circuit models for electronic components

Rc Ib Rb Re Ib

CURRENT Controlled, I
Voltage Sources V = R I Current Sources I = B I

Equivalent circuit for a transistor

Unfortunately dependent sources cause problems for some circuit analysis techniques

Current and Voltage Sources: REMEMBER

1) Current Sources Whether we have independent or dependent Current sources, the voltage across the source cannot be expressed as a function of the terminal current. Knowing the current is not sufficient information to state the terminal voltage. 2) Voltage Sources Likewise for Voltage sources, the current within the source cannot be expressed as a function of the terminal voltage. Knowing the terminal voltage is not sufficient information to state the current the source may apply.

Equivalent Circuits
Thevenin Equivalent Circuit
We shall see later that ANY circuit containing at least one active sources can be simplified to:

VS

Ri

Norton Equivalent Circuit

We shall see later that ANY circuit containing at least one active sources can be simplified to:

IS

Ri