DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name of the staff member : T.Krishnaveni
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : Electronics & Communication Engg
Institute : Dr.B.R.A.GMR Polytechnic for
Women (sc), Karimnagar.
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject Code : EC-303
Subject : Circuit Theory
Topic : Network Theorems
Duration : 50 mts
Sub Topic : Norton’s Theorem
Teaching Aids : PPT EC 303 .47 1
Objectives

Upon the completion of this period you would be

able to:

• Norton’s theorem

• Norton’s equivalent circuit

EC 303 .47 2
RECAP

• What is the use of network theorems ?

• Thevenin’s theorem uses KVL/KCL ?

EC 303 .47 3
Norton’s Theorem

• Statement

Any two terminal linear network having a number of

energy sources and resistances can be replaced by an

equivalent current source IN in parallel with an

equivalent resistance RN”

EC 303 .47 4
NORTON’S EQUIVALENT
I

Elements E Dead Net work

and Sources

Original net wok Dead net wok

I
+

ISC RN E
-
Fig 1 Norton equivalent net work

EC 303 .47 5
Where

 IN=short circuit current

 RN=Resistance of the network viewed through AB

 RL=Load resistance

EC 303 .47 6
Procedure
• Short circuit the terminals w.r.t which the Norton's
equivalent is desired.

• Calculate Norton’s equivalent current (IN) through short

circuited terminals using KCL or Nodal analysis.

• Open circuit the terminals A,B.

• Find RN by replacing all voltage source with S.C and

current source with O.C.

• Replace the original circuit by Norton's equivalent circuit.

EC 303 .47 7
Procedure

• Find current through RL

• IL=IN*[RL/(RN+RL)]

• Find voltage across load

• VL=IL*RL

EC 303 .47 8
Example1

Find Norton’s equivalent at terminals A and B for

the given circuit also find IL and VL
4Ω
A

10V
6Ω RL=3.6 Ω

Fig 2 B

EC 303 .47 9
Finding Norton's resistance RN:

• Open terminals AB,

• Short circuit voltage source and find RN

• 4 Ω and 6 Ω are parallel

• RN=(4*6)/(4+6)

= 2.4 Ω A
4
6

B
Fig 3

EC 303 .47 10
Finding IN:

• Find IN by short circuiting the terminals A,B

• Which in turn short circuits RL and 6 Ω resistors

Only 4 Ω resistor and voltage

A
source are in circuit 4
+ Short
IN = V/4 Ω 10V
6 Circuit

= 10/4 B

= 2.5 amp
Fig 4

EC 303 .47 11
Problem 2.
Use Norton’s theorem to determine the current
flowing in the 3Ω resistance of the network shown
in Figure below The voltage source has negligible
internal resistance.

Fig 5
EC 303 .47 12
Following the procedure:
(i) The branch containing the 3 resistance is short-circuited
as shown in Figure 13.36(b).
(ii) From the equivalent circuit shown in Figure 13.36(c),

EC 303 .47 13
(iii) If the 24 V source of e.m.f. is removed the resistance
‘looking-in’ at a break made between A and B is obtained from
Figure (d) and its equivalent circuit shown in Figure and is
given by:

EC 303 .47 14
(iv) From the Norton equivalent network shown in Figure
13.36(f) the current in the 3Ω resistance is given by:

EC 303 .47 15
Advantages
• Useful to simplify complex circuits.

• Applicable to both D.C and A.C circuits.

• These theorems are useful to find current

or voltage in only one resistor.

• Useful to find the maximum power delivered

to load.

• Used to determine the power supplied by the

actual generatorsECin303the
.47
circuits. 16
• Cannot be applied to network which contains

non-linear impedances

• Cannot be applied for calculating the

power consumed internally

• Cannot be used to determining the efficiency of

the circuit
EC 303 .47 17
Summary

In this session we have learnt

• Norton’s theorem

• Finding Norton’s Equivalent circuit

• Solving Problems

EC 303 .47 18
QUIZ
1. Norton’s theorem reduces complicated two terminal
network into a __________________

Ans: simple circuit

2. While finding RN keep voltage source___

Ans: short circuited

EC 303 .47 19
Q) Thevenin’s and Norton’s theorems are
useful to

(a) simplfy complex networks

(b) detemine the efficiency of the circuit

(c) calculate nonlinearnetworks



(d) none of the above

EC 303 .47 20
QUIZ

• Norton’s equivalent circuit consists of

(a) voltage source in series with impedance

(b) voltage source in parallel with impedance

(c) current source in series with impedance

(d) current source in parallel with impedance

EC 303 .47 21
Frequently asked questions
2Ω A

10V 4Ω RL=3 Ω

Fig 7 B

Find Norton’s eqivalent at terminals A and B for above figure also find
IL and vL?

EC 303 .47 22
Frequently asked questions

• State Norton’s theorem

• Explain Norton’s theorem

EC 303 .47 23