ECE201 Lect-3 1

Single Loop Circuits (2.3);

Single-Node-Pair Circuits (2.4)
Dr. Holbert
January 25, 2006
ECE201 Lect-3 2
Single Loop Circuit
The same current flows through each
element of the circuit---the elements are in
series.
We will consider circuits consisting of
voltage sources and resistors.
ECE201 Lect-3 3
Example: Christmas Lights
+

120V
228O
50 Bulbs
Total
228O
228O
I
ECE201 Lect-3 4
Solve for I
The same current I flows through the source
and each light bulb-how do you know this?
In terms of I, what is the voltage across
each resistor? Make sure you get the
polarity right!
To solve for I, apply KVL around the loop.

ECE201 Lect-3 5
228I + 228I + + 228I -120V = 0
I = 120V/(50 228O) = 10.5mA
+

120V
228O
228O
228O
I +
228I
+

228I
228I
+

ECE201 Lect-3 6
Some Comments
We can solve for the voltage across each
light bulb:
V = IR = (10.5mA)(228O) = 2.4V
This circuit has one source and several
resistors. The current is
Source voltage/Sum of resistances
(Recall that series resistances sum)
ECE201 Lect-3 7
In General: Single Loop
The current i(t) is:


This approach works for any single loop
circuit with voltage sources and resistors.
Resistors in series

s resistance of sum
sources voltage of sum
R
V
t i
j
Si
=
E
E
= ) (

= + + + =
j N series
R R R R R
2 1
ECE201 Lect-3 8
Voltage Division
Consider two resistors in series with a voltage
v(t) across them:
R
1

R
2


v
1
(t)

+
+

v
2
(t)

+

v(t)

2 1
1
1
) ( ) (
R R
R
t v t v
+
=
2 1
2
2
) ( ) (
R R
R
t v t v
+
=
ECE201 Lect-3 9
In General: Voltage Division
Consider N resistors in series:



Source voltage(s) are divided between the
resistors in direct proportion to their
resistances

=
j
i
S R
R
R
t V t V
k i
) ( ) (
ECE201 Lect-3 10
Class Examples
Learning Extension E2.8
Learning Extension E2.9

ECE201 Lect-3 11
Example: 2 Light Bulbs in
Parallel
How do we find I
1
and I
2
?
I
R
1
R
2

V

+

I
1
I
2

ECE201 Lect-3 12
Apply KCL at the Top Node
I= I
1
+ I
2


Ohms Law:
1
1
R
V
I =
2
2
R
V
I =
I
R
1
R
2

V

+

I
1
I
2

ECE201 Lect-3 13
Solve for V
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ = + = + =
2 1 2 1
2 1
1 1
R R
V
R
V
R
V
I I I
2 1
2 1
2 1
1 1
1
R R
R R
I
R R
I V
+
=
+
=
Rearrange
ECE201 Lect-3 14
Equivalent Resistance
If we wish to replace the two parallel resistors
with a single resistor whose voltage-current
relationship is the same, the equivalent
resistor has a value of:


Definition: Parallel - the elements share the
same two end nodes
2 1
2 1
R R
R R
R
eq
+
=
ECE201 Lect-3 15
2 1
2
1
2 1
2 1
1
1
R R
R
I
R
R R
R R
I
R
V
I
+
=
+
= =
Now to find I
1

This is the current divider formula.
It tells us how to divide the current through
parallel resistors.
ECE201 Lect-3 16
Example: 3 Light Bulbs in
Parallel
How do we find I
1
, I
2
, and I
3
?
I
R
2

V

+

R
1

I
1
I
2

R
3

I
3

ECE201 Lect-3 17
Apply KCL at the Top Node
I= I
1
+ I
2
+ I
3

1
1
R
V
I =
2
2
R
V
I =
3
3
R
V
I =
ECE201 Lect-3 18
Solve for V
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ + = + + =
3 2 1 3 2 1
1 1 1
R R R
V
R
V
R
V
R
V
I
3 2 1
1 1 1
1
R R R
I V
+ +
=
ECE201 Lect-3 19
R
eq

3 2 1
1 1 1
1
R R R
R
eq
+ +
=

= + + + =
i M par
R R R R R
1 1 1 1 1
2 1

Which is the familiar equation for parallel resistors:
ECE201 Lect-3 20
Current Divider
This leads to a current divider equation for
three or more parallel resistors.


For 2 parallel resistors, it reduces to a simple
form.
Note this equations similarity to the voltage
divider equation.
j
par
S R
R
R
I I
j
=
ECE201 Lect-3 21
I
s2

V

R
1
R
2

+

I
1
I
2

Example: More Than One Source
How do we find I
1
or I
2
?
I
s1

ECE201 Lect-3 22
Apply KCL at the Top Node
I
1
+ I
2
= I
s1
- I
s2

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ = + =
2 1 2 1
2 1
1 1
R R
V
R
V
R
V
I I
s s
( )
2 1
2 1
2 1
R R
R R
I I V
s s
+
=
ECE201 Lect-3 23
Multiple Current Sources
We find an equivalent current source by
algebraically summing current sources.
As before, we find an equivalent resistance.
We find V as equivalent I times equivalent
R.
We then find any necessary currents using
Ohms law.
ECE201 Lect-3 24
In General: Current Division
Consider N resistors in parallel:




Special Case (2 resistors in parallel)

= + + + =
=
i N par
j
par
S R
R R R R R
R
R
t i t i
k j
1 1 1 1 1
) ( ) (
2 1

2 1
2
) ( ) (
1
R R
R
t i t i
S R
+
=
ECE201 Lect-3 25
Class Examples
Learning Extension E2.10
Learning Extension E2.11