Chapter 2.

Basic Laws
ENGG 1008
Dr. K. K. Y. Wong
HKUEEE
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Ohms Law
Ohms law states that the voltage v across a resistor is
directly proportional to the current i flowing through the
resistor
Mathematically, v=iR, unit of R is
The proportional constant R, is called the resistance,
denotes the ability to resist the flow of electric current
R=0 short circuit;
R= open circuit
Note: not all resistors obey Ohms law, but we will only
consider those obey Ohms law in this course
Conductance is defined as G=1/R, unit of G is siemens (S)
The power dissipated by a resistor p=vi=i2R=v2/R
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 Example: Calculate the current i, the conductance G and the

power p.

i = v/R = 30/(5103) = 6mA

G = 1/R= 1/(5103) = 0.2mS
p = vi = 30(6 10-3) = 180mW
or p = i2R = (6 10-3)2 (5103) = 180mW
or p = v2/R = (30)2/(5103) = 180mW

Example: A voltage source of 20sint V is connected across

a 5k resistor. Find the current through the resistor and the
power dissipated.
i = v/R= 20sint / (5103) = 4sint mA
p = vi= 80sin2t mW

Kirchhoffs Laws
Basic definitions:
A branch represents a single element such as a voltage source or a
resistor
A node is the point of connection between two or more branches
A loop is any closed path in a circuit
Two or more elements are in series if they exclusively share a single
node and consequently carry the same current
Two or more elements are in parallel if they are connected to the
same two nodes and consequently have the same voltage across them

 Kirchhoffs current law (KCL) states that

the algebraic sum of currents entering a
node (or a closed boundary) is zero
e.g., in the figure, i1+(-i2)+i3+i4+(-i5)=0
If we rewrite the above equation, we have
i1+i3+i4= i2+ i5
Alternative form of KCL: The sum of the
currents entering a node is equal to the sum
of the currents leaving the node
Note that KCL also applies to a closed
boundary
A simple application of KCL is combining
current sources in parallel
Apply KCL to node a => IT+I2=I1+I3
or equivalently IT=I1 -I2 +I3
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 Kirchhoffs voltage law (KVL) states that

the algebraic sum of all voltages around a
closed path (or loop) is zero
e.g., in the figure, -v1+v2+v3-v4+v5=0
Rearranging terms gives v2+v3+v5=v1+v4
Alternative form of KVL: Sum of
voltage drops = sum of voltage rises
A simple application of KVL is
combining voltage sources
Applying KVL in a), -Vab+V1+V2-V3=0
or Vab=V1+V2-V3

Note that before applying KCL or KVL,

we have to define what is +ve and what is
ve. Once it is defined, we have to stick
with the convention
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 Example: Determine vo and i in the circuit in Fig. a)

First define voltage drop as +ve and voltage rise as -ve

Apply KVL around the loop as shown in b). The result is
12 +4i+2vo-4+6i=0
Applying Ohms law to the 6 resistor gives vo= -6i
Substituting the second eq. into the first one yields i=-8A
vo= -6i = 48V

 Example: Find the currents and voltages in the circuit shown

in Fig. a)

Apply KVL to loop 1, we get 30+8i1 +3i2 = 0

Apply KVL to loop 2, we get -3i2 +6i3 = 0
Apply KCL to node a, i1 = i2 + i3
Solving the equations gives i1 = 3A, i2 = 2A, i3 = 1A
This also gives v1=24V, v2=6V, v3=6V

Practice problem: Find the currents and voltages in the

circuit shown in Fig. below.
Ans: v1=3V, v2=2V, v3=5V
i1=1.5A, i2=0.25A, i3=1.25A
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Series resistors and voltage division

Consider a simple series circuit
Apply KVL to the loop, we have
v = iR1+iR2
Define Req= R1+R2 , then v = iReq
Therefore, two resistor can be
replaced by an equivalent resistor
Since i=v/(R1+R2),
v1 = iR1 =

R1
R2
v ; v2 = iR2 =
v
R1 + R2
R1 + R2

This is voltage division formula

In general, for N resistors in series, Req = R1 + R2 + ... + RN

Rn
vn =
v
R1 + R2 + ... + RN

Parallel resistors and current division

Consider a simple parallel circuit as shown

Apply KCL to node a, we have i=v/R1+v/R2
Therefore, i = v(1/R1+1/R2) = v/Req
In general, for N resistors in parallel
1
1
1
1
=
+
+ ... +
Req R1 R2
RN

Special case 1: Two resistors in parallel, Req = R1R2/(R1+ R2)

Special case 2: N identical resistors in parallel, Req=R/N
It is often more convenient to use conductance rather than
resistance when dealing with resistors in parallel
Since G=1/R, Geq= G1 + G2 + + GN
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 From the figures in the previous slide, i1=v/R1 and i2=v/R2

But since v = iReq= iR1R2/(R1+ R2), we have
i1 =

R2i
R1i
; i2 =
R1 + R2
R1 + R2

This is the current division rule

Extreme case 1: R2=0 => Req=0
Extreme case 2: R2= => Req=R1
If we divide both numerator and
denominator by R1R2, we have
G1i
G2i
i1 =
; i2 =
G1 + G2
G1 + G2

In general, for N parallel conductors (G1, G2,, GN),

Gn
in =
i
G1 + G 2 + ... + G N

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 Example: Find Req for the circuit shown

in the right upper corner.
The 6 and 3 resistors are in parallel, their
equivalent resistance is 6 || 3 =
(6)(3)/(6+3)=2
The 1 and 5 resistors are in series, their
equivalent resistance is 1+5=6
The circuit reduces to that in Fig. a)
The 2 and 2 resistors are in series, their
equivalent resistance is 2+2=4
The 4 and 6 resistors are now in parallel,
their equivalent resistance is 4 || 6 =
(4)(6)/(4+6)=2.4
The circuit in Fig. a) can be replaced with
that in Fig. b)
The three resistors are in series, and the
equivalent resistance is 4+2.4+8=14.4
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 Example: Find the equivalent resistance

Rab in the circuit shown at the right upper
corner.
Note that the 6 and 3 resistors are in
parallel, their equivalent resistance is 2
The 12 and 4 resistors are also in parallel,
their equivalent resistance is 12 || 4 =
(12)(4)/(12+4)=3
The 1 and 5 resistors are in series, their
equivalent resistance is 6
The original circuit can be replaced by that of
Fig. a)
The 3 and 6 resistors are now in parallel,
giving an equivalent resistance 2
The 1 and the equivalent 2 are in series,
giving an equivalent resistance 3
The circuit reduces to that of Fig. b)
Finally, Rab= 2 || 3 + 10 =11.2
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 Example: Find the equivalent

conductance Geq for the circuit in Fig a).
8S and 12S are in parallel, their equivalent
conductance is 8+12=20S
This 20S is now in series with 5S as shown in
Fig. b), the combined conductance is
(20)(5)/(20+5)=4S
This 4S is in parallel with 6S, hence
Geq=6+4=10S
Note that Fig. a) is the same as Fig. c), where
the conductances are expressed in resistances
Req =

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
|| + || = || + = || =
6 5 8 12 6 5 20 6 4 10

Therefore, Geq=10S
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 Example: Find io and vo in Fig. a) and the

power dissipated in the 3 resistor.
The 6 and 3 resistors are in parallel, so their
combined resistance is 6||3=(6)(3)/(6+3)=2
The circuit reduces to Fig. b)
vo can be obtained in two ways
Ohms law: i=12/(4+2)=2A, and vo=2i=4V
voltage division formula: v = 2 (12V) = 4V
o
2+4

Similarly, io can be obtained in two ways

Ohms law: vo=3io => io=4/3A
6
6
4
Current division formula: io =
i=
2A= A
6+3
6+3
3

Power dissipated in the 3 resistor is

po=voio=4(4/3)=5.333W
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 Example: For Fig. a), determine vo, the

power supplied by the current source and
the power absorbed by each resistors
The 6k and 12k resistors are inseries so
that their combined value is 6+12=18k
Fig. a) reduces to Fig. b)
Apply the current division,
18000
(30mA) = 20mA
9000 + 18000
9000
i2 =
(30mA) = 10mA
9000 + 18000
i1 =

vo=9000i1=180V

Power supplied by the source is po=voio=180(30)mW=5.4W

Power absorbed by the 12k resistor is p=i22R=(1010-3)2(12000)=1.2W
Power absorbed by the 6k resistor is p=i22R=(1010-3)2(6000)=0.6W
Power absorbed by the 9k resistor is p=vo2/R=(180)2/9000=3.6W
Note that power supplied = power absorbed
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Wye-Delta Transformations
Situations often arise in circuits analysis
when the resistors are neither in parallel
nor in series
e.g., the bridge circuit
How do we combine R1 to R6?
Many circuits of this type can be
simplified using three-terminal
networks:
Wye (Y) or tee (T) network
Delta () or pi () network

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 Question: Suppose we identified a network, but it is more

convenient to work with a Y network, can we transform a
network into a Y network and how?
First superimpose a network with a Y network
Rac(Y)=R1+R3, Rac()= Rb||(Ra+Rc)
Setting Rac(Y) = Rac() gives
Rb ( Ra + Rc )
Rac = R1 + R3 =
(1)
Ra + Rb + Rc
Similarly,
Rc ( Ra + Rb )
Rab = R1 + R2 =
Ra + Rb + Rc

(2)

Ra ( Rb + Rc )
Rbc = R2 + R3 =
Ra + Rb + Rc

(3)
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 Subtracting (3) from (1), we get

Rc ( Rb Ra )
R1 R2 =
Ra + Rb + Rc

(4)

Rb Rc
Adding (2) and (4) gives R1 =
Ra + Rb + Rc

(5)

Rc Ra
Subtracting (4) from (2) yields R2 =
Ra + Rb + Rc
Ra Rb
Subtracting (4) from (1), we obtain R3 =
Ra + Rb + Rc
Shortcut for memorizing the conversion rule:

(6)
(7)

Each resistor in the Y network is the product of the resistors in the two
adjacent branches, divided by the sum of the three resistors

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 If we identified a Y network and want to transform it into a

network, how can we do that?
From (5), (6) and (7), we have
R1R2 + R2 R3 + R3 R1 =
=

Ra Rb Rc ( Ra + Rb + Rc )
( Ra + Rb + Rc )2
Ra Rb Rc
Ra + Rb + Rc

(8)

Dividing (8) by each of (5), (6) and (7) leads to

R1R2 + R2 R3 + R3 R1
Ra =
R1

(9)

R1R2 + R2 R3 + R3 R1
Rb =
R2

(10)

R1R2 + R2 R3 + R3 R1
Rc =
R3

(11)
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 Shortcut for memorizing the Y to conversion rule:

Each resistor in the network is the sum of all possible products of Y
resistors taken two at a time, divided by the opposite Y resistor

Special case:
when R1 = R2 = R3 = RY or Ra = Rb = Rc = R
Under these conditions, conversion formulas becomes R=3 RY or RY=
R/3
The networks are said to be balanced

Example: Convert the network in Fig. a) into a Y network

R1 =

Rb Rc
(10)(25)
=
= 5
Ra + Rb + Rc 15 + 10 + 25

R2 =

Rc Ra
(25)(15)
=
= 7.5
Ra + Rb + Rc 15 + 10 + 25

Ra Rb
(15)(10)
R3 =
=
= 3
Ra + Rb + Rc 15 + 10 + 25
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 Example: Obtain the equivalent

resistance Rab for the circuit and use it to
find i
Convert the Y network comprising the 5,
10 and 20 resistors by using R1=10,
R2=20 and R3=5
Using (9), (10) and (11), we have
R R + R2 R3 + R3 R1 (10)(20) + (20)(5) + (5)(10)
Ra = 1 2
=
= 35
R1
10
R R + R2 R3 + R3 R1 350
=
= 17.5
Rb = 1 2
20
R2
R R + R2 R3 + R3 R1 350
=
= 70
Rc = 1 2
5
R3

The equivalent circuit is shown in Fig. a)

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 Combining the three pairs of resistors in parallel, we obtain

(70)(30)
= 21
70 + 30
(12.5)(17.5)
12.5 ||17.5 =
= 7.292
12.5 + 17.5
(15)(35)
15 || 35 =
= 10.5
15 + 35
70 || 30 =

The equivalent circuit reduces to Fig. b)

Rab=(7.292+10.5)||21=(17.792)(21)/(17.792+21)=9.632
i=vs/ Rab = 120/9.632 =12.458A

Follow up challenge: Try starting with converting a-c-n to

an equivalent Y network and then obtain Rab. You should get
the same answer.

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