Chapter 2

Basic Components and

Electric Circuits

Prof. Namyoon Lee

School of EE
Korea University
 The SI System
Base units:
} length: meter (m), mass: kilogram (kg),
time - second (s), electrical current - ampere (A), etc.

Derived units:
} work or energy: joule (J)
} power (rate of doing work): watt (W), 1 W = 1 J/s

SI: International System of Unit (1964)

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 SI: Units and Prefixes
Any measurement can be expressed in terms
of a unit, or a unit with a “prefix” modifier.
FACTOR NAME SYMBOL
10-9 nano n
10-6 micro μ
10-3 milli m
103 kilo k
106 mega M
109 giga G

Example: 12.3 mW = 0.0123 W =1.23 x 10-2 W

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 Charge
} Charge is conserved: it is neither created nor
destroyed
} Symbol: Q or q; units are coulomb (C)
} The smallest charge, the electronic charge, is
carried by an electron (−1.602×10-19 C) or a
proton (+1.602×10-19 C)
} In most circuits, the charges in motion are
electrons

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 Current and Charge
Current is the rate of charge flow:
1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second (or 1 A = 1 C/s)

History: the unit of current, ampere (A) is

named after A. M. Ampère, a French physicist.
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 Current and Charge
} Current (designated by I or i) is the rate of
flow of charge
} Current must be designated with both a
direction and a magnitude
} These two currents are the same:

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 Current and Charge
} Example: Current

Incomplete, improper and Correct definition

incorrect definitions of current

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Current and Charge: i=dq/dt

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 Voltage
} When 1 J of work is
required to move 1 C of
charge from A to B, there
is a voltage of 1 volt [J/C]
between A and B.

} Voltage (V or v) across an
element requires both a
magnitude and a polarity.

} Example: (a)=(b), (c)=(d)

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 Voltage
} Example
Inadequate
definitions of
current

Correct
definition

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 Power: p = v i
} The power required to push a
current i (C/s) into a voltage v
(J/C) is p = vi ( J/s = W).

} When power is positive, the

element is absorbing energy.

} When power is negative, the

element is supplying energy.

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 Example: Power

How much power is absorbed by the three elements

above?
Pa = +6 W, Pb = +6 W, Pc = -20 W.
(Note: (c) is actually supplying power)

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 Circuit Elements
} A circuit element usually has
two terminals (sometimes
three or more).

} The relationship between the

voltage v across the terminals
and the current i through the
device defines the circuit
element model.

𝑣=𝑓 𝑖
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 Voltage Sources
} An ideal voltage source is a circuit element that will
maintain the specified voltage vs across its terminals.
} The current will be determined by other circuit
elements.

?
𝑣! = 𝑓 𝑖

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 Battery as Voltage Source
} A voltage source is an idealization (no limit on
current) and generalization (voltage can be time-
varying) of a battery.
} A battery supplies a constant “dc” voltage V but in
practice a battery has a maximum power.

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 Current Sources
} An ideal current source is a circuit element that
maintains the specified current flow is through its
terminals.
} The voltage is determined by other circuit elements.

?
𝑖! = 𝑔 𝑣

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 Dependent Sources
} Dependent current sources (a) and (b) maintain a
current specified by another circuit variable.
} Dependent voltage sources (c) and (d) maintain a
voltage specified by another circuit variable.

Current-controlled Voltage-controlled Voltage-controlled Current-controlled

current source current source voltage source voltage source

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Example: Dependent Sources

Find the voltage vL in the circuit below.

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 Networks and Circuits
} Electrical Network
} Interconnection of two or more simple circuit elements
} Electric Circuit
} Networks containing at least one closed path

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 Ohm’s Law: Resistance
} A (linear) resistor is a passive element for which

𝑣 = 𝑖𝑅
where the constant R is a resistance.
} The equation is known as “Ohm’s Law.” (1827)
} Named after an obscure German physicist and mathematic
ian, Georg Simon Ohm.
} The unit of resistance is ohm (Ω).

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 Resistors
(a) typical resistors (b) power resistor
(c) a 10 TΩ resistor (d) circuit symbol

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Resistor color
code chart

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 The i-v Graph for a Resistor
For a resistor, the plot of current versus voltage
is a straight line:

In this example, the

slope is 4 A / 8 V or
0.5 Ω-1.

This is the graph for

a 2 ohm resistor.

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 Power Absorption
Resistors absorb power: since v=iR

𝑝 = 𝑣𝑖 = 𝑣 /𝑅
2 = 𝑖𝑅
2

Positive power means the device is absorbing energy.

Power is always positive for a resistor!

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 Example: Resistor Power
A 560 Ω resistor is connected to a circuit which
causes a current of 42.4 mA to flow through it.
Calculate the voltage across the resistor and the
power it is dissipating.
v = iR = (0.0424)(560) = 23.7 V

p = i2R = (0.0424)2(560) = 1.007 W

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 Conductance
} We sometimes prefer to work with the
reciprocal of resistance (1/R), which is called
conductance (symbol G, unit siemens (S)).

} A resistor R has conductance G=1/R.

} An older, unofficial unit for conductance is mho (℧)

} The i-v equation (i.e. Ohm’s law) can be written as

𝑖 = 𝐺𝑣

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 Open and Short Circuits
} An open(개방) circuit between A and B means i=0.
} Voltage across an open circuit: any value.
} An open circuit is equivalent to R = ∞ Ω.

} A short(단락) circuit between A and B means v=0.

} Current through a short circuit: any value.
} A short circuit is equivalent to R = 0 Ω.

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: Battery Energy & Power

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 Summary
} Current,Voltage, Power
} Active Circuit Element
} Voltage Source, Current Source
} Passive Circuit Element
} Resistor (Ohm’s Law)

} Next Class
} Chapter 3:Voltage and Current Laws

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