Experiment 2

Verification of Network Theorems (KVL, KCL,

Thevenin’s/Norton’s Theorem)

Table 4, Monday Batch, 09:00 - 11:00

Ayush Singhal (2024MT10774)
Chirag Yadav (2024MT10094)

Aim
(1) To verify Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL) and Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) on a given passive
network (Fig. 1).

(2) To obtain Thevenin’s equivalent circuit of network given in Fig. 1 at the load terminals (A-B)
indicated in the same figure.
(3) To obtain Norton’s equivalent circuit of network given in Fig. 1 at the load terminals (A-B)
indicated in the same figure.

Apparatus
The apparatus used in the experimental setup is as follows:
• Breadboard, Connecting wires, Passive components (Resistors)

• Voltmeters, Ammeters, Digital Multi-meter

• Digital Storage Oscilloscope
• DC power supply

Circuit Diagram

Figure 1: Experimental circuit diagram

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Theory
(i) Kirchhoff ’s Voltage Law (KVL): At any instant in a closed-loop, the algebraic sum of the
e.m.f’s acting round the loop is equal to the algebraic sum of potential differences round the loop.
It indicates the “Principle of conservation of energy”.
n
X
VRk = 0
k=1

(ii) Kirchhoff ’s Current Law (KCL): At any instant the algebraic sum of currents at a junction in
a network is zero. It indicates the “Law of conservation of charge”.
n
X
Ik = 0
k=1

If “Ik ” is the current flowing through resistance (Rk ) then the power dissipated in it is:

PRk = Rk Ik2

Figure 2: Two-terminal network representation of Fig. 1 (Load: RL ).

(i) Thevenin’s Theorem: According to this theorem (Fig. 4a), one can replace the entire linear
bilateral passive network by an equivalent circuit that contains only an independent voltage source
in series with an equivalent resistance such that the current-voltage relationship at the load is
unchanged.
(ii) Norton’s Theorem: This theorem (Fig. 4b) is identical to “Thevenin’s Theorem” except that the
equivalent circuit is an independent current source is in parallel with Norton resistance (Thevenin’s
resistance). Therefore, the Norton equivalent circuit is a source transformation of the Thevenin
equivalent circuit.

(a) Equivalent circuit to measure Thevenin’s voltage: Vth (b) Equivalent circuit to measure Thevenin’s resistance:
(Load: RL ) Rth (Load: RL )

Figure 3

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(a) Thevenin’s equivalent circuit (Load: RL ) (b) Norton’s equivalent circuit (Load: RL )

Figure 4

Norton’s current IN is related to Thevenin’s voltage Vth and Thevenin’s resistance Rth as follows:
Vth
IN =
Rth

Measurements

Table 1: Resistances (Referring to Fig. 1)

Row no. Resistance R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7

1 Ideal (Ω) 10k 10k 10k 10k 10k 10k 10k

2 Measured (Ω) 9.94k 9.92k 9.83k 9.87k 9.79k 9.83k 9.82k
3 Tolerance (%) 0.6 0.8 1.7 1.3 2.1 1.7 1.8
Power rating
4 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.25
(watt)

Table 2: Observations: For KVL verification

DC Source Voltage across resistance (VRk )

S.No.
Voltage (Vin ) VR1 VR2 VR3 VR4 VR5 VR6 VR7 VRL

1 9.99 V 3.835 V 1.473 V 3.799 V 0.878 V 0.585 V 0.294 V 0.294 V 2.352 V

2 11.07 V 4.250 V 1.632 V 4.207 V 0.973 V 0.648 V 0.324 V 0.324 V 2.605 V
3 12.03 V 4.620 V 1.774 V 4.573 V 1.058 V 0.704 V 0.355 V 0.355 V 2.832 V
4 13.01 V 4.994 V 1.918 V 4.944 V 1.143 V 0.761 V 0.382 V 0.382 V 3.061 V
5 14.03 V 5.385 V 2.068 V 5.332 V 1.233 V 0.821 V 0.412 V 0.412 V 3.301 V

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Table 3: Observations: For KCL verification

(Computed using Table 2, Load Resistance RL = 9.90 kΩ)

DC Source Current through resistance (IRk ) (in mA)

S.No.
Voltage (Vin ) IR1 IR2 IR3 IR4 IR5 IR6 IR7 IRL

1 9.99 V 0.386 0.148 0.386 0.089 0.060 0.030 0.030 0.238

2 11.07 V 0.428 0.165 0.428 0.099 0.066 0.033 0.033 0.263
3 12.03 V 0.465 0.179 0.465 0.107 0.072 0.036 0.036 0.286
4 13.01 V 0.502 0.193 0.503 0.116 0.078 0.039 0.039 0.309
5 14.03 V 0.541 0.208 0.542 0.125 0.084 0.042 0.042 0.333

Table 4: Observations: Power Dissipated in the Resistances

(Current values taken from Table 3)

R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 R7 RL

Resistance (Ω) 9.94k 9.92k 9.83k 9.87k 9.79k 9.83k 9.82k 9.90k

Current (mA) 0.541 0.208 0.542 0.125 0.084 0.042 0.042 0.333

Power (mW) 2.909 0.429 2.888 0.154 0.069 0.017 0.017 1.098

Total Power
Dissipated in
all Resistances
(P = Rk Ik2 )
P
7.582 mW

Power drawn
from the input
power supply
V2 14.032
(Ps = Rin
eq
) 25.89 = 7.603 mW

(Ps − P ) 0.021 mW

Reasons for deviation in power (Ps − P):

Tolerances of resistances
Accuracy of measuring instruments (multimeter)

Table 5: Parameters of Thevenin’s and Norton’s Equivalent Circuits

(Refer Figures 3 and 4)

S.No.. Vin (V) Rth (Ω) Vth (V) IN (mA)

1 10.04 8.80k 4.459 0.507

2 11.00 8.80k 4.884 0.555
3 12.03 8.80k 5.340 0.607

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Sample Calculations and Verifications

Table 1
Sample Calculation for Tolerance (%) for R1

| Ideal Value − Measured Value | |10 − 9.94|

Tolerance = × 100% = × 100% = 0.6%
Ideal Value 10

Table 2
Verification of KVL for Vin = 9.99 V

• Mesh 1 (R1 , R2 , R4 , R3 , Vin ): -9.99 + 3.835 + 1.473 + 0.878 + 3.799 = -0.005 V ≈ 0 V

• Mesh 2 (R4 , R6 , R5 ): -0.878 + 0.585 + 0.294 = 0.001 V ≈ 0 V
• Mesh 3 (R6 , R7 ): -0.294 + 0.294 = 0 V

Reasons of deviation:
1. Tolerances of resistances
2. Accuracy of measuring instruments (multimeter)

Table 3
Sample Calculation for IR1 (Vin = 9.99 V)
VR1 3.835
IR1 = = mA = 0.385815 mA ≈ 0.386 mA
R1 9.94

Verification of KCL for Vin = 9.99 V

• Node 1 (I1 , I2 , IL ): +0.386 - 0.148 - 0.238 = 0 mA

• Node 2 (I2 , I4 , I6 , I7 ): +0.148 - 0.089 - 0.030 - 0.030 = -0.001 mA ≈ 0 mA

• Node 3 (I4 , I5 , I3 , IL ): +0.089 + 0.060 - 0.386 + 0.238 = 0.001 mA ≈ 0 mA
Reasons of deviation:
1. Tolerances of resistances

2. Accuracy of measuring instruments (multimeter)

Table 4
Sample Calculation for Power Dissipated in R1

PR1 = R1 I12 = 9.94 kΩ × (0.541 mA)2 = 2.909249 mW ≈ 2.909 mW

Table 5
Sample Calculation for Norton’s Current for Vin = 11.00 V
Vth 4.884
IN = = = 0.555 mA
Rth 8.80

Therefore, the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit for Vin = 11.00 V is as shown in Figure 4a with Vth = 4.884
V and Rth = 8.80 kΩ. Similarly, the Norton’s equivalent circuit for Vin = 11.00 V is as shown in Figure
4b with IN = 0.555 mA and Rth = 8.80 kΩ.

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Conclusions
(1) KVL and KCL laws have been verified for given passive network (Figure 1).
(2) The Thevenin’s and Norton’s equivalent circuit at the load teminals (A-B) have been obtained for
the given network (Figure 1).