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T
EE 2400 Laboratory 4
Anthony Beltran, Student, Texas State University
Abstract With the use of Thevenin equivalent circuit and
Kirchhoffs voltage law, the analyses of a circuit can be simplified
significantly and provide identical information its more complex
counterpart may provide
INTRODUCTION
HIS laboratory familiarized the student with the use of Thevenin
equivalent circuit and its advantages in analyzing power in
circuits where a particular resistor in the circuit is subject to
change where multiple calculations is necessary. In respect to
Thevenin's Theorem, a state that is possible to simplify a complex
circuit to an equivalent circuit that uses a single voltage source and a
series resistance connected to a load. Thevenin's Theorem provides a
simplified blueprint that allows the student to create a basic
equivalent from a far more complicated circuit, provided the basic
parts of Thevenin equivalent circuit are calculated accurately.
I. PROCEDURE & DATA
A. Pre Lab Measurements and Calculations
Using the circuit diagram from Lab 3, the student was to find the
Thevenin equivalent of that circuit and perform calculate the voltage
and current across the 3k! resistor.
To do this the student has to calculate the open circuit voltage, V
!"
. This is done by removing the load (desired element) and finding the
shortest route from positive open circuit to negative open circuit can
calculating the voltage the runs that course using a circuit analysis
technique. The values of the element and circuit are as followed:
Voltage source: 12V
V!"
= V
$%
+ V
%&
Using KVL analysis, a system of equations can be derived that
would allow the student to solve for V
!"
.Those equations are as
follows:
"
'
= 152k("
'
- 12k#"
$
= 12V
"
%
= -122k*"
'
+ 37.2k("
%
= 0
Solving for the unknowns, the system of equations gives the
student the following values.
"
'
= 0.001078
"
%
= 0.000348
These values allow the student to solve for V
!"
. Using Ohms
Law, finding V
!"
is simply the calculation for
Voltage = Resistance multiplied by Current.
V$%
= 6.2k x I
%
= 2.157V
V
%&
= 3k x I
'
= 3.234V
V
!"
) = V
$%
+ V
%&
= 5.3916V
Take notice that these figures are identical to the ideal values
calculated in Lab 3
With V
!"
calculated, the final step in preparing the Thevenin
equivalent circuit is to reduce the circuit down to its Thevenin
equivalent, this is done with reduction, a technique in which resistors
and its values are combined to reduce the number or series and
parallel connections. The final resistor resistance is* R
+,
, the
Thevenin resistance of the circuit. Replacing V
!"
with the original
element completes the Thevenin equivalent circuit. To calculate the
current, I
-
the student simply uses Ohms Law for
Current = V/R.
I
-
= V/R = .000604A
*V
!"
= V
+,
B. Lab Experiment Meaasurements
Using the Thevenin equivalent circuit, the student was asked to
carefully replicate the circuit on the breadboard. Once constructed the
new DC power source calculated (5.391V) was attached and with a
DMM the student was to measure the voltage and current of each
element and compare the measure values with the ideal values
prepared in the pre lab. The measured values are listed:
V./
= 1.817 V, 0.547 % decrease
V!"
= 5.386 V, 0.104 % decrease
I
-
= 0.00060 A, 0.662 % decrease
The percent difference between the measures values and ideal
values was no more than 1%. This shows the accuracy of KVL
analysis in determining the Thevenin equivalent circuit. There being
a 1% error can be attributed to the difference of rounding
insignificant figures.
C. Figures
Fig 1: The figure below shows the circuit given in Lab 3.
Created with iCircuits
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Fig2: The general Thevenin equivalent circuit
Fig3: The final Thevenin equivalent circuit, Created with
iCircuits
II. CONCLUSION
The lab provided a solid foundation on the significance of Ohms
Law and KVL analysis and its applications in determining the
Thevenin equivalent circuit. With careful computing and accurate lab
measurements under ideal conditions the measured values and ideal
values were extremely accurate and precise with less than a 1%
difference in all calculations. The student now has a complete
understanding in the Thevenin equivalent circuit and the advantages
it provides in simplifying analysis.
APPENDIX *
All calculations where derived from Ohms Law, V=IR
Percent difference equation: AVG = 1
st
value + 2nd value divided
by 2
KVL (Mesh Current Analysis)
*Pre-lab Attached
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