1

EXPERIMENT:
REVIEW OF NORTONS THEOREM AND JFET BIASING
PRE-LAB INSTRUCTIONS
To simplify circuit analysis, it is possible to replace complex circuits with
a very simple equivalent. The circuit of Fig. 1(a) can be replaced by the
more simple equivalent shown in Fig. 1(b).

Figure 1(a)

To obtain the "Thevenin Voltage" ETH in Fig. 1(b) it is necessary to

measure (or calculate) the open circuit voltage between terminals A and B
of the circuit in Fig. 1(a).

Figure 1(b)
The "Thevenin Resistance" RTH is measured (or calculated) by connecting an ohmmeter between
terminals A and B, when the source E has been replaced by its source resistance (usually very small).
Figure 1(c)

To obtain the Norton Current IN in Fig. 1(c) it is necessary to measure (or calculate) the current flowing
in a short circuit between terminals A and B of the circuit in Fig. 1(a).
The Norton Resistance is determined the same way as the Thevenin Resistance and hence has the
same value.

EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

2
EXAMPLE 1
Since this is an open circuit voltage measured between points A
and B there is no current flowing through the 3 so its voltage
drop is zero. The voltage between A and B is then equal to the
voltage dropped across the 6 resistor.

ETh = VAB = V6 = 12Vx(6

Vx(6

With the 12 V source "shorted out", the resistance between A and B is:
RTh = RAB = ( 2

(6

EXAMPLE 2
In a case such as this, the simplification can be done in
stages:

Stage 1: The Thevenin equivalent of components to the LEFT of P and Q

is:

Stage 2: When this equivalent is joined to the rest of the

components we have:

EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

Stage 3: The final Thevenin equivalent circuit is:

NORTONS THEOREM EXAMPLE

Stage 1: The short circuit current flowing between points A and B is the
current flowing through the
resistor.
IT = 12V/(2
IN = 1.5A x (3

3
6

6
3

V//(2
x2

V/(8

RN = RTh = RAB = 6

Stage 2: The final Norton equivalent circuit is:

NORTONS/THEVENINS CONVERSION
Note that the Norton and Thevenin equivalent circuits can be converted directly from one to the other by
Ohms Law. ETh = INxRN or IN = ETh/RTh remembering that RN = RTh
In this example ETh = INxRN = 1A x 6

EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

4
EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM
OBJECTIVES

PARTNERS NAMES;______________________________________________

1. Verification of Thevenin's and Nortons Theorems.

2. Use NortonsTheorem to verify the behaviour of a JFET as a constant current source.
APPARATUS
1 - Dual D.C. Power Supply
2 - Digital Multimeters
1 - Decade resistor box
1 -Proto Board
One each of resistors 330 , 470 , 560 , 1 k, 1.2 k, 2.2 k, 3.3 k, 3.9 k, 1M
Other resistors 10 k x2, 1 k potentiometer
1 2N5458 or equivalent
PART I - THEVENIN'S THEOREM AND MULTI-SOURCE CIRCUITS
Circuit Diagram

PROCEDURE
1. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 3, and measure the load current and voltage.
IL = ______________ VL = ___________
2. Remove the load resistor and milliammeter from the circuit, leaving the voltmeter connected to
terminals A and B. Record this voltage which is the Thevenin voltage for the total circuit LEFT of
A and B.
ETH = ____________________________
3. Switch OFF the power supply units and remove the voltmeter. Remove the power supplies and
connect the open leads where the power supplies where previously connected together. (Each
voltage source has now been replaced by zero ohms source resistance.)
4. Set the D.M.M. to measure resistance and connect the meter to terminals A and B. This value of
resistance is RTH.
EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

5
5. RTH = _____________________________
6. Connect the decade resistor and power supply as shown in Fig. 4 to create the "Thevenin
Equivalent" of the components to the LEFT of terminals A and B in the original circuit of Fig. 3.
The decade resistor should be set to the value of RTH obtained in procedure 4 and the power supply
voltage set to Eth.

7.
8. Record the values of load current and voltage when the 1.2k resistor is connected to the
Thevenin equivalent circuit.
IL =

VL = ____________________

PART II - NORTON'S THEOREM AND THE JFET AS A CONSTANT CURRENT SOURCE

PROCEDURE Part I, JFET Maximum Current (IDSS)
1. Construct the JFET circuit shown in the figure below. The instrument in the drain circuit is an
ammeter
VDD
15V
+
00.000

Q1
JFET_N_VIRTUAL

R1
R2

Key = a

1.0MOhm_5%

1K_LIN

50%

Figure 1

EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

6
2. Turn on the power supply and adjust the potentiometer to produce the maximum drain current as
displayed on the ammeter. This is IDSS.
IDSS = _________________________
NO NOT CHANGE THE POTENTIOMETER UNLESS THE PROCEDURE INSTRUCTS
YOU TO!

Part II, Load Current in Original Network

1. Turn off the power supply and replace the ammeter in figure 1 with the resistor network as shown
in figure 2 below. To simplify later steps, build the resistor network on a separate protoboard.
VDD

15V

R3

R5

R6

+
00.000

R4

1.0kOhm_5%

2.2kOhm_5%

3.3kOhm_5%

3.9kOhm_5%

A
RL

R7

10kOhm_5%

10kOhm_5%

JFET_N_VIRTUAL
Q1

R2

R1

1.0MOhm_5%

Key = a

50%

1K_LIN

Figure 2
2. Turn on the power supply and record the load current with this original network in place.
IRL = __________________

EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

7
Part III, Determination of Norton Equivalent Current and Resistance
1. Turn off the power supply and replace the load with a short circuit. Turn on the power supply and
record the short circuit current on the ammeter (which is now in parallel with R7). This is the
Norton current.
IN = _________________________

2. Turn off the power supply. Remove the resistor network from the JFET circuit. Remove the
ammeter and leave these points OPEN. Short points that were connected to the original circuit
(R3 becomes connected to R4, i.e. they are now in parallel with each other). Use an Ohmmeter to
measure the resistance seen from the load terminals (meter will be in parallel with R7). This is
RN.
RN = _______________________
Part IV, Confirmation of Norton Equivalent Circuit
1. Reconstruct the circuit shown in Figure 1. Adjust the potentiometer until the ammeter reading is
equal to the Norton Current found in Part III.
2. Rearrange the circuit from step 1 so that it looks like the circuit shown in Figure 3. Do NOT
adjust the potentiometer! Note the value of the Norton Resistor, RN, is shown as
YOU
MUST USE THE VALUE OF RN DETERMINED IN PART III HERE, NOT
You may need
to use a decade box in order to get the correct value of RN.
VDD

15V

+
00.000

RN

RL

0Ohm_1%

10kOhm_5%

JFET_N_VIRTUAL
Q1

R2

R1

1.0MOhm_5%

Key = a

50%

1K_LIN

Figure 3
EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM

8
3. Turn on the power supply and record the load current. IRL = __________________
4. Compare the value of IRL measured in step 2, Part II for the original network to the value of IRL
measured in step 3, Part IV for the Norton equivalent circuit.
Part V, Confirmation of Thevenin Equivalent Circuit
1. Construct the Thevenin circuit where RN = RTh is in series with ETh = IN x RN. Place the load
resistor and an ammeter in series with RTh. And measure IRL.
IRL = __________________
Hand in these sheets at the end of the lab period with BOTH partners names recorded at the
top.

EXPERIMENT: THEVENIN'S AND NORTONS THEOREM