Techno-Zeal-2K16-17

Organized by

Silicon Institute of Technology,

Bhubaneswar and
Circuit Club

CIRCUITICA: Know your Circuits using SPICE

Ramaprasad Panda
Associate Professor, EEE Department
Silicon Institute of Technology,
Bhubaneswar

Ohms Law

I=V/R

Georg Simon Ohm (1787-1854)

= Current (Amperes) (amps)

= Voltage (Volts)

= Resistance (ohms)

How you should be thinking

about electric circuits:

Voltage: a force that

pushes the current
through the circuit (in
this picture it would be
equivalent to gravity)

How you should be thinking

about electric circuits:

Resistance: friction that

impedes flow of current
through the circuit
(rocks in the river)

How you should be thinking

about electric circuits:

Current: the actual

substance that is
flowing through the
wires of the circuit
(electrons!)

Would This Work?

Would This Work?

Would This Work?

The Central Concept: Closed

Circuit

circuit diagram
Scientists usually draw electric circuits using symbols;

cell

lamp

switch

wires

Simple Circuits
Series circuit
All in a row
1 path for electricity
1 light goes out and
the circuit is broken

Parallel circuit
Many paths for electricity
1 light goes out and the
others stay on

PARALLEL CIRCUIT
Place two bulbs in parallel. What do you
notice about the brightness of the bulbs?
Add a third light bulb in the circuit. What
do you notice about the brightness of the
bulbs?
Remove the middle bulb from the circuit.
What happened?

measuring current
Electric current is measured in amps (A) using
an ammeter connected in series in the circuit.

measuring current
This is how we draw an ammeter in a circuit.

SERIES CIRCUIT

PARALLEL CIRCUIT

measuring voltage
The electrical push which the cell gives to the current

is called the voltage. It is measured in volts (V) on a

voltmeter

measuring voltage
This is how we draw a voltmeter in a circuit.

V
SERIES CIRCUIT

V
PARALLEL CIRCUIT

OHMs LAW
Measure the current and voltage across each circuit.
Use Ohms Law to compute resistance
Series Circuit

Voltage

Current

Resistance

Parallel Circuit
Voltage

Current

Resistance

measuring current
SERIES CIRCUIT

current is the same

at all points in the
circuit.

2A

2A
2A

PARALLEL CIRCUIT
current is shared
between the
components

2A

2A
1A

1A

fill in the missing ammeter readings.

3A
?

4A
?

3A
1A
?

4A
?
4A

1A

1A
?

The circuit is no longer complete, therefore current can not flow

The voltage decreases because the current is decreased

and the resistance increases.

The current remains the same. The total resistance drops in a

parallel circuit as more bulbs are added

The current increases.

Series and Parallel Circuits

Series Circuits
only one end of each component is connected
e.g. Christmas tree lights

Parallel Circuits
both ends of a component are connected
e.g. household lighting

copy the following circuits and fill in the

missing ammeter readings.

3A
?

4A
?

3A
1A
?

4A
?
4A

1A

1A
?

measuring voltage
Different cells produce different voltages. The
bigger the voltage supplied by the cell, the bigger the
current.

Unlike an ammeter, a voltmeter is connected across

the components
Scientist usually use the term Potential Difference
(pd) when they talk about voltage.

measuring voltage

V
V

series circuit
voltage is shared between the components

3V

1.5V

1.5V

parallel circuit
voltage is the same in all parts of the circuit.

3V
3V

3V

measuring current & voltage

copy the following circuits on the next two
slides.
complete the missing current and voltage
readings.
remember the rules for current and voltage
in series and parallel circuits.

measuring current & voltage

a)
6V
4A

V
A

measuring current & voltage

b)
4A

6V

A
V

V
A

answers
a)

b)
4A

6V

6V
4A
6V

4A

4A
3V

2A

3V

4A

6V
2A

Voltage, Current, and Power

One Volt is a Joule per Coulomb (J/C)
One Amp of current is one Coulomb per
second (6.24 x10^18 electrons/second).
If I have one volt (J/C) and one amp (C/s),
then multiplying gives Joules per second
(J/s)
this is power: J/s = Watts

So the formula for electrical power is just:

P = VI: power = voltage current

Kirchoffs Laws

Circuit Definitions
Node any point where 2 or more circuit
elements are connected together
Wires usually have negligible resistance
Each node has one voltage (w.r.t. ground)

Branch a circuit element between two

nodes
Loop a collection of branches that form a
closed path returning to the same node
without going through any other nodes or
branches twice

Example
How many nodes, branches & loops?
R1
+

+
-

Vs

Is
R2

R3

Vo

Example
Three nodes
R1
+

+
-

Vs

Is
R2

R3

Vo

Example
5 Branches
R1
+

+
-

Vs

Is
R2

R3

Vo

Example
Three Loops, if starting at node A
A

R1

+
-

Vs

Is
R2

R3

Vo

Kirchoffs Voltage Law (KVL)

The algebraic sum of voltages around
each loop is zero
Beginning with one node, add voltages across
each branch in the loop (if you encounter a +
sign first) and subtract voltages (if you
encounter a sign first)

voltage drops - voltage rises = 0

Or voltage drops = voltage rises

Example
Kirchoffs Voltage Law around 1st Loop
A

I1

I1R1

R1
I2

+
-

Vs

+
+

Is
R2 I2R2

R3

Vo

C
Assign current variables and directions
Use Ohms law to assign voltages and polarities consistent with
passive devices (current enters at the + side)

Example
Kirchoffs Voltage Law around 1st Loop
A

I1

I1R1

R1
I2

+
-

Vs

+
+

Is
R2 I2R2

R3

Vo

C
Starting at node A, add the 1st voltage drop: + I1R1

Example
Kirchoffs Voltage Law around 1st Loop
A

I1

I1R1

R1
I2

+
-

Vs

+
+

Is
R2 I2R2

R3

Vo

C
Add the voltage drop from B to C through R2: + I1R1 + I2R2

Example
Kirchoffs Voltage Law around 1st Loop
A

I1

I1R1

R1
I2

+
-

Vs

+
+

Is
R2 I2R2

R3

Vo

C
Subtract the voltage rise from C to A through Vs: + I1R1 + I2R2 Vs = 0
Notice that the sign of each term matches the polarity encountered 1st

Circuit Analysis
When given a circuit with sources and
resistors having fixed values, you can use
Kirchoffs two laws and Ohms law to
determine all branch voltages and currents
+

VAB -

I
B

+
3

12 v
-

VBC
-

Circuit Analysis

By Ohms law: VAB = I7 and VBC = I3

By KVL: VAB + VBC 12 v = 0
Substituting: I7 + I3 -12 v = 0
Solving: I = 1.2 A
+ V AB

I
B

+
3

12 v
-

VBC
-

Circuit Analysis
Since VAB = I7 and VBC = I3
And I = 1.2 A
So VAB = 8.4 v and VBC = 3.6 v
+

VAB -

I
B

+
3

12 v
-

VBC
-

Series Resistors
KVL: +I10 12 v = 0, So I = 1.2 A
From the viewpoint of the source, the 7
and 3 ohm resistors in series are
equivalent to the 10 ohms
I
+

+
12 v
-

10

I10
-

Series Resistors
To the rest of the circuit, series resistors
can be replaced by an equivalent
resistance equal to the sum of all resistors
Series resistors (same current through all)
I
I

...

Rseries

Kirchoffs Current Law (KCL)

The algebraic sum of currents entering a
node is zero
Add each branch current entering the node
and subtract each branch current leaving the
node

currents in - currents out = 0

Or currents in = currents out

Example
Kirchoffs Current Law at B
A

I1
R1
I2

+
-

Vs

I3

Is
R2

R3

Vo

C
Assign current variables and directions
Add currents in, subtract currents out: I1 I2 I3 + Is = 0

Circuit Analysis
A
I1

10 A

I2

8
-

4
-

VAB
-

By KVL: - I1 8 + I2 4 = 0
Solving:
I2 = 2 I1
By KCL:
10A = I1 + I2
Substituting:
10A = I1 + 2 I1 = 3 I1
So I1 = 3.33 A and I2 = 6.67 A
And VAB = 26.33 volts

Circuit Analysis
A
+

10 A

2.667

VAB
-

By Ohms Law: VAB = 10 A 2.667

So VAB = 26.67 volts
Replacing two parallel resistors (8 and 4 )
by one equivalent one produces the same
result from the viewpoint of the rest of the
circuit.

Parallel Resistors
The equivalent resistance for any number
of resistors in parallel (i.e. they have the
same voltage across each resistor):
1
Req =
1/R1 + 1/R2 + + 1/RN

For two parallel resistors:

Req = R1R2/(R1+R2)

Example Circuit

Solve for the currents through each resistor

And the voltages across each resistor

Example Circuit
+ I110 +
I28
-

+ I36 +
I34
-

Using Ohms law, add polarities and

expressions for each resistor voltage

Example Circuit
+ I110 +
I28
-

+ I36 +
I34
-

Write 1st Kirchoffs voltage law equation

-50 v + I110 + I28 = 0

Example Circuit
+ I110 +
I28
-

+ I36 +
I34
-

Write 2nd Kirchoffs voltage law equation

-I28 + I36 + I34 = 0
or I2 = I3 (6+4)/8 = 1.25 I3

Example Circuit
A

Write Kirchoffs current law equation at A

+I1 I2 - I3 = 0

Example Circuit
We now have 3 equations in 3 unknowns,
so we can solve for the currents through
each resistor, that are used to find the
voltage across each resistor
Since I1 - I2 - I3 = 0, I1 = I2 + I3
Substituting into the 1st KVL equation
-50 v + (I2 + I3)10 + I28 = 0
or I218 + I3 10 = 50 volts

Example Circuit
But from the 2nd KVL equation, I2 = 1.25I3
Substituting into 1st KVL equation:
(1.25 I3)18 + I3 10 = 50 volts
Or: I3 22.5 + I3 10 = 50 volts
Or: I3 32.5 = 50 volts
Or: I3 = 50 volts/32.5
Or: I3 = 1.538 amps

Example Circuit
Since I3 = 1.538 amps
I2 = 1.25I3 = 1.923 amps
Since I1 = I2 + I3, I1 = 3.461 amps
The voltages across the resistors:
I110 = 34.61 volts
I28 = 15.38 volts
I36 = 9.23 volts
I34 = 6.15 volts

Example Circuit

Solve for the currents through each resistor

And the voltages across each resistor using
Series and parallel simplification.

Example Circuit

The 6 and 4 ohm resistors are in series, so

are combined into 6+4 = 10

Example Circuit

The 8 and 10 ohm resistors are in parallel, so

are combined into 810/(8+10) =14.4

Example Circuit

The 10 and 4.4 ohm resistors are in series, so

are combined into 10+4 = 14.4

Example Circuit

+
I114.4
-

Writing KVL, I114.4 50 v = 0

Or I1 = 50 v / 14.4 = 3.46 A

Example Circuit
+34.6 v -

+
15.4 v
-

If I1 = 3.46 A, then I110 = 34.6 v

So the voltage across the 8 = 15.4 v

Example Circuit
+ 34.6 v -

+
15.4 v
-

If I28 = 15.4 v, then I2 = 15.4/8 = 1.93 A

By KCL, I1-I2-I3=0, so I3 = I1I2 = 1.53 A

Direct Current
If the voltage is maintained between two
points in a circuit, charge will flow in one
direction - from high to low potential. This
is called direct current (DC)
Battery-powered circuits are dc circuits.

Alternating Current
If the high & low voltage terminals switch
locations periodically, the current will
flow back and forth in the circuit. This
is called alternating current (AC).
Circuits powered by electrical outlets are
AC circuits.