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Electrical Technology / Module-4 / DC Circuits /

Kirchhoff's Laws

Problem Set

Problem 1: In the circuit given in Fig. Find (a) the current I (b) the voltage across 30
Ω

Problem 2: Find V3 and its polarity if the current I in the circuit given below is 1
A.

Simple Electric Circuit

Problem 3: For the circuit shown in Figure, Find the voltage across 10 Ω resistor
and the current passing through it.

Problem 4: Find all branch currents in the circuit given

below

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Examples:
Example 1: What is the current in the circuit shown in figure? Determine the
voltage across each resistor?

Solu on: We assume current I in clock wise direc on, and indicate polari es

By using Ohm’s law, we find the voltage drops across each resistor.
V1M = I MV, V3.1M = 3.1I MV, V500K = 0.5I MV, V400K = 0.4I MV
Now, by applying Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law, we form the equa on.
10 = I + 3.1 I + 0.5 I + 0.4 I
5 * 106 I = 10
I = 2 * 10-6 A
I = 2µA
Voltage across each resistor is:
V1M = 1 * 2 = 2.0 V
V3.1M = 3.1 * 2 = 6.2 V

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V400K = 0.4 * 2 = 0.8 V

V500K = 0.5 * 2 = 1.0 V

Example 2:

Example 3: Determine the current through resistance R3 in the circuit of Figure

shown in figure?

Solu on: According to Kirchhoff’s Current Law,

IT = I1 + I2 + I3
Where IT is the total current and I1, I2, and I3 are currents in resistances
R1, R2, and R3 respec vely.
50 = 30 + 10 + I3
I3 = 10 mA
Example 4: Find all branch currents in the circuit shown in Figure?

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Solu on:

Notes:
Introduc on:
Kirchhoff’s laws are the most basic laws that are used in the analysis of electrical
circuits. These laws operate on the principle of conserva on of energy. Before going
to learn Kirchhoff’s laws, firstly we will learn some of the basic terms that are used in
electrical circuits.
Some basic terms used in electric circuit:
Consider the circuit given below

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Node: A node is a point in a circuit where two or more electric elements

are connected together. It can be seen that there are 5 nodes in the above
circuit.

It is also known as current junction.

Branch: A branch is a part of a circuit which is connected between two

nodes containing electric elements. It can be observed that there are 7
branches in the

above circuit of which 4 branches contain resistances and 3

branches contain voltage sources.
Loop: A loop is any closed path in an electric circuit, i.e. it is a contiguous
sequence of branches, where starting and end points for tracing the path
are the same

and no other node is traversed more than once. In the above circuit
there are 5 loops. It is also known as voltage junction.

Mesh: A mesh is a loop that does not have any other loop within it. In the
above circuit there are 3 meshes.

· In a loop or a voltage junction all the components in the loop share

the same current.

· All the components connected to a node or a current junction share

the same voltage.

· Both loop (voltage junction) and node (current junction) obey the

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law of conservation of energy.

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL): Kirchhoff’s voltage law states that the algebraic sum
of all the voltages within a loop is always zero.
Consider the loop or voltage junc on given below

In the above loop there is a voltage source, a resistance, inductor and a capacitor. Let
the voltages across the elements is as shown in the figure and the direc on of flow
of current is as indicated. Since as we know that energy is delivered if the current is
leaving the posi ve of the circuit element and energy is observed if the current is
entering the posi ve of the circuit element. So from the loop shown in the above
circuit the voltage source is delivering energy and resistor, capacitor and inductor is
consuming energy. By applying energy conserva on principle i.e. the power
delivered to the loop is equal to the power consumed in the loop and hence

From the above equa on one can conclude that the algebraic sum of the voltages
across all the elements within a loop is zero and voltage across the element is taken
to be posi ve if the current is leaving the posi ve side of the element and it is taken
to be nega ve if the current is entering the posi ve side of the element or the
vice-versa
Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL): Kirchhoff’s current law states that the algebraic sum
of the currents at a node (current junc on) is zero.
Consider the node given below

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In the above figure the loop is connected to a current source, a resistance, inductor
and a capacitor. Let the direc on of flow of currents in the elements is as shown in
the figure and the voltage of the node is e. Since as we know that energy is delivered
to the node if current is entering the node and energy is observed if the current is
leaving the node. So from the figure shown above the current source is delivering
energy and resistor, capacitor and inductor is consuming energy. By applying energy
conserva on principle i.e. the power delivered to the node is equal to the power
observed from the node and hence

From the above equa on one can conclude that the algebraic sum of the currents at
any node is zero and current in a branch connected to a node is taken to be posi ve
if the current is entering the node and it is taken to be nega ve if the current is
leaving the node or the vice-versa.

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