EE204

Lecture 02
Kirchhoff’s Current and Voltage Laws

Kirchoff’s Current Law (KCL).

The sum of currents entering a node is equal to the sum of currents leaving that node.

i1 + i4 = i2 + i3 + i5

Equivalent statement of KCL:

The algebraic sum of currents entering a node is equal to zero.

i1 − i2 − i3 + i4 − i5 = 0

Figure 8

Example 4:

Calculate the unknown currents in the following circuits.

 Ω
Ω Ω

Ω
Ω Ω

Ω Ω

Figure 9

Solution:

a) KCL at node (a) ⇒ i1 = 2 + 4 = 6 A

b) KCL at node (a) ⇒ 3 + i1 = 1 ⇒ i1 = −2 A

Alternatively

KCL at node (a) ⇒ 3 + i1 − 1 = 0 ⇒ i1 = −2 A

c) KCL at node (b) ⇒ i1 − 4 + 2 = 0 ⇒ i1 = 2 A

KCL at node (c) ⇒ 0.5 − i2 − 2 = 0 ⇒ i2 = −1.5 A

Check KCL at node (a) ⇒

−i1 + 4 + i2 − 0.5 = −(2) + 4 + (−1.5) − 0.5 = −4 + 4 = 0

KCL is also applicable to a closed area (super node).

The algebraic sum of currents entering a super node is equal to zero.

i1 + i2 − i3 + i4 − i5 = 0

Figure 10

Example:

Calculate the currents i1 and i2 in the circuit shown below:

Ω Ω

Ω
Ω Ω

Figure 11

Solution:

KCL at super node 1 ⇒ 3 − i1 = 0 ⇒ i1 = 3 A

KCL at super node 2 ⇒ i2 = 0 ⇒ i2 = 0 A

Ω Ω

Ω
Ω Ω

Figure 12
Kirchoff’s Voltage Law (KVL):

The algebraic sum of voltages around any closed circuit is equal to zero.

KVL around circuit 1 (CW) ⇒ −v1 − v2 + v3 − v4 + v5 = 0 (1)

KVL around circuit 1 (CCW) ⇒ +v1 + v2 − v3 + v4 − v5 = 0 (2) [same as
(1)]

CW = clockwise & CCW = counterclockwise

KVL around the outer circuit (CW) ⇒ −v6 + v8 + v3 − v4 + v5 = 0 (3)

KVL around circuit 2 (CW) ⇒ −v6 + v7 = 0 ⇒ v6 = v7 (parallel elements)

Figure 1

Alternative KVL Statement:

The algebraic sum of voltages between two nodes is independent of the path taken
from the first node to the second node.

path1&2
KVL Node a → Node b ⇒ +v2 + v1 = + v3 − v4 + v5 (4) [same as
(1)]

path 2&3
KVL Node a → Node b ⇒ +v3 − v4 + v5 = −v8 + v6 (5) [same as
(3)]
 c
+ V8 - a + V3 -

Path 1
Path V2
2
V4
+ +
V6 V7 V1
3

+
- - V5
Pa
th

-
b

Figure 2

Example:

Calculate the unknown voltages in the given circuit.

Ω Ω

Figure 3

Solution:

Applying KVL:

Right-hand circuit (CW) ⇒ −(7) + v1 + (−1) + 10 = 0 ⇒ v1 = −2V

Right-hand circuit (CCW) ⇒ +(7) − (10) − (−1) − v1 = 0 ⇒ v1 = −2V

path1&2
Node a → Node b ⇒ +v1 = +(7) − (10) − (−1) ⇒ v1 = −2V

Same answer in all cases.

Left-hand circuit (CW) ⇒ +(7) − (v2 ) = 0 ⇒ v2 = 7V

path 3&4
Node a → Node c ⇒ +v2 = +7 ⇒ v2 = 7V
Same answer in both cases.

Ω Ω

Ω Ω

Figure 4

Example: (KVL)

Determine voltages vx, vy, vz in the circuit of fig….by applying KVL.

Solution:
KVL around the loop abcfa
−vz + (−6) + 3 − 2 = 0
⇒ vz = −6 − 2 + 3 = −5V (1)

KVL around the loop fedef

2 + v y + (−1) = 0
⇒ v y = −2 + 1 = −1V (2)
KVL around the loop bcdeb
−3 + 2 + vx − v y = 0 (3)
To get vx we can substitute vy from (2) into (3) to get:
vx = +3 − 2 + v y = 1 + (−1) = 0
⇒ vx = 0V
Note: We can also apply KVL around the loop febcdf to get vx directly:
2 − 3 + 2 + vx + (−1) = 0
⇒ vx = −2 + 3 − 2 + 1 = 0V