ECE 20001 Fundamentals I

Live Lesson 6: Nodal Analysis

Dimitrios Peroulis

Based on Lecture from Prof: D. S. Elliott, elliottd@purdue.edu, Fall 2022

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Nodal Analysis
Determine the nodal voltages
V1, V2, and V3 in the circuit.
In nodal analysis, we characterize
the circuit in terms of the nodal
voltages: V1, V2, and V3.
1. Identify the nodes.
2. Choose one node as the
reference node.
3. Label the other nodal voltages.
4. Apply KCL at each node to find
conditions that must be satisfied
by V1, V2, and V3.
5. Solve for V1, V2, and V3.
 Nodal Analysis
1. KCL, N1
Determine the nodal voltages
V1, V2, and V3 in the circuit. v

2. KCL, N2

3. KCL, N3

v
 Nodal Analysis
1. KCL, N1 2. KCL, N2

v v

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 Nodal Analysis Collect the three equations:
3. KCL, N3
v

Solve by your favorite method:

Soln:

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Nodal Analysis
Always check your results!!

150mA
3.0 V 3.25 V -0.5 V

50mA

150mA 50mA
Nodal Analysis

How do we handle circuits

that include a voltage source?

Determine the Nodal

Voltages V1, V2, and V3 in
the following circuit.
Determine the nodal voltages V1, V2, and V3. (Nodal analysis in circuit
with voltage source)
1. KCL at Node 1: Must label I12 to apply KCL here.
 Is1  V1G1  I12  0
2. KCL at Node 2:
 Is2   V2  V3  G3  I12  0

3. KCL at Node 3:

Is2   V3  V2  G3  V3G 4  0
• We have 3 equations, but 4 unknowns.  V1   3.064 V 
   
• Use the voltage source to relate V2, V1. V
   
2 3.138 V 
IR3 1   V3  V2  G3 1   V3  V2  V3   0.532 V 
V1  V2      
2 2 50 I
 12   0.0532A 
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Nodal Analysis Check your results.

146.8 mA

3.064V 3.138V -0.532 V

-53.2 mA

53.2mA
153.2mA
Determine the nodal voltages V1, V2, V3, and V4. (Nodal analysis in circuit
with dependent and independent voltage source.)

1. Definition of Vx in terms of nodal voltages: Vx  V1  V2

2. Definition of Iy in terms of nodal voltages: Iy =  V1 / 2Ω

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3. KCL at node 1:

V1 V1  V2
3A    0
2 2
2V1 – V2 = 6V

V
4. KCL at node 3: 3I y  3  I 43  0 3V1/ 2Ω + V3/4Ω - I43=0
4
where 𝐼 = −𝑉 /2Ω

V4
5. KCL at node 4: 2A   I43  0
8

6. 10 V voltage source: V3  V4  10V

7. 2Vx dep. voltage source: V2 - 0  2Vx  2  V1  V2  2V1 – 3V2 = 0
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Summary:
1. In Nodal Analysis, we find relations between the nodal voltages, V1, V2, etc. All
nodal voltages are measured relative to the “reference node,” whose voltage is 0.
2. We have two means of relating Nodal Voltages:
a. Applying KCL.
b. Using voltage sources; one eqn. for each source.
3. After we have found solutions for the nodal voltages, we can easily determine any
current or elemental voltage we desire.