KIRCHHOFF’S

VOLTAGE LAW
DOUGLAS SHEARER

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INTRODUCTION
• KIRCHHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW (KVL) DEFINED
• LOOPS
• BRANCHES
• NETWORK EXAMPLE
• HOW KVL APPLIES TO NETWORK (ANALYSIS) 1-4
• APPLICATIONS OF KVL
• OUTCOMES
• QUESTIONS

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KIRCHHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW
DEVELOPED IN 1845 BY GERMAN PHYSICIST GUSTAV KIRCHHOFF

KIRCHHOFF’S VOLTAGE LAW STATES:

“The algebraic sum of all voltage differences around any closed

loop is zero.”

ALSO KNOW AS KIRCHHOFF’S SECOND LAW

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CIRCUIT DEFINITIONS
• LOOPS

• Closed path in a
circuit in which no
circuit element or Loop

node is encountered
more than once.

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CIRCUIT DEFINITIONS
• BRANCHES

• a branch is a single
or group of
components such as
resistors or a source
Branch
which are connected
between two nodes.

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NETWORK EXAMPLE
• NETWORK EXAMPLE

• 2 No. Energy Sources

(E1 & E2)
• 3 No. Resistors (R1,R2
& R3)
• Resistors in Parallel
Combination
• Current Flow (I1,I2 & 6
I3)
HOW KVL APPLIES TO
NETWORK (ANALYSIS) - 1
• Identify Loops A B C

• Label Circuit Loop Loop

1 2

• LOOP 1 = ABEFA
F E D
• LOOP 2 = CDEBC
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HOW KVL APPLIES TO
NETWORK (ANALYSIS) - 2
• ASSUMMED A B C
DIRECTION

Loop Loop
• +VE -VE 1 2
(DECREASE)
+ +
F E D
• -VE+VE
(INCREASE) 8
HOW KVL APPLIES TO
NETWORK (ANALYSIS) - 3
• KVL STATES A B C

• “The algebraic sum

of all voltage
Loop Loop
differences around 1 2
any closed loop is
zero.”
• APPLY KVL TO LOOPS F E D
1&2
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HOW KVL APPLIES TO
NETWORK (ANALYSIS) - 4
• KVL Equations
A B C
• Loop 1ABEFA
• -R1I2+E1-R2I1=0 - + -
• Loop 2CDEBC Loop Loop
1 2
• R3I3-E2+R1I2=0
+ - +

SOLVE VIA SUBSITUTION + +

F E D
OR SIMULTANEOUS
EQUATIONS
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 APPLICATIONS OF KVL

• Nodal and Mesh analysis to find the values

of current and voltage.

• Useful in understanding the transfer of

energy through an electric circuit.

• Complex Circuit Analysis

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 OUTCOMES
• KVL IS USED FOR CIRCUIT ANALYSIS

• KVL CAN BE APPLIED TO ANY CIRCUIT TYPE – PARALLEL

OR SERIES COMBINATION

• DIRECTION OF CURRENT FLOW IS IMPORTANT

• CONSERVATION OF ENERGY LAW

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Thank You for your
time today

ANY QUESTIONS?

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