Applications

of Linear
Algebra
Electrical circuits
Current, Voltage and resistance.
• Current, Voltage, and Resistance. We will use three physical
quantities in our analysis of electrical circuits: current, voltage, and
resistance. Current is the flow of electrical charge from one place to
another. Electrons flowing through a wire or through some other
electronic device comprise a current. Voltage is a difference in
electric potential that makes electrons flow. Voltage is sometimes
called electromotive force because it is like a “force” that moves
electrons. Resistance is a property of the device through which the
electron current flows. The lower the resistance of a device, the more
easily current can flow through the device.
• We measure electrical current in amperes. The standard symbol for current is i,
and the direction of positive flow is indicated by an arrow on the circuit diagram.
The arrow is for reference only; if the true current is in the opposite direction, we
get negative values for i. Because electrons are negatively charged, current is
defined as flowing in the opposite direction as electron motion. But to reduce
confusion, you should learn to think in terms of current rather than electron
motion.
• A point in a circuit where several devices are connected together is called a node.
The conservation law for current says that “what flows in must flow out of a
node,” a principle known as Kirchhoff's current law. Kirchhoff's current law states
that the sum of all currents leaving a node is zero. In this law, a current entering
the node is considered to be a negative current leaving the node.
• Voltage is measured in volts and is usually written as v (or e). Since voltage is a
difference in potential between two points (nodes), we can show it on a circuit
diagram with a +and a –sign to indicate which two nodes we are comparing and
which one of the nodes is considered negative. As with current, the markings are
for reference only and we may end up with a negative value of v.
• In an electrical circuit, one node is usually chosen as a reference node and is
considered to have a voltage of zero. Then the voltage at every other node is
measured with respect to the reference node. This saves us the trouble of always
specifying pairs of nodes for voltage measurements and marking + and – signs for
each voltage. Other names for the reference node are common and ground.
• Resistance is measured in ohms and is denoted by R. A resistor is
shown as a zig-zag line in circuit diagrams and labeled with the value
of its resistance in ohms. In this chapter we will consider only devices
whose resistance is positive and the same in both directions. Ohm's
law, also called the resistor law, relates the voltage and current in a
resistor. For the resistor shown in Figure 2, with reference directions
assigned to v and i as shown, Ohm's law is

V=IR
Note that current flows from + to - through the resistor.
Kirchhoffs First Law – The Current Law, (KCL)
• Kirchhoffs Current Law or KCL, states that the “total current or charge
entering a junction or node is exactly equal to the charge leaving the
node as it has no other place to go except to leave, as no charge is lost
within the node“. In other words the algebraic sum of ALL the currents
entering and leaving a node must be equal to zero,
I(exiting) + I(entering) = 0. This idea by Kirchhoff is commonly known as
the Conservation of Charge.
Kirchhoffs Second Law – The Voltage Law,
(KVL)
• Kirchhoffs Voltage Law or KVL, states that “in any closed loop network, the total
voltage around the loop is equal to the sum of all the voltage drops within the
same loop” which is also equal to zero. In other words the algebraic sum of all
voltages within the loop must be equal to zero. This idea by Kirchhoff is known as
the Conservation of Energy.
Figurative
representation.
Battery

+ -
Resistor

Junction

Wires
V = IR (Ohms Law)
Example No 2.
(Handouts)
Solutio
n
• I1 + I3 = I2
• I1 + I4 = I2
• I3 + I6 = I5
• I4 + I6 = I5
• 2I1 + 4I2 = 10
• 4I2 + I3 + 2I4 + 2I5 = 17
• 2I5 + 4I6 = 14
Continued.
. I1 + I3 = I2 I1 + I3 - I2 = 0 Remaining Equations
I1 + I4 = I1 + I4 - I2 = 2I1 + 4I2 = 10
2I5 + 4I6 = 14
I2 I3 + I6 0 I3 + I6 - I5
= I5 I4 + = 0 I4 + I6 -
I6 = I5 I5 I6
I5 = 0
After applying Gauss-Jordan Elimination we
I1
1 I2
1 I3
-1 0I4 0 0 0 get the following results.
1 -1 0 1 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 -1 0 0 I1 = 1
I2 = 2
0 0 0 1 -1 1 0 I3 = 1
2 4 0 0 0 0 10 I4 = 1
0 0 0 0 2 4 14 I5 = 3
I6 = 2
Balancing
chemical

equation
s