Module 3

Kirchhoff’s Law
Kirchhoff's circuit laws are two approximate equalities that deal with
the current and voltage in electrical circuits. They were first described in
1845 by Gustav Kirchhoff. This generalized the work of Georg Ohm and
preceded the work of Maxwell. Widely used in electrical engineering, they
are also called Kirchhoff's rules or simply Kirchhoff's laws.

These laws are valid for circuits containing elements of all types, resistor,
inductor, capacitor, source and others. They are:
I 1−I 2−I 3 −I 4=0
 Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL)
 Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL)
These two interconnection laws, together with elements laws describing Closed path loop
the behavior of each individual element in the circuit, are all the equations
we will need for systematic circuit analysis. Starting at an arbitrarily selected node, we trace a closed path in
a circuit through selected basic circuit elements and return to the original
Kirchhoff’s Current Law – states that the algebraic sum of all the node without passing through any intermediate node more than once.
currents at any node in a circuit equals zero.
Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law – states that the algebraic sum of all the
 ∑ I =0 voltages around any closed path in a circuit equals zero.

∑ V =0
Algebraic sign corresponding to a reference direction,
Algebraic sign to each voltage in a loop
 Positive sign to a current entering a node.
 Negative sign to a current leaving a node. As we trace a closed path, a voltage will appear either as a rise
or drop in the tracing direction.

 Positive sign to a voltage rise

 Negative sign to a voltage drop
OR

 Negative sign to a voltage rise

 Positive sign to a voltage drop
 In the figure below, the assumed polarities of the voltages V1, V2, V3, V4,
V5, and V6 are as shown. There are three possible loops in the circuit: a-
b-e-d-a , a-b-c-e-d-a , and b-c-e-b. We will apply KVL to each of these
loops.
Our sign convention for applying signs to the voltage polarities in our KVL
equations will be as follows: when traversing the loop, if the positive
terminal of a voltage difference is encountered before the negative
terminal, the voltage difference will be interpreted as positive in the KVL
equation. If the negative terminal is encountered first, the voltage
difference will be interpreted as negative in the KVL equation. We use
this sign convention for convenience; it is not required for proper
application of KVL, as long as the signs on the voltage differences are
treated consistently.
−V s+V 1+V 2 +V 3 +V 4 +V 5=0
V s =V 1+ V 2+ V 3+ V 4 +V 5
−V s+ I R1+ I R2 + I R3 + I R 4 + I R 5=0
KVL depends upon the concept of a loop. A loop is any closed path
through the circuit which encounters no node more than once.
Essentially, to create a loop, start at any node in the circuit and trace a
path through the circuit until you get back to your original node. The
concept of a loop is probably most readily explained through a few simple
examples—which we've provided below.

Applying KVL to the loop a-b-e-d-a , and using our sign convention as
above results in:

V 1−V 4−V 6 −V 3=0

The starting point of the loop and the direction that we loop in is arbitrary;
we could equivalently write the same loop equation as loop d-e-b-a-d , in
which case our equation would become:

V 6 +V 4−V 1 +V 3=0
This equation is identical to the previous equation, the only difference is
that the signs of all variables have changed and the variables appear in a
different order in the equation. We now apply KVL to the loop b-c-e-b,
which results in:

−V 2 +V 5 +V 4 =0
Finally, application of KVL to the loop a-b-c-e-d-a provides:

V 1−V 2 +V 5 −V 6−V 3=0

Important Point
Kirchhoff's voltage law states that the sum of the voltage differences
around any closed loop in a circuit must be zero. A loop in a circuit is any
path which ends at the same point at which it starts.

Test Your Knowledge 9−2+V =0

1. What is the voltage V in the circuit below? V =7 V

3. What are the voltages V1, V2, and V3 in the circuit below?

Looping clockwise, starting from the lower-left corner, results in:

−3−V +7=0
V =4 V
2. What is the voltage V in the circuit below?

 Finding V1: KVL around the loop shown below

gives: V1+1V+7V−3V=0, so V1=−5V
 Finding V2: KVL around the loop shown below gives: V2+7V=0,
so V2=−7V Important Point
You can check your results by applying KVL around other loops in the
circuit. For example, the loop to the left below gives: 3V+V2+7V−V3=0 .
Substituting the values for V2 and V3 we determined above gives 3V+
(−7V)+7V−3V=0, which is true!
Likewise, the loop to the left below gives V1+1V−V2−3V=0. Substituting
the values for V1 and V2 we determined above gives (−5V)+V1−(−7V)
−3V=0, which is also true!
For some more practice, try looping around the entire outer loop as yet
another check.

 Finding V3: KVL around the loop shown below gives: 3−V3=0,
so V3=3V
 Problem 2.1] Find ; (a) i a, (b) i b, (c) V o , (d) power in each resistor,
and (e) power supplied by the 300V source
Given in Fig. A.

https://digilent.com/reference/learn/fundamentals/circuits/kirchhoffs-
voltage-law/start?
srsltid=AfmBOoqzx4Jc7MSX1_5LCTn2iaYZmmuZ8zUQGXY069IKDtzx
kxzM0LaT
Problem 2.2 Use Kirchhoff’s law and Ohm’s Law in a step by step
procedure to evaluate all the currents and voltages in the circuit below.
Also calculate the power absorbed by each of the five circuit elements Exercises
and show that the sum is zero. 1. Determine the power absorbed by each of the simple circuit
element in the circuit below.
Kirchhoff’s Law and Ohms Law in a step by step procedure to evaluate
all the currents a

At
2. Use Kirchhoff’s Law to determine i 1 , i 2 ,∧i 3 in the circuit below
3. Determine the value of R in the Figure below, if the high
resistance voltmeter reads 0.435V
4. Use Kirchhoff’s Laws and Ohms Law to find the voltage Vo,
Show that your solution is consistent with the constraint that the
total power dissipated in the circuit equals the total power 5. Determine the number of branches and nodes. Using
developed. Kirchhoff’s law find I 1∧I 2

Ans.
I 1=2 A , I 2=4 A
 traced through connecting elements, starting and ending at the same
node and encountering intermediate nodes only once each.

Module Summary: • The voltages and currents of interconnected circuit elements obey
Kirchhoff’s laws:
• The circuit elements introduced in this module are voltage sources, • Kirchhoff’s current law states that the algebraic sum of all the
current sources, and resistors: currents at any node in a circuit equals zero.
• An ideal voltage source maintains a prescribed voltage • Kirchhoff’s voltage law states that the algebraic sum of all the
regardless of the current in the device. An ideal current source voltages around any closed path in a circuit equals zero.
maintains a prescribed current regardless of the voltage across
the device. Voltage and current sources are either independent, • A circuit is solved when the voltage across and the current in every
that is, not influenced by any other current or voltage in the element have been determined. By combining an understanding of
circuit; or dependent, that is, determined by some other current independent and dependent sources, Ohm’s law, and Kirchhoff’s laws,
or voltage in the circuit. we can solve many simple circuits.
• A resistor constrains its voltage and current to be proportional
to each other. The value of the proportional constant relating
voltage and current in a resistor is called its resistance and is
measured in ohms.

• Ohm’s law establishes the proportionality of voltage and current in a

resistor. Specifically,

v = iR

if the current flow in the resistor is in the direction of the voltage drop
across it, or

v = -iR

if the current flow in the resistor is in the direction of the voltage rise
across it.

• By combining the equation for power, p = vi, with Ohm’s law, we can
determine the power absorbed by a resistor:

p = i2R or p = v2/R

• Circuits are described by nodes and closed paths. A node is a point

where two or more circuit elements join. When just two elements connect
to form a node, they are said to be in series. A closed path is a loop