Basic Circuit Definitions, Elements and Properties DC Circuits

EE 201 - DePiero / CalPoly State University

Common Components Appearing in Electrical Circuits

Independent
Voltage
Source

Active element supplying power at a constant voltage. Polarity specified.
Analogy: Hydraulic pump providing constant pressure
Practical Examples / Approximations: 1) Power supply used with
consumer electronics. 2) Battery (weaker approximation).
Ideal Internal resistance: Zero
Practical Limitations: Real voltage sources have a maximum current limit
and a non-zero internal resistance. Voltage not exactly constant.
Independent
Current
Source


Active element supplying power at a constant current (& given direction)
Analogy: Hydraulic pump providing constant flow.
Practical Examples / Approximations: Real sources can be constructed as
small sub-circuits, not single elements. Current not perfectly constant.
Ideal internal resistance: Infinite
Practical limit: Real current sources have a maximum voltage limit.
Resistor


Passive element converting electrical energy to heat. Resistance in Ohms.
Analogy: Flow restriction.
Practical Example: Volume control for audio (variable resistor)
Ideal Internal resistance: Finite
Practical limit: Resistance value not exact - has some tolerance. Power
limit on rate energy can be converted to heat. (1/8 to 1/2 W common,
1%-10% tolerance).
Switch

Passive element controlling current flow
Analogy: On/Off shutoff valve.
Practical Examples: Rotary, toggle, momentary (doorbell, fridge)
Ideal Internal resistance: Zero or infinite
Practical limit: Current limit / Voltage limit
Wire

__________
Passive element conducting current flow
Analogy: Piping
Ideal Internal resistance: Zero
Practical limit: Current limit / Voltage limit
Dependent V
or I Source


Similar to an independent source, but voltage or current is determined by another
circuit quantity (either another voltage or current).



What do these devices look like?


Resistors
Fixed value, non-variable
Color bands indicate resistance value and tolerance (accuracy)





Variable Resistors
Turning knob changes resistance.
Often used for control, such as setting the volume for a music amplifier




Figure 1. A simple circuit. Resistors in the above circuit have values in Ohms.

Common Structures in Electrical Circuits
Node: A connection between circuit components. These connections are assumed to have
zero resistance. Hence the voltage at a node is constant.
Loop: Any closed path starting and ending on a given node. Fig 1 has ___ loops.
Mesh: A loop that does not contain any other loops. Fig 1 has ___ meshes.
Branch: A portion of a circuit between two distinct nodes, containing one or more
elements in series.

Basic Relations and Units Describing Electrical Components (DC Perspective)
Voltage. A potential difference that causes current to flow. Measured in Volts, V.
Analogous to a pressure difference causing fluid flow or a temperature difference causing
heat flow.
Current. The flow of electrons through a conductor. Measured in Amps, A. Current-
carrying electrons move freely thru the conductor, in the conduction band of a molecule.
o 1 Amp = 1 Coulomb (C) of charge / sec. 1 C has charge of 6*10^18 electrons
o (Note: semiconductor devices are covered in EE 321).
o Also: current flows, voltage does not!
Resistance. A restriction that limits the flow of current. Measured in Ohms,
!
".
o V = I R
Conductance. G = 1/R. Measured in Siemens (1/Ohms). Convenient for describing
conductivity in materials such as wire, with low resistance.
Power. Measured in Watts, W. P = V I. This is the actual power available to do work.
Energy. Measured in Joules, J. The integral of power, P. Elements that store energy will
be considered later in the course (inductors and capacitors).

Water Analogy: We can make the analogy between current & water flow, and between voltage
& pressure. One stipulation is important: Electrons do not spill from a conductor when it is
removed from a circuit. (Unlike water from a hose). Thus there is no analogy to sputtering as
water rushes into a dry hose before encountering a restriction to flow. Another perspective on this
is to consider a piping system with bleeder valves that are used to remove air bubbles before
operation.


Combining Resistors in Series








Note: Resistors in series share the same current.





Combining Resistors in Parallel











Note: Resistors in parallel share the same voltage.


!
R
eq
= R
1
+ R
2
+... + R
n
!
R
eq
=
1
1
R
1
+
1
R
2
+... +
1
R
n