Outline

• Introduction
• Systems of Units
• Charge and Current
• Voltage
• Power and Energy
• Circuit Elements
• Applications
• Problem Solving

Introduction
• Many branches of electrical engineering, such as
– power,
– electric machines,
– control,
– electronics,
– communications,
– instrumentation
are based on electric circuit theory.
• Therefore, the basic electric circuit theory course is the
most important course for an electrical engineering
student, and always an excellent starting point for a
beginning student in electrical engineering education.

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 Units Charge
• When taking measurements, • Charge is a basic SI unit, measured in Coulombs (C).
we must use units to quantify • Counts the number of electrons (or positive charges)
values. present.
• We use the International • Charge of single electron is 1.602*10-19 C
Systems of Units (SI for • 1C is quite large, 6.24*1018 electrons.
short) • In the lab, one typically sees (pC, nC, or µC).
• Prefixes on SI units allow for • Charge is always multiple of electron charge.
easy relationships between
• The law of conservation of charge: Charge cannot be
large and small values
created or destroyed, only transferred.

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Current Current
• The movement of charge is called a current.
• Current, i, is measured as charge moved per unit
• Historically the moving charges were thought to be time through an element.
positive.
dq
• Thus we always note the direction of the equivalent i≡
dt
positive charges, even if the moving charges are
negative. • Unit is Ampere (A), is one Coulomb/second

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 DC vs. AC Direction of Current
• A current that remains constant • Once we define current as the movement of charge, we
with time is called Direct Current expect current to have an associated direction of flow.
(DC).
• The direction of current flow is conventionally taken as
• A common source of DC is a battery. the direction of positive charge movement.
• Constant current ! I
• A positive current through a component is the same as a
negative current flowing in the opposite direction.
• A current that varies sinusoidally
with time is called Alternating Current
(AC).
• Mains power is an example of AC.
• Time-varying current ! i

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 Voltage
• Current and voltage are the two basic variables in electric
circuits.
• The common term signal is used for an electric quantity
such as a current or a voltage when it is used for
conveying information.
• A constant voltage is called a dc voltage and is
represented by V,
• A sinusoidally time-varying voltage is called an ac
voltage and is represented by v.

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Passive Sign Convention

• If the power has a (+) sign, power is
being absorbed by the element.
• If the power has a (-) sign, power is
being supplied by the element.
• Passive sign convention is satisfied
when the current enters through the
positive terminal of an element:

p =+ vi
• If the current enters through the
negative terminal of an element:

p=−vi
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 Circuit Elements Circuit Elements
• Circuit analysis is the process of determining voltages across (or • The most important active elements
the currents through) the elements of the circuit. are voltage or current sources that
• There are two types of circuit elements: generally deliver power to the circuit
– Active elements connected to them. There are two
– Passive elements kinds of sources:
• Active elements can generate energy.
– independent sources
– Generators
– Batteries – dependent sources
– Operational Amplifiers • An ideal independent source is an
• Passive elements absorb energy. active element that provides a
– Resistors specified voltage or current that is
– Capacitors completely independent of other
– Inductors circuit elements.
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 Ideal Voltage Source
• An ideal voltage source has no internal resistance.

• It also is capable of producing any amount of current

needed to establish the desired voltage at its terminals.

• Thus we can know the voltage at its terminals, but we

don’t know in advance the current.

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Ideal Current Source Ideal sources

• Current sources are the opposite of the voltage source: • Both the voltage and current source ideally can generate
infinite power.
• They have infinite resistance
• They are also capable of absorbing power from the
• They will generate any voltage to establish the desired circuit.
current through them.
• It is important to remember that these sources do have
• We can know the current through them in advance, but limits in reality:
not the voltage.
• Voltage sources have an upper current limit.

• Current sources have an upper voltage limit.

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 Circuit Applications of Dependent Sources

• Dependent sources are good models for some common

circuit elements:
– Transistors: In certain modes of operation, transistors take
either a voltage or current input to one terminal and cause a
current that is somehow proportional to the input to appear at
two other terminals.

– Operational Amplifiers: Not covered yet, but the basic concept is

they take an input voltage and generate an output voltage that is
proportional to that.

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Problem Solving Problem Solving

• Successfully solving an engineering problem requires a process. • Carefully define the problem
• Shown here is an effective method for determining the solution any – This is the most important step

problem. – What needs to be solved?

• Carefully define the problem. – What questions need to be addressed before solving? Find the sources to
answer them.
• Present everything you know about the problem.
• Present everything you know about the problem
• Establish a set of alternative solutions and determine the one that
– What do you know?
promises the greatest likelihood of success.
– What don’t you?
• Attempt a problem solution.
• Establish a set of alternative solutions and determine the one that
• Evaluate the solution and check for accuracy. promises the greatest likelihood of success.
• Has the problem been solved satisfactorily? – Most problems have more than one way to be solved
1. If so, present the solution; – But not all solutions are as simple
2. if not, then return to step 3 and continue through the process again.
– Are the required tools available?

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 Problem Solving
• Attempt to solve the problem
– Documenting this process is very important

• Evaluate the solution and check for accuracy

– Does it makes sense?
– Is it consistent with any assumptions made?

• Is the solution satisfactory? If not, try an alternate

solution.

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