Kirchhoff's Laws

• ILO – Day5
– State, explain and apply
• Kirchhoff’s current law (KCL)
• Kirchhoff’s voltage law (KVL)
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)
• According to KCL:

• “the algebraic summation of all currents at a

node in a circuit is zero”
• Node means junction point where more than one
elements are connected

• If the incoming currents towards the node are shown with

+ve sign, the outgoing currents flowing away from the
node should be –ve
• (This only is a convention, and the opposite sense can also
be used)
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)
• If the incoming currents towards the node are shown with
+ve sign, the outgoing currents flowing away from the
node should be –ve.
Currents in the node:
I1 I
(maintain polarity of the currents)
7
I6
I2 +I1 (incoming)
I5
+I2 (incoming)
I4 -I3 (outgoing)
I3
+I4 (incoming)
-I5 (outgoing)
+I6 (incoming)
-I7 (outgoing)
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)
+I1 (incoming)
I1 I7 +I2 (incoming)
I6
-I3 (outgoing)
I2
I5 +I4 (incoming)
I4 -I5 (outgoing)
I3
+I6 (incoming)
-I7 (outgoing)
Summation of all currents in the node

I1 + I 2 − I 3 + I 4 − I 5 + I 6 − I 7
According to KCL: I1 + I 2 − I 3 + I 4 − I 5 + I 6 − I 7 = 0
 Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL)

I1
I1 + I 2 − I 3 + I 4 − I 5 + I 6 − I 7 = 0
I7
I6
I2 Rearrange the equation
I5

I4
I1 + I 2 + I 4 + I 6 = I 3 + I 5 + I 7
I3

The above equation gives an alternate

statement of the KCL as:

“Algebraic summation of all incoming currents to a node must

equal the algebraic summation of all outgoing currents from
that node.”
 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
• According to KVL:

• “the algebraic summation of all voltages in a

closed circuit (loop/mesh) traversed in a single
direction is zero”

• When current flows from +ve potential to –ve potential,

we call that voltage drop and represent by –ve sign, while
when the current flows from –ve potential to +ve
potential, we call that voltage rise and represent it by +ve
sign.
• This only is a convention, and the opposite sense can also
be used.
 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
• When current flows from +ve potential to –ve potential, we
represent it by –ve sign (voltage drop), while when the current
flows from –ve potential to +ve potential, we represent it by
+ve sign (voltage rise).
Put the voltage source polarities
+ - - +
Draw current in the loop. You can
+ + choose any direction, clockwise,
or anti-clockwise
-
- Through a passive element (like
+
resistance), current always flows
- from higher to lower potential,
i.e. there is always a drop in
- voltage as current passes
+ through a resistance
Put the voltage polarities across each resistance
 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
Voltage across a resistance is: V = IR
V2 Along the direction of current:
R1 +
+ - -

+ +V1 (voltage rise)

I
+
V1
R2 -IR1 (voltage drop)
-
-
+ +V2 (voltage rise)
-
V3 -IR2 (voltage drop)
-V3 (voltage drop)
- R3 + -IR3 (voltage drop)
Algebraic summation of all voltages in the loop:
+ V1 − IR1 + V2 − IR2 − V3 − IR3
According to KVL: + V1 − IR1 + V2 − IR2 − V3 − IR3 = 0
 Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL)
V2
+
R1
- - +
+ V1 − IR1 + V2 − IR2 − V3 − IR3 = 0
+
I
+ R2 Rearrange the equation
V1 -
-
+ V1 + V2 = V3 + IR1 + IR2 + IR3
V3
-

The above equation gives an alternate

- R3 + statement of the KVL as:

“Algebraic summation of all the voltage rises in a closed circuit

(path) must equal the algebraic summation of all the voltage
drops in that path.”
Applications of KCL & KVL
 Application of KCL – The Nodal analysis
One of the methods for analyzing electric circuits for finding out
unknown voltages and currents is the nodal analysis method.

• Nodal analysis is based on KCL

• This method is commonly used for circuits that have large number
of parallel branches
• All the nodes are given names or numbers
• All the nodes are given different voltage symbols
• One of the nodes is called the reference node
• Generally the node at zero potential is called the reference
node.
• Voltages at all other nodes are measured with respect to this
reference node voltage
• All node voltages are expressed in terms of the branch currents
• The simultaneous equations are solved to find out values of the
node voltages and branch currents
 # Find the voltages at node 1 and 2
V1 V2
• Put voltage symbols V1 and V2
I1 1 I3 2 I5 at nodes 1 and 2
0.2 W
I2 I4 • Mark the reference node
0.5 W (common node) with zero
0.25 W
10 A 5A potential (Ground symbol)

0 • Mark all the branch currents

• Though current directions can be drawn arbitrarily, it is

recommended to follow the direction of current as per polarity of
the source present in that branch
• Current flows out of the arrowhead in a current source and +
terminal of a voltage source
 # Find the voltages at node 1 and 2
V1 V2
KCL at Node 1
I1 1 I3 2 I5
I1 = I 2 + I 3
0.2 W
I2 I4
V1 − 0 V1 − V2
0.5 W 10 = +
0.25 W 0.25 0.2
10 A 5A 9V1 − 5V2 = 10
0 KCL at Node 2
I3 + I5 = I4
V1 − V2 V −0
+5 = 2
0.2 0.5
Solving the two equations: − 5V1 + 7V2 = 5
V1 = 2.5 V V2 = 2.5 V
 Application of KVL – The Mesh (or Loop) analysis
Another method for analyzing electric circuits is the mesh (or loop)
analysis method.
• Mesh analysis is based on KVL
• This method is commonly used for circuits that have large number of
branches connected in series
• All currents in different loops around the circuit are given different
names or symbols
• Voltage across all branches in a loop based on the current in that loop
are calculated; due regard is given to the direction of current in that
loop
• Equate the algebraic summation of all voltage drops in the mesh to the
summation of all voltage sources present in that mesh
• If no voltage sources are present in that mesh, then equate the
summation of total voltage drop to zero
• Thus, a number of simultaneous equations are obtained in terms of the
mesh currents
• Solve these equations to get the unknown mesh currents
# Find the currents in the two loops
4W 1W

I1 I2

2W
L1 L2 -
+
20V 10 V
- +

• Mark the voltage source polarities

• Draw two currents I1 and I2 in the two loops.

• It is easier if we take the current in a loop to start from the +ve

side of the source present in that loop
# Find the currents in the two loops
+ 4W - 1W

I1 I2
+

2W
L1 L2 -
+
20V - 10 V
- +

KVL in Loop 1: (mark voltage polarities across resistances along I1)

20 − 4 I1 − 2(I1 − I 2 ) = 0 Note that current through the 2 W
resistance is combination of I1 in
20 − 4 I1 − 2 I1 + 2 I 2 = 0 first loop and I2 in the 2nd loop
6 I1 − 2 I 2 = 20
3I1 − I 2 = 10
# Find the currents in the two loops
4W
+ 1W -

I1 I2
-

2W
L1 L2 -
+
20V + 10 V
- +

KVL in Loop 2: (mark voltage polarities across resistances along I2)

10 − 2(I 2 − I1 ) − 1I 2 = 0
10 − 2 I 2 + 2 I1 − I 2 = 0
2I1 − 3I 2 = −10
# Find the currents in the two loops
4W 1W

I1 I2

2W
L1 L2 -
+
20V 10 V
- +

Solving the two simultaneous

equations:
3I1 − I 2 = 10
I1 = 5.71 A
2 I1 − 3I 2 = −10 I2 = 7.14 A
 # Find currents through all branches

Solving the two simultaneous equations: