**Lab Manual: Norton's Theorem**

**Course:** EE102: Circuit Analysis

**Lab Title:** Application of Norton’s Theorem in Circuit Analysis

**Department:** Electrical Engineering

**Prepared by:** Dr. Jhon Doe, Ph.D., Renewable Energy Engineering

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### Objective

This lab aims to help students understand and apply Norton’s Theorem in analyzing electrical circuits. By the end of this
experiment, students should be able to reduce complex circuits into simpler equivalent forms using Norton’s Theorem and
verify their findings experimentally.

### Background

Norton’s Theorem states that any two-terminal linear circuit with sources and resistances can be replaced with an equivalent
circuit containing a single current source (I_Norton) in parallel with a single resistor (R_Norton). This simplification aids in
analyzing complex circuits, especially when calculating the current through specific components.

#### Steps to Apply Norton’s Theorem

1. **Identify** the portion of the circuit for which Norton’s equivalent is to be found.

2. **Calculate the Norton Equivalent Current (I_Norton):**

Find the short-circuit current by placing a short across the output terminals.

3. **Calculate the Norton Equivalent Resistance (R_Norton):**

Replace all independent sources with their internal resistances (current sources open-circuited, voltage sources short-
circuited) and find the equivalent resistance across the terminals.

4. **Draw the Norton Equivalent Circuit:**

Represent the circuit as a current source (I_Norton) in parallel with a resistor (R_Norton).

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### Equipment and Components

- DC Power supply

- Assorted resistors
- Breadboard

- Digital multimeter

- Connecting wires

### Circuit Diagram

Prepare a circuit as shown in **Figure 1** in the manual, with multiple resistors and a voltage source. The configuration will
vary based on available lab equipment but should include at least two resistors and a DC power source connected to a load
resistor.

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### Procedure

1. **Construct the Circuit**

- Set up the circuit on the breadboard according to the provided circuit diagram.

- Identify the two terminals (A and B) across which you will find the Norton equivalent.

2. **Calculate and Verify the Norton Equivalent Current (I_Norton)**

- Connect a wire to short-circuit terminals A and B.

- Measure the current through this short circuit using the multimeter (set to measure current). This is the **Norton current
(I_Norton)**.

- Record the measured value.

3. **Calculate and Verify the Norton Equivalent Resistance (R_Norton)**

- Turn off the power supply.

- Replace all independent sources with their internal resistances:

- Short-circuit voltage sources.

- Open-circuit current sources.

- Measure the resistance between terminals A and B using the multimeter. This is the **Norton resistance (R_Norton)**.

- Record the measured value.

4. **Build and Test the Norton Equivalent Circuit**

- Replace the original circuit with the Norton equivalent circuit using I_Norton and R_Norton.

- Connect a load resistor (R_L) across the Norton equivalent circuit terminals.

- Measure the current through the load resistor and compare it with the current measured across the load resistor in the
original circuit.
5. **Observation Table**

| Step | Measured Value | Calculated Value | Observation |

|------------------|-------------------------|------------------|-------------|

| Short-circuit current (I_Norton) | | | |

| Norton resistance (R_Norton) | | | |

| Current through load resistor | | | |

6. **Analysis**

- Compare the currents measured in the original and Norton equivalent circuits. Analyze any discrepancies and consider
potential sources of error, such as contact resistance or equipment precision.

7. **Conclusion**

- Summarize the results, emphasizing how Norton’s Theorem simplifies circuit analysis.

- Discuss the significance of using Norton’s Theorem in practical scenarios, such as analyzing power distribution in larger
circuits.

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### Questions for Further Study

1. How does Norton’s Theorem simplify circuit analysis, particularly for complex networks?

2. What is the relationship between Thevenin’s and Norton’s theorems?

3. In what situations might Norton’s equivalent circuit be more advantageous than Thevenin’s equivalent circuit?

4. How would you determine the Norton equivalent for a circuit with multiple independent sources?

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### Safety Precautions

- Double-check all connections to prevent short circuits that could damage the equipment.

- Ensure the multimeter is set to the appropriate measurement mode before connecting to the circuit.
- Handle resistors carefully, especially when measuring high currents, to avoid overheating.

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### References

1. “Fundamentals of Electric Circuits” by Alexander & Sadiku - for an in-depth understanding of network theorems.

2. Norton’s Theorem Handout - Provided as an appendix in this manual.

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By completing this lab, students will gain hands-on experience in simplifying circuits using Norton’s Theorem, a critical skill for
efficient circuit analysis in real-world applications.