3 - DC circuit analysis

Abstract

This chapter discusses the DC circuit analysis. Circuit analysis is important in order to be able to design, synthesize, and evaluate the performance of electric circuits or networks. The two basic laws for circuit analysis are Kirchhoff's current law (KCL), sometimes referred to as the first law, and Kirchhoff's voltage law (KVL), sometimes called the second law. KCL states that the sum of the currents entering a node is equal to the sum of the currents leaving that node. This means that the algebraic sum of the currents meeting at a node is equal to zero. The principle of superposition applies to any linear system, and when used in the context of electric circuit theory it may be stated as: “in any linear network containing more than one source of emf or current, the current in any element of the network may be found by determining the current in that element when each source acts alone and then adding the results algebraically. It is found that the star circuit will be equivalent to the delta connection if the resistance measured between any two terminals in the star is identical to the resistance measured between the same two terminals in the delta.