Kirchhoff's law and its applications

 1.4.35- Kirchhoff's law and its applications

Kirchhoff's law and its applications

Kirchhoff’s laws are used in determining the equivalent resistance of a complex network and the current flowing in the various conductors.

Kirchhoff's laws

Kirchhoff's first law: At each junction of currents, the sum of the incoming currents is equal to the sum of the outgoing currents. (or) The algebraic sum of all branch currents meeting at a point/node is zero.


If all in flowing currents have positive signs and all out flowing currents have negative signs, then we can state that

I1+ I2 = I3 + I4 + I5

 I1+ I2 + I3 + I4 + I5 = 0

In the above example the sum of all the currents flowing at the junction (node) is equal to zero.

∑ I = 0

I = I1+ I2 + I3 + …….

Example: - Find current I, I1, I2, I3 , I4

Solution: - I1= V/R1=220/100=2.22 A

       I2= V/R2=220/55=4 A

       I3= V/R3=220/40=5.5A

        I4= V/R4=220/200=1.1A

I = I1+ I2 + I3 + I4

= 2.2A + 4A + 5.5A + 1.1A = 12.8A

Kirchhoff's second law

A simple case: In closed circuits, the applied terminal voltage V is equal to the sum of the voltage drops V1+V1 and so forth.

If all the generated voltages are taken as positive, and all the consumed voltages are taken as negative, then it can be stated that: in each closed circuit the sum of all voltages is equal to zero. V = 0

For the source of emf

A raise in potential occurs when moving from the -ve to the +ve terminal of a source. Therefore the value is positive.

A drop in potential occurs when moving from a +ve to a -ve terminal of a source. Therefore the value is negative.

For the resistors

A drop in potential occurs when moving across the resistor in the same direction as that of the current through the resistor. Therefore the value is negative.

A raise in potential occur when moving across the resistor in the opposite direction to that of the current through the resistor. Therefore, the value is positive.

 Question: What is the use of Resistor in circuit?

 Answer: To limit the flow of electric current.

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