Instituto Politcnico Nacional

Escuela Superior de Computo

ESCOM

PRACTICE 3:
Kirchhoff laws

SUBJECT: Fundamental analysis of circuits
MEMBERS:
Gonzlez Prez Heriberto
Luna Hernndez David
TEACHER: Jos Alfredo Martnez Guerrero
GROUP: 1CV8
Delivery date: 05/03/2013


Objective
Students will apply Ohm's law and Kirchhoff's laws for voltages and currents to
analysis of electrical circuits, so that at the end of practice, this in possibilities to
check and verify the calculations obtained using established methods and
techniques, as are:
- Kirchhoff's voltage law in a series of meshes.
- Kirchhoff's current law in a series of nodes.
Equipment used
1 Digital multimeter
1 Source of variable voltage
6 Tips banana-cayman
4 Tips cyman-cayman
Theoretical introduction
Many circuits are too complex to be solved using the rules for series or parallel
circuits or the techniques for conversion to simpler circuits. For these circuits we
need more general solution methods. The most general method is given by
Kirchhoffs laws, which permit the calculation of all circuit voltages and currents of
circuits by a solution of a system of linear equations.
There are two Kirchhoff laws, the voltage law and the current law. These two laws
can be used to determine all voltages and currents of circuits.
Kirchhoffs voltage law (KVL) states that the algebraic sum of the voltage rises and
voltage drops around a loop must be zero.
A loop in the above definition means a closed path in the circuit; that is, a path that
leaves a node in one direction and returns to that same node from another
direction.
In our examples, we will use clockwise direction for loops; however, the same
results will be obtained if the counterclockwise direction is used.
In order to apply KVL without error, we have to define the so called reference
direction. The reference direction of the unknown voltages points from the + to the
sign of the assumed voltages. Imagine using a voltmeter. You would place the
voltmeter positive probe (usually red) at the components reference + terminal. If
the real voltage is positive, it is in the same direction as we assumed, and both our
solution and the voltmeter will show a positive value.
When deriving the algebraic sum of the voltages, we must assign a plus sign to
those voltages where the reference direction agrees with the direction of the loop,
and negative signs in the opposite case.
Another way to state Kirchhoffs voltage law is: the applied voltage of a series
circuit equals the sum of the voltage drops across the series elements.

This law is also called Kirchhoff's first law, Kirchhoff's point rule, or Kirchhoff's
junction rule (or nodal rule).
The principle of conservation of electric charge implies that:
At any node (junction) in an electrical circuit, the sum of currents flowing into that
node is equal to the sum of currents flowing out of that node, or:
The algebraic sum of currents in a network of conductors meeting at a point is
zero.
Recalling that current is a signed (positive or negative) quantity reflecting direction
towards or away from a node, this principle can be stated as:

n is the total number of branches with currents flowing towards or away from the
node.
This formula is valid for complex currents:

The law is based on the conservation of charge whereby the charge (measured in
coulombs) is the product of the current (in amperes) and the time (in seconds).

Development
I. Checking of the law of kirchhoff for voltage
We connect our series resistors

With the voltmeter we measure voltage in nodes and calculate the power of each
one of the sections, after add the measurements and we could verify the law of
kirchhoff of voltage, which he says that the sum of the voltages is equal to zero.
Measurement
s
Theoretical
value
(volts)
Measured
value
(volts)
Theoretical
power
(miliwatt)
Measured
power
(miliwatt)
Absorbs (A)
Supplied (S)
V
0A
-9 -9.12 -26.47 -26.81 S
V
AB
1.38 1.40 4.06 4.35 A
V
BC
5 5.09 14.70 14.96 A
V
CD
.9704 0.985 2.85 2.89 A
V
D0
1.65 1.64 4.84 4.82 A

V=
0.0004
V= 0.003 P= 0.02 P= 0.021



II. Checking of the law of Kirchhoff for current
After, we connect the circuit of the next way

And we measure current in each of his branches, and on having added them verify
that the law is fulfilled of Kirchhoff of current
Measurements
Theoretical value
(miliampers)
Measured value (miliampers)
Current I
1
10.50 10.70
Current I
2
12.25 12.54
Current I
3
1.70 1.77

I
= 0.1
I
= 0.07

Later we measure voltage between his nodes and calculate the power with the
measured values
Measurement
s
Theoretical
value
(volts)
Measured
value
(volts)
Theoretical
power
(miliwatt)
Measured
power
(miliwatt)
Absorbs (A)
Supplied (S)
V
0A
9 9.12 94.5 94.72 S
V
AB
4.96 4.54 51.8 51.97 A
V
B0
4.04 4.07 50.33 50.72 A
V
BC
.95662 0.512 1.91 1.98 A
V
D0
5 5.08 9.25 9.46 S
P= 0.29 P= 0.49





Simulations
1.- Simulation of the checking of the law of kirchhoff of voltage
a) Measurement of voltage

b) Measurement of power

2.- Simulation of the checking of the law of Kirchhoff of current
a) Measurement of current

b) Measurement of voltage

c) Measurement of power


Questionnaire
1.-Define a node in an electrical circuit
Is any point where two or more elements have a common connection and by which
different electric currents flow
2. - Define an electrical circuit.
It is a series of elements and electrical or electronic components connected
together to generate, transport or modifying electronic signals include passive and
active elements
3. - Mathematically express Kirchhoff's law for current
( )

Where
Ne = number of elements
NNI = Number of independent nodes
(k, n) = number of incident that relates to the element k to node n
Current ik = k element
4. - Define which is a closed trajectory in a circuit
It is when the circuit is completely closed, with no open path where it can get lost
voltage
5. - Define a voltage drop
Is the voltage drop caused by resistance (inadequate wire gauge)
Conclusions
Gonzlez Prez Heriberto
Kirchhoff's law of both current and voltage is vital to know how to handle and apply
correct way, both on paper and in a real circuit because if not know how to use a
good and proper manner will be very difficult to know very well that is what makes
our circuit and how it works.
Therefore this practice helped me to understand how good it works Kirchhoff's law
and certainly now understand much better what it tells us the two Kirchhoff laws.
Luna Hernandez David
Kirchhoff's laws are very important, but this practice had many complications since
the calculations wrong and did not check the laws of Kirchhoff, and had to repeat
the practice and this time we simulate our circuit to learn the approximate values of
the measurements and finally we demonstrate Kirchhoff's laws.