FOUNDATION OF DC CONCEPTS
(ELECTRIC CIRCUIT VARIABLES
AND ELEMENTS)
By: Maria Carmela F. Capul
OBJECTIVES
▪ Identify different electric variables and elements and their
behaviour
▪ Identify parameters that determine the resistance of an
element
▪ Solve for the resistance of conductors
▪ Solve problems regarding Ohm’s Law, Power, and Energy
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT
• BRANCHES OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
• - Power, electric machines, control, electronics,
communications and instrumentation
Circuit theory is also valuable to students specializing in
other branches of the physical sciences
- circuits are a good model for the study of energy systems
- applied mathematics, physics and topology involved
ELECTRIC CIRCUIT
▪ A system of conductors and components forming a
complete path for current to travel
Simple electric circuit
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT
Electric Circuit of a Radio Receiver
CHARGE
▪ An electrical property of the atomic particles of which matter
consists, measured in coulombs (C).
Electric current due to flow
of electronic charge in a
conductor
FACTS ABOUT CHARGE
▪ Charge e on an electron is negative and equal in magnitude to
1.602 x 10-19 C
▪ Proton carries a positive charge of the same magnitude as the
electron.
▪ The coulomb is a large unit for charges. In 1 C of charge, there are
6.24 x 1018 electrons.
CURRENT
▪ The time rate of change of charge, measured in amperes (A).
Where q is charge
1 ampere = 1 coulomb/second
CURRENT FLOW
▪ Conventional Current assumes that current
flows out of the positive side of the battery, Conventional
Current
through the circuit, and back to the negative
side of the battery.
▪ Electron Flow is what actually happens. The
electrons flow out of the negative side of the Electron
battery, through the circuit, and back to the Flow
positive side of the battery.
CONVENTIONAL CURRENT FLOW
CURRENT
Currents may be classified as
▪ Direct Current
▪ Alternating Current
DIRECT CURRENT
▪ A current that remains constant with time
▪ By convention, the symbol I is used to represent such a constant
current
ALTERNATING CURRENT
▪ A current that varies sinusoidally with time
▪ By convention, the symbol i is used to represent such an alternating
current
VOLTAGE
▪ Energy required to move a unit charge through an element,
measured in volts (V)
▪ Where w is energy in joules (J) and q is charge in coulombs (C).
1 volt = 1 joule/coulomb
= 1 newton-meter/coulomb
VOLTAGE
▪ Two equivalent representations of the same voltage vab
▪ Point a is 9 V above point b; Point b is -9 V above point a
VOLTAGE
▪ Like electric current, a constant voltage is called dc voltage and
is represented by V, whereas a sinusoidally time-varying voltage
is called an ac voltage represented by v.
POWER
▪ Time rate of expending or absorbing energy, measured in watts
▪ where p is power in watts (W), w is energy in joules (J), and t is
time in seconds (s).
POWER
POWER
Passive sign convention: when current enters through the positive terminal
of an element, p = +vi
ENERGY
▪ Capacity to do work, measure in joules (J).
▪ The electric power utility companies measure energy in watt-
hours (Wh)
1 𝑊ℎ=3,600 𝐽
CIRCUIT ELEMENTS
Active Elements: capable of Passive Elements: absorb
generating/supplying energy energy
Dependent sources
• A dependent source is an active element in which the
source quantity is controlled by another voltage or
Independent sources current.
• An active element that provides a specified voltage or
• They have four different types: VCVS, CCVS, VCCS,
current that is completely independent of other circuit
CCCS. Keep in mind the signs of dependent sources.
variables.
CIRCUIT ELEMENTS
Linear element: satisfies both the homogeneity
and additivity properties Non-linear element
CIRCUIT ELEMENTS
Linear Element:
▪ Satisfies both the homogeneity and additivity properties.
Homogeneity
▪ Requires that if the input is multiplied by a constant, then the
output is multiplied by the same constant
Additivity
▪ Requires that the response to a sum of inputs is the sum of the
responses to each input applied separately
LINEAR ELEMENT
Resistor: a good example of a linear element
NON LINEAR ELEMENT
Diode: a good example of a non-linear element
RESISTANCE
▪ The opposition of current flow
▪ Measured in Ohms (Ω)
OHM’S LAW
▪ Ohm’s law states that the voltage across a resistor is
directly proportional to the current i flowing through
the resistor.
▪ Mathematical expression for Ohm’s Law is as follows:
v = iR
▪ Two extreme possible values of R: 0 (zero) and
(infinite) are related with two basic circuit concepts:
short circuit and open circuit.
OHM’S LAW
▪ Consider the figure below. What are the corresponding
currents? What about equivalent resistances?
? ?
?
?
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 0?
𝑅𝑒𝑞 = 𝑅?1
OHM’S LAW
▪ Conductance is the ability of an element to conduct electric
current; it is the reciprocal of resistance R and is measured in
mhos or siemens (S). 1 i
G= =
R v
▪ The power dissipated by a resistor:
2
v
p = vi = i R =2
