EECE 211L Lab #4

EECE 211L, Fall 2024

Lab #4: Thévenin’s Theorem
Introduction:

• This lab is a two-week lab. Sign-offs due by the end of your lab session, week of 10/21.
According to Thévenin’s Theorem, any complex linear circuit with a pair of external load
terminals can be reduced to an equivalent circuit consisting of one voltage source and
one resistor plus the same load terminals, regardless of the component count or
complexity of the original circuit.
• If both circuits are equivalent, a load resistor of any value will absorb the same amount
of power from the Thévenin equivalent circuit as it does from the original complex
circuit.

Calculations:

• Calculate the values of the Thévenin voltage (VTH) and resistance (RTH), and draw the
Thévenin equivalent of the circuit given in Figure 1 with respect to the terminals A-B.
Remember to remove RLOAD when calculating VTH and RTH! Figure 2 shows the Thévenin
equivalent of the circuit in Figure 1, with a load resistance attached.

Figure 1: complex linear circuit.

Figure 2: Thévenin equivalent circuit.

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EECE 211L Lab #4

Lab Experiment (Part 1):

• The goal of this part is to experimentally determine the values of VTH and RTH for the
circuit in Figure 1 and compare to theoretical calculations.
• Build the circuit in Figure 1 on your breadboard and use the positive DC power supply of
the M2K to provide 5 V.
• Select four well-spaced resistance values for RLOAD. Measure the actual resistance value
of each resistor with a multimeter and record these values. Hint: select four values
within the range of 1 kΩ to 10 kΩ and try to space them evenly. Keep these resistors
separate, you will need to use the same resistors for Part 2.
• One at a time, place each load resistor across the A-B terminals of the circuit in Figure 1
and measure the voltage across the load resistor (VAB) with either the M2K module and
Scopy or a multimeter. Calculate all necessary quantities to complete Table 1.

Table 1: Quantities for Complex Circuit in Figure 1

Value of RLOAD Measured value of Calculated load Calculated power
VAB current (iLOAD) absorbed by load (PLOAD)
0.97 kO 1.6 V 1.65 mA 2.64 W
4.59 kO 2.38V 0.52 mA 1.24 W

6.67 kO 2.48 V 0.37 mA 0.92 W

9.82 kO 2.56 V 0.26 mA 0.67W

• Using Excel or a similar spreadsheet/graphing utility, plot the following data from
𝑉𝐴𝐵
columns 2 and 3 in Table 1: 𝐼𝐿𝑂𝐴𝐷 = 𝑅 versus 𝑉𝐴𝐵 . An Excel tutorial is available in
𝐿𝑂𝐴𝐷
the Lab #4 module on Canvas. Hint: the values of VAB should appear on the horizontal
axis.
• Connect the data points with a linear trendline and display the trendline equation on
the plot. The value of VTH equals the value of the x-intercept when the trendline is
extended to the x-axis, and the value of RTH is the negative reciprocal of the slope.
Compare these values to your calculated theoretical values.
Lab Experiment (Part 2):

• A potentiometer is a variable resistor with three terminals as shown in Figure 3.

Measuring the resistance between terminals 1 and 3 (R1-3) always gives close to the
maximum resistance value of the potentiometer (usually 1 kΩ, 10 kΩ, 100 kΩ, etc.)
• The rotary adjustment moves the wiper and varies the resistance measured between
terminals 1 and 2 (R1-2) and also terminals 2 and 3 (R2-3). As R1-2 goes up, R2-3 will
decrease by the same amount. For any setting of the wiper, R1-2 + R2-3 = R1-3.

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Figure 3: Potentiometer terminals, symbol, and component.

• Adjust the resistance of a 1 kΩ potentiometer (102 code) until either R1-2 or R2-3 equals
the experimental value of RTH that you found in Part 1. Construct the Thévenin
equivalent circuit shown in Figure 2 on your breadboard using the potentiometer for RTH
and the DC power supply of the M2k for VTH. Don’t forget to change the value of the
power supply voltage to the value of VTH that you found in Part 1!
• One at a time, connect each of the same four resistors you selected for RLOAD in Part 1
across the A-B terminals of the Thévenin equivalent circuit and measure the value of
VAB . Repeat
0.97 kO the same calculations that you performed for Table 1, and complete Table 2.
Table 2: Quantities for Thévenin Equivalent Circuit in Figure 2
Value of RLOAD Measured value of Calculated load Calculated power
VAB current (iLOAD) absorbed by load (PLOAD)
0.97 kO 1.48 V 1.526 A 2.258 W
4.59 kO 2.32 V 0.505 A 1.172 W
6.67 kO 2.42V 0.363 A 0.878 W
9.82 kO 2.51 V 0.256 A 0.643 W

• Create a combined Excel plot showing PLOAD vs. RLOAD for both the original and Thévenin
equivalent circuits. Do your results verify that each load resistor absorbs the same
power (ignoring rounding and measurement errors) regardless of whether it is
connected to the original complex circuit or the Thévenin equivalent circuit?
Sign-off Requirements:

• Demonstrate the following to your lab instructor:

o Both physical circuits and connections to M2k module.
o Theoretical calculations you performed to find Thévenin equivalent of circuit in
Figure 1 plus current and power calculations to complete Tables 1 and 2.
o Tables 1 and 2 completed with all values.
o Excel plot of ILOAD vs. VAB with linear trendline and calculations you performed to
determine experimental values of VTH and RTH (Part 1).
o Combined Excel plot of PLOAD vs. RLOAD for both circuits (Part 2).

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EECE 211L Lab #4

• Circuit functionality: experimental values of VTH and RTH found from trendline must be
within 10% of correct theoretical values. Combined power plots for Part 2 do not need
to have identical values but must show the same overall trend.
Lab Report Requirements:

• Include the following items in your lab report:

o Legible image of all hand calculations performed in both Calculations and Lab
Experiment sections.
o Completed Tables 1 and 2.
o Pictures of your physical circuits.
o Plot of ILOAD vs. VAB from Part 1, and combined plot of PLOAD vs. RLOAD for both
circuits from Part 2. Plots are considered incomplete if axis quantities and units
are not labeled.
• Report due dates:
o Monday lab section: Monday, 10/28 @ 11:59PM.
o Thursday lab section: Thursday, 10/31 @ 11:59PM.