Node Voltage Analysis of Circuits with Current and Voltage Sources 123

Try it
yourself EXAMPLE 4.3-1 Node Equations
in WileyPLUS

Determine the values node voltages, v1 and v2, in the circuit shown in Figure 4.3-3a.

80 Ω v1 − v2 80 Ω v 1 − 60
v2 75 Ω 65 80
v2 75 Ω
v1 v1 60 V
65 Ω 65 Ω v 2 − 60
50 Ω 100 mA 60 V +– 50 Ω 100 mA 75 60 V +–
v1
50

(a) (b)
FIGURE 4.3-3 The circuit considered in Example 4.3-1.
Solution
First, represent the resistor currents in terms of the node voltages as shown in Figure 4.3-3b.
Apply at KCL at node 1 to get
   
v1 v1  v2 v1  60 1 1 1 1 60
þ þ ¼0 ) þ þ v1  v2 ¼
50 65 80 50 65 80 65 80
Apply KCL at node 2 to get    
v2  v1 v2  60 1 1 1
0:1 ¼ þ ¼ ) v1 þ þ v2 ¼ 0:1
65 75 65 65 75
Organize these equations in matrix form to write
2 1 1 1 1 3  2 3
þ þ  60
6 50 65 80 7 v
65 ¼ 4 80 5
1
4 5
1 1 1 v2
 þ 0:1
65 65 75
Solving, we get v1 ¼ 30:081 V and v2 ¼ 47:990 V

Try it
yourself E X A M P L E 4 . 3 - 2 Supernodes
in WileyPLUS
a 12 V b
–
+

Determine the values of the node voltages va and vb for the + +

circuit shown in Figure 4.3-4. 1.5 A va 6Ω 3.5 A vb 3Ω
– –
Solution
We can write the first node equation by considering the voltage
source. The voltage source voltage is related to the node voltages by FIGURE 4.3-4 The circuit for Example 4.3-2.
vb  va ¼ 12 ) vb ¼ va þ 12
To write the second node equation, we must decide what to do about the voltage source current. (Notice that there is
no easy way to express the voltage source current in terms of the node voltages.) In this example, we illustrate two
methods of writing the second node equation.
124 4. Methods of Analysis of Resistive Circuits

i 12 V
a b 12 V
– a b

+
–

+
+ +
+ +
1.5 A va 6Ω 3.5 A vb 3Ω
1.5 A va 6Ω 3.5 A vb 3Ω
– –
– –

FIGURE 4.3-5 Method 1 For Example 4.3-2. FIGURE 4.3-6 Method 2 for Example 4.3-2.

Method 1: Assign a name to the voltage source current. Apply KCL at both of the voltage source nodes.
Eliminate the voltage source current from the KCL equations.
Figure 4.3-5 shows the circuit after labeling the voltage source current. The KCL equation at node a is
va
1:5 þ i ¼
6
vb
The KCL equation at node b is i þ 3:5 þ ¼0
3

Combining these two equations gives

vb  va va vb
1:5  3:5 þ ¼ ) 2:0 ¼ þ
3 6 6 3

Method 2: Apply KCL to the supernode corresponding to the voltage source. Shown in Figure 4.3-6, this
supernode separates the voltage source and its nodes from the rest of the circuit. (In this small circuit, the rest of the
circuit is just the reference node.)
Apply KCL to the supernode to get
va vb va vb
1:5 ¼ þ 3:5 þ ) 2:0 ¼ þ
6 3 6 3

This is the same equation that was obtained using method 1. Applying KCL to the supernode is a shortcut for
doings three things:
1. Labeling the voltage source current as i.
2. Applying KCL at both nodes of the voltage source.
3. Eliminating i from the KCL equations.
In summary, the node equations are
vb  va ¼ 12
va vb
and þ ¼ 2:0
6 3

Solving the node equations gives

va ¼ 12 V; and vb ¼ 0 V

(We might be surprised that vb is 0 V, but it is easy to check that these values are correct by substituting them
into the node equations.)
 Node Voltage Analysis of Circuits with Current and Voltage Sources 125

Try it
yourself E X A M P L E 4 . 3 - 3 Node Equations for a Circuit Containing
in WileyPLUS
Voltage Sources

Determine the node voltages for the circuit shown in Figure 4.3-7. 10 V
+–

Solution
We will calculate the node voltages of this circuit by writing a KCL 10 Ω b 40 Ω
a c
equation for the supernode corresponding to the 10-V voltage source.
First notice that 5A
–
2A
+ 12 V
vb ¼ 12 V

and that
FIGURE 4.3-7 The circuit for Example 4.3-3.
va ¼ vc þ 10

Writing a KCL equation for the supernode, we have

va  vb vc  vb
þ2þ ¼5
10 40
or
4 va þ vc  5 vb ¼ 120
Using va ¼ vc þ 10 and vb ¼ 12 to eliminate va and vb, we have
4ðvc þ 10Þ þ vc  5ð12Þ ¼ 120

Solving this equation for vc, we get

vc ¼ 4 V

Try it
yourself EXERCISE 4.3-1 Find the node voltages for the circuit of Figure E 4.3-1.
in WileyPLUS
Hint: Write a KCL equation for the supernode corresponding to the 10-V voltage source.
vb þ 10 vb
Answer: 2 þ þ ¼ 5 ) vb ¼ 30 V and va ¼ 40 V
20 30
Try it
yourself EXERCISE 4.3-2 Find the voltages va and vb for the circuit of Figure E 4.3-2.
in WileyPLUS
ðvb þ 8Þ  ð12Þ vb
Answer: þ ¼ 3 ) vb ¼ 8 V and va ¼ 16 V
10 40
10 V 10 Ω 8V
a b a b
+– +–

–
2A 20 Ω 30 Ω 5A + 12 V 3A 40 Ω

FIGURE E 4.3-1 FIGURE E 4.3-2

 126 4. Methods of Analysis of Resistive Circuits

4.4 Node Voltage Analysis with Dependent Sources

When a circuit contains a dependent source the controlling current or voltage of that
dependent source must be expressed as a function of the node voltages.

It is then a simple matter to express the controlled current or voltage as a function of the node
voltages. The node equations are then obtained using the techniques described in the previous two
sections.

Try it
yourself E X A M P L E 4 . 4 - 1 Node Equations for a Circuit Containing
in WileyPLUS
a Dependent Source

Determine the node voltages for the circuit shown in Figure 4.4-1. ix 6Ω 3Ω
a b c

Solution +
+
The controlling current of the dependent source is ix. Our first task – 8V 2A 3ix
–
is to express this current as a function of the node voltages:
va  vb
ix ¼
6
The value of the node voltage at node a is set by the 8-V voltage FIGURE 4.4-1 A circuit with a CCVS.
source to be
va ¼ 8 V
8  vb
So ix ¼
6
The node voltage at node c is equal to the voltage of the dependent source, so
 
8  vb vb
vc ¼ 3ix ¼ 3 ¼4 ð4:4-1Þ
6 2

Next, apply KCL at node b to get

8  vb vb  vc
þ2¼ ð4:4-2Þ
6 3

Using Eq. 4.4-1 to eliminate vc from Eq. 4.4-2 gives

vb 
8  vb v b  4 
þ2¼ 2 ¼ vb  4
6 3 2 3
Solving for vb gives
vb ¼ 7 V
vb 1
Then, vc ¼ 4  ¼ V
2 2