EEE1007S: Tutorial A Week 5: Memo: Thevenin’s and Norton’s Theorems:

Q1-Q7

1) Derive the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit shown in Fig.1, as seen from terminals
A and B. Values are as follows: V1 = 15V, V2 = 10V, R1 = 8 ohm, R2 = 4 ohm.
Neglect internal resistance of the batteries.

Fig.1

Solution:

i) Calculation of Vth:

Circuit is redrawn as Fig.1(a) with all values and with current I marked. Current I is
flowing through the circuit even when A and B are open-circuit.

Fig.1(a)

KVL equation for loop ECDFE is:

15 – 10 = 4I + 8I

Or,

I = 5/12 = 0.417A

 Vth = 15 – 8I = 15 – 8x0.417 = 11.664V

ii) Calculation of Rth:

Keep A-B as open circuit. Remove the 15V and 10V batteries and replace them by short
circuits. If nothing is stated about their internal resistances, they are assumed to be zero.

Circuit is redrawn as Fig.1(b).

Fig.1(b)

Rth = 8 || 4 = 8x4/(8+4) = 2.67 ohm

Thus, Thevenin’s circuit will look like:

Fig.1(c)

where, Vth = 11.664V and Rth = 2.67 ohm – Ans.

2) Using Thevenin’s theorem, calculate the current flowing through the resistance
R3 in the circuit shown in Fig.2. Values are as follows: V1 = 15V, V2 = 6V, R1
= 10 ohm, R2 = 5 ohm, and R3 = 4 ohm. Assume internal resistance of the
batteries to be negligible.

Fig.2
Solution:
i) Calculation of Vth:

R3 is disconnected. Circuit is redrawn as Fig.2(a) with all values and with current I
marked. Current I is flowing through the loop formed by 15V battery, 10 ohm resistance
and 5 ohm resistance, when A and B are open-circuit.

Fig.2(a)

I = 15/(10+5) = 1A

VAC = 5I = 5V; VBC = 6V

Vth = VBC – VAC = 6 – VAC = 6 – 5 = 1V

ii) Calculation of Rth:

Keep A-B as open circuit. Remove the 15V and 6V batteries and replace them by short
circuits.

Circuit is redrawn as Fig.2(b).

Fig.2(b)
Rth (look at the circuit from terminals A and B) = 10 || 5 = 10x5/(10+5) = 3.33 ohm

Now, applying Thevenin’s theorem,

Current through R3 = Vth/(Rth + R3) = 1/(3.33 + 4) = 0.136A – Ans.

3) Using Thevenin’s theorem, calculate the current through the load resistance RL
connected between A and B in the circuit shown in Fig.3. All resistances are in
 ohms. The internal resistance of 24V battery is 1 ohm. Assume load resistance
to be RL = 15 ohm.

Fig.3

Solution:

i) Calculation of Vth:

Disconnect RL and redraw the circuit as Fig.3(a).

Fig.3(a)

Vth = voltage across the 12 ohm resistance connected across A and B.

Vth = 24x12/(1+3+12) = 18V

(using voltage division as r=1 ohm, 3 ohm and 12 ohm are in series connection with the
24V battery.

ii) Calculation of Rth:

With RL already removed, now remove the battery but keep its internal resistance in the
circuit. Redraw the circuit as Fig.3(b)
 Fig.3(b)

Rth (look at the circuit from terminals A and B) = (3+1) || 12 = 4x12/(4+12) = 3 ohm

Now, applying Thevenin’s theorem,

Current through R3 = Vth/(Rth + R3) = 18/(3 + 15) = 1A – Ans.

4) For the circuit shown in Fig.4, calculate the current in resistance R4. Use
Thevenin’s theorem. Values are as follows: V1 = 20V, V2 = 12V, R1 = 5 ohm,
R2 = 2 ohm, R3 = 8 ohm and R4 = 10 ohm. Internal resistances of the batteries
are zero.

Fig.4
[Ans. 0.32A]

Solution:

i) Calculation of Vth:

Put all values for V1 and V2 and for resistances.

Disconnect R4 and redraw the circuit as in Fig.4(a).

 Fig.4(a)

Current I as marked in Fig.4(a) flows only through a closed loop formed by 20V battery,
5 ohm and 2 ohm resistances. It does not flow to terminals A and B as they are open
circuited.

I = 20/(5+2) = 20/7 A

VDC = 2I = 2 x 20/7 = 5.71V

Thus, Vth = VAB

= VAD (rise from A to D) – VDC (drop from D to C)
= 12 – 5.71 = 6.29V (A at a lower potential with respect to B).

ii) Calculation for Rth:

Keeping R4 disconnected, remove all batteries by short-circuiting them. Redraw the

circuit as Fig.4(b).

Fig.4(b)

Rth = 5 || 2 + 8 = 5x2/(5+2) + 8 = 9.43 ohm

Now, applying Thevenin’s theorem,

Current through R4 = Vth/(Rth + R4) = 6.29/(9.43 + 10) = 0.32A – Ans.

5) Using Thevenin’s theorem, calculate the p.d. across the terminals A and B in
Fig.5. Values are as follows: V1 = 18V, V2 = 6V, R1 = 6 ohm, R2 = 2 ohm, R3 =
3 ohm, R4 = 1 ohm.

Fig.5
Solution:

Here you have to calculate Vth only by applying Thevenin’s theorem at terminals A-B.

Putting all values, redraw the circuit as Fig.5(a).

Current I is flowing in the loop ECDFE.

KVL equation for ECDFE is as follows:

18 – 6 = (6 + 3 +2)I

Therefore, I = 12/11 = 1.091A

Vth = VCD = 6 + 3I = 6 + 3x1.091 = 9.273V – Ans.

Note that VCD will appear across A and B as no current will flow through R4.
6) Use Thevenin’s theorem to calculate current flowing through resistance R1
connected between A and B in Fig.6. Values are as follows: V1 = 4V, V2 = 8V,
R1 = 1 ohm, R2 = R3 = R5 = 2 ohm and R4 =4 ohm. Assume battery internal
resistance to be zero.

Fig.6

Solution:

i) Calculation of Vth:

Put the values for V1 and V2 and all resistances.

Disconnect R1 and keep A and B as open circuit. Redraw the circuit as Fig.6(a)

Fig.6(a)
Circuit of Fig.6(a) shows two loops GEFHG and ECDFE with two clockwise loop
currents I1 and I2 as marked.

Mesh analysis is used to solve for I2 as follows:

8 𝐼 6 −4
[ ] = [ 1] . [ ]
−4 𝐼2 −4 8

Applying Cramer’s rule,

Common determinant =  = 6x8 – (-4)x(-4) = 32

6 8
2 = | |=6x(-4) – (-4)x8 = 8
−4 −4

I2 = 2/ = 8/32 = 0.25A

Vth = VCD = 2I2 + 4 = 2x0.25 + 4 = 4.5V

ii) Calculation of Rth:

Keeping R1 disconnected, remove all voltage sources by replacing them with short-
circuits. Redraw the circuit as Fig.6(b)

Rth = [{(2||4) + 2} || 2] = {2x4/(2+4) + 2} || 2 = 3.33 || 2 = 3.33x2/(3.33+2) = 1.25 ohm

Thus, current through R1 = Vth/(Rth + R1) = 4.5/(1.25 + 1) = 2A – Ans.

7) The four arms of a bridge circuit have the following resistances in ohms.
AB = 100, BC = 10, CD = 4, DA = 50. A galvanometer of 20 ohm resistance is
connected across BD and a battery of 10V is connected across AC. Use
Thevenin’s theorem to calculate the current through the galvanometer. Assume
battery internal resistance to be zero. [Ans. 5.1mA]

Solution:

With all values, draw the circuit as in Fig.7(a)

Fig.7(a)

i) Calculation of Vth:

For calculating Vth, disconnect the galvanometer from BD and redraw the circuit s in
Fig.7(b).
Branches ABC and ADC are in parallel across the 10V battery.

I1 flows through ABC and I2 flows through ADC.

I1 = 10/(100+10) = 0.091A

I2 = 10/(50+4) = 0.185A

Vth = VBD = VAD – VAB = 50.I2 – 100.I1 = 50x0.185 – 100x0.091 = 0.15V

ii) Calculation of Rth:

Keep B and D as open circuit. Short circuit the battery and redraw circuit as Fig.7(c).

In Fig.7(c), note that A and C are shorted and essentially becomes one single node.
Hence, circuit is redrawn as Fig.7(d).
Looking from B and D,

Rth = (100 || 10) + (50 || 4) = 100x10/(100+10) + 50X4/(50+4) = 12.79 ohm.

Thus, applying Thevenin’s Theorem, current through the 20 ohm galvanometer

= Vth/(Rth+20) = 0.15/(12.79+20) = 0.0045 A = 4.5mA – Ans.