2.3: Kirchhof's Current Law
- Page ID
- 52889
\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)
Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you should be able to:
- Identify parallel resistive circuits that include a single voltage source or one or more current sources.
- Compute equivalent resistance of parallel resistive networks.
- Determine the equivalent of multiple parallel current sources.
- Compute component and total current for parallel resistive networks.
- Compute system voltage and component powers for parallel resistive networks.
- Utilize Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's current law (KCL) and the current divider rule (CDR) to aid in the analysis of parallel resistive circuits.
- Describe the function of fuses and circuit breakers.
- 2.3.4: Kirchhoff's Current Law
- Just as Kirchhoff's voltage law is a key element in understanding series circuits, Kirchhoff's current law (KCL) is the operative rule for parallel circuits. It states that the sum of all currents entering and exiting a node must sum to zero. Alternately, it can be stated as the sum of currents entering a node must equal the sum of currents exiting that node.