Electric Circuits
EE 210
Nodal Analysis
Nodal Analysis
• The variables in the circuit are selected to be
the node voltages
• The currents can be calculated directly when
all node voltages are known
• One node in the circuit is selected to be the
reference node , and all other node voltages
are defined with respect to this node
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Nodal Analysis
I1 R1 R3 R5
1 2
I3 I5
R2 R4
Vs1 Vs2
I2 I4
• Determine the number of essential nodes in the
circuit:
Three nodes
• Choose the reference node: bottom node
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• Apply KCL at all nodes except the reference node:
At node 1:
– I 1 + I2 + I3 = 0 (1)
At node 2:
– I 3 + I4 + I5 = 0 (2)
• Using Ohm’s law, express the currents in terms of
node voltages:
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R1 R3 R5
I1 1 2
I3 I5
R2 R4
Vs1 Vs2
I2 I4
– G1(Vs1 – V1) + G2V1 + G3(V1 – V2) = 0 (3)
– G3(V1 – V2) + G4V2 + G5(V2 – Vs2) = 0 (4)
( G = 1/R )
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• Rearrange the equations:
(G1+G2+G3) V1 – G3V2 = Vs1G1 (5)
– G3V1 + (G3+ G4+G5 )V2 = Vs2G5 (6)
• Write the equations in matrix format:
G1+G2+G3 – G3 V1 Vs1G1
=
– G3 G3+ G4+G5 V2 Vs2G5
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Vs1G1 – G3
Vs2G5 G3+G4+G5
V1 =
G1+G2+G3 – G3
– G3 G3+ G4+G5
G1+G2+G3 Vs1G1
Solve the
V2 =– G3 Vs2G5
Equations! G1+G2+G3 – G3
– G3 G3+ G4+G5
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Example #1
Use nodal analysis to find all branch currents and the voltage Vx.
I1 V1 6K I3 V2 I5
I2 + Vx – I4
1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K
At node 1:
– I 1 + I 2 – I3 = 0 (1)
At node 2:
+ I3 + I4 + I5 = 0 (2)
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I1 V1 6K I3 V2 I5
I2 + Vx – I4
1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K
– 1 mA + V1 / 12 K – (V2 – V1) / 6 K= 0 (3)
+ (V2 – V1) / 6 K + 4 mA + V2 / 6 K = 0 (4)
Solving the equations simultaneously yields:
V1 = – 6 V, V2 = – 15 V
UAE University Dr. Mawahib H.
Sulieman
I1 V1 6K I3 V2 I5
I2 + Vx – I4
1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K
I1 = 1 mA
I2 = V1/12 K = – 6/12 K = – 0.5 mA
I3 = (V2 – V1)/6 K = (– 15+6)/6 K = – 1.5 mA
I4 = 4 mA
I5 = V2/6 K = – 15/6 K = – 2.5 mA
Vx = V1 – V2 = – 6 – (– 15) = 9 V
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Example #2
Find Vo using nodal analysis
V1
(V1 – 12) / 12 K + (V1 – 9) / 18 K + (V1+6) / 16 K= 0
+
Vo
1 + 1/2 – 3/8 −
V1 = = 5.6 V
(1/12 + 1/18 +
1/16)K
Vo = V1 – 9 = – 3.4
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Super nodes
6V
6 mA 6K 12 K 4 mA
• When an independent voltage source connects two non-
reference nodes, the surface containing the source and the nodes
is commonly known as the super node
• KCL is applied at the super node and other nodes in the circuits
• Additionally, a constraint equation is required to solve for
voltages. This equation is as follows:
Voltage difference between the two nodes = Source Voltage
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Sulieman
Super nodes
• Applying KCL at the super node:
− 6 + V1 / 6K + V2 / 12K + 4 = 0
• Constraint equation:
V1 − V2 = 6
• Solving the equations simultaneously yields:
V1 = 10, V2 = 4
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Exercises
Multiple exercises on nodal analysis
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Circuits with Dependent Current Sources
The presence of a dependent current source may destroy the
symmetry of nodal equations
V1 V2
2 Io
Io
Apply KCL at nodes 1 & 2 (where all resistor are in K and
currents are in mA)
2 Io + V1 / 12 + (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
Io − 2 − (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
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Since Io = V2/3K:
2 V2 / 3 + V1 / 12 + (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
V2 / 3 − 2 − (V1 − V2) / 6 = 0
Rearranging the equations:
(1/12 + 1/6) V1 + (2/3 − 1/6) V2 = 0
− 1/6 V1 + (1/3 + 1/6) V2 = 2
Solving the equations yields:
V1 = − 24/5
V2 = 12/5
UAE University Dr. Mawahib H.
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Circuits with Dependent Voltage Sources
2 Vx
V1 V2
V3
+
Vx
−
• As in the previous example, apply KCL at all non-reference
nodes, then substitute for the controlling quantity (Vx)
• When applying KCL, note that this particular circuit contains
a super node
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• Applying KCL at the super node:
V1 / 12 + V2 / 6 + (V2 − V3) / 12 + (V1 − V3) / 6 = 0 (1)
• The constraint equation for the super node is:
V1 − V2 = 2 Vx (2)
• Note that:
V2 = Vx (3)
V3 = 6 (4)
• Solving these equations yields:
V1 = 4.5, V2 = Vx = 1.5
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Matrix formulation by inspection
• The circuit is represented by three matrices:
conductance matrix, voltage matrix and current
matrix
• In the conductance matrix:
– Each diagonal element (Mii) represents the
equivalent conductance connected to node i
– Each element (Mij) represents the equivalent
conductance between nodes i & j. All Mij
elements has a minus sign
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Matrix formulation by inspection
• Each element of the current matrix (Ii) represent the
equivalent current entering node i
• Each element of the voltage matrix (Vi) represent the
unknown voltage of node i
UAE University Dr. Mawahib H.
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Example #3
Find the voltages at nodes 1 &2.
1K 4K 10 K
1 2
2K 5K
10 V 5V
Formulate matrices by inspection:
1+0.5+0.25 − 0.25 V1 10/1K
− 0.25 0.25+0.2+0.1 V2
= 5/10K
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1.75 − 0.25 V1 10
− 0.25 0.55 V2
= 0.5
Calculate V1 and V2
10 − 0.25
0.5 0.55
10*0.55 + 0.5*0.25
V1 = = = 6.25 V
1.75 − 0.25 1.75*0.55 – 0.25*0.25
− 0.25 0.55
UAE University Dr. Mawahib H.
Sulieman
1.75 10
− 0.25 0.5 1.75*0.5 + 10*0.25
V2 = = = 3.75 V
1.75 − 0.25 1.75*0.55 – 0.25*0.25
− 0.25 0.55
UAE University Dr. Mawahib H.
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Example #4
Use nodal analysis to find V1 and V2.
V1 6K V2
+ Vx –
1 mA 12 K 4 mA 6K
Formulate matrices by inspection:
1/12+1/6 − 1/6 V1 1
− 1/6 1/6+1/6 V2
= −4
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1 − 1/6
−4 1/6+1/6
1/3 – 2/3
V1 = = =–6 V
1/12+1/6 − 1/6
1/4*1/3 – 1/36
− 1/6 1/6+1/6
1/12+1/6 1
− 1/6 −4
− 1 + 1/6
V2 = = = – 15 V
1/12+1/6 − 1/6
1/4*1/3 – 1/36
− 1/6 1/6+1/6
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Example #5
4K
2K V2 10 K
V1 V3
1K 5K
2 mA 6 mA
Formulate matrices by inspection:
1+1/2+1/4 − 1/2 − 1/4 V1 2
− 1/2 1/2+1/5+1/10 − 1/10 V2 = 0
− 1/4 − 1/10 1/4+1/10 −6
V3
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Calculate V1 and V2 using MATLAB:
>> G = [1+1/2+1/4 − 1/2 − 1/4;
− 1/2 1/2+1/5+1/10 − 1/10;
− 1/4 − 1/10 1/4+1/10];
>> I = [2; 0; − 6];
>> V = inv(G)*I
V=
− 3.0968
− 4.5161
− 20.6452
UAE University Dr. Mawahib H.
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