Name____________ Section_________

ENME 350: Electronics and Instrumentation I

Laboratory 3: RESISTIVE CIRCUITS, THEVENIN’S EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT AND

MAXIMUM POWER TRANSFER
Fall 2020
OBJECTIVES
• To illustrate the fundamental circuit principles with various resistive circuits.
• To illustrate that a linear circuit containing one or more voltage sources can be replaced by an
ideal voltage source and a resistance in series with it.
• To illustrate that power transferred from an ideal voltage source with an internal resistance
depends on the load and can be maximized by the choice of load (this is known as impedance or
resistance matching).

INSTRUMENTS AND PARTS NEEDED

Power supply (PS) from nscope is used to power circuits.
Digital multimeter (DMM): is used to make measurements of current, voltage and resistance
A nscope Solderless Breadboard
Resistors: 470-Ω, 1-KΩ, 10-KΩ, 1.5-KΩ, 2.2-KΩ, 3.7-KΩ (2.2k+1.5k) and 6.8 k-Ω

EXERCISE 1: RESISTIVE CIRCUITS

In this exercise, we will build a simple series circuit on breadboard and verify fundamental circuit
principles. Use the +5 V power supply from the nscope, two resistances (R1 = 10 kΩ, R2 = 1.5 kΩ)
to construct the series circuit shown on Figure 1. Use a voltmeter to measure the voltages vs, v1 and
v2 across the power supply and two resistors, respectively.

Q1: Take a picture of your circuit and include it in your report. Record the measurements in your
data sheet. Verify that your voltage measurements satisfy Krichhoff’s voltage law (KVL):
R2
v s = v 1 +v 2 and that your measurements satisfy the voltage divider formula: v 2 = vs
R1 + R 2

+
R1 v1
-
vs +
R2 v2
-

Figure 1: A Series circuit (voltage divider).

EXERCISE 2: "EQUIVALENT" CIRCUITS

Thevenin’s Theorem
Thevenin's Theorem states that a linear circuit containing ideal sources and resistors may be
represented by an equivalent circuit consisting of an ideal voltage source in series with an equivalent
resistance. Thevenin’s theorem simplifies circuit analysis by reducing a linear circuit that may contain
several voltage sources, current sources and resistances by a single voltage source in series with a
resistance (see Figure 2). The Thevenin equivalent voltage is equal to the open circuit voltage after the
load is removed (see Figure 3 (a)) and the Thevenin equivalent resistance is give by the ratio of the
open circuit voltage to the short circuit current (see Figure 3 (b)). Thevenin’s theorem is particularly
useful when doing power calculations and selecting a load resistance that consumes the maximum
amount of power from a circuit. It applies to both DC and AC linear circuits.

Rth
a
a
Circuit with
resistances and Vth +
voltage/current -
sources b b

A linear circuit. Thevenin’s equivalent circuit.

Figure 2: Demonstration of Thenvenin’s theorem.

a
a
Circuit with + Circuit with
resistances and resistances and ISC
VOC
voltage/current voltage/current
sources - sources b
b
(a) Vth = VOC . Vth VOC
(b) Rth = = .
I SC I SC

Figure 3: Calculation of the equivalent circuit parameters.

The circuit shown in Figure 4 is used in this exercise. We would like to find the
Thevenin's equivalent circuit relative to the terminals a and b.
 Figure 4: The circuits for Q2 and Q3

Q2: Build the circuit shown in Figure 4(a) and use the voltmeter to measure Vab = Va-Vb,
the voltage between terminals a and b. Take a picture of your circuit and include it in
your report. Record your measurements in your datasheet. Compute Va, Vb and Vc by
using nodal voltage analysis. Compare your calculation of Va -Vb with your measurement.

Q3: Short circuit between the terminals a and b as shown in Figure 4(b). Use the ammeter to
measure the current iSC and record your measurement in your datasheet. Compute Rth = Vab/iSC.

Q4: Find the Thevenin equivalent resistance, Rth, looking into terminals a and b by zeroing all
voltage sources. Show the details of your calculations. Compare your calculations of Rth with
your measurement shown in Q3. Draw the Thevenin equivalent circuit.