Circuits: Circuit Analysis, Components, AC Circuits & Theorems Guide
Electrical circuits are the foundation of every electronic and vehicle electrical system. These guides cover circuit laws and analysis techniques, the components that make up a circuit, and how AC and RLC circuits behave, with worked examples throughout.
Start here
The core ideas behind every circuit.
Circuitry 101: Basic Electrical Circuit Principles
Why circuits matter and the basic principles behind them.
Kirchhoff’s Voltage and Current Laws
The foundation of circuit analysis.
Electrical Resistance and Conductance
What resistance and conductance are and how they relate.
Series vs. Parallel Circuits
Formulas, differences and worked examples.
Circuit analysis techniques
Methods for simplifying and solving circuits.
Voltage and Current Division
How voltage and current dividers work and where to apply them.
Supernode and Supermesh
Two techniques that simplify circuit analysis.
Thevenin’s Theorem
Reducing a complex circuit to a simple equivalent.
Norton Equivalent and Source Transformations
More ways to simplify circuits.
Maximum Power Transfer
What the theorem says and why it matters.
Components & rectifiers
The devices that make up real circuits.
Capacitor Basics
What a capacitor is, its types and how it works.
Inductors
How coils of wire store energy in a magnetic field.
What Is a Diode?
Symbol, types, anode and cathode, and how diodes work.
Rectifier Basics
Converting AC to DC with diodes.
Full-Wave Rectifier Circuit
Effect of adding two diodes to a full-wave rectifier.
Understanding a Supercapacitor
High power density and long cycle life.
AC circuits & transients
How circuits behave with alternating current and changing signals.
AC vs. DC Circuits
A beginner’s guide to the basics of AC circuits.
Impedance in an AC Circuit
How impedance works in AC circuits.
Resonance in RL and RC Circuits
How to design and analyze circuits with resonance.
2nd Order RLC Circuit
Fundamentals, damping cases and a worked example.
Second-Order Electrical Circuits
Solving second-order circuits with differential equations.
Project
Circuits in a controls application.
Frequently asked questions
What are Kirchhoff’s laws?
Kirchhoff’s current law says the currents entering a node sum to zero, and Kirchhoff’s voltage law says the voltages around a closed loop sum to zero. Together they form the basis of circuit analysis.
What is the difference between series and parallel circuits?
In a series circuit the same current flows through every component, while in a parallel circuit components share the same voltage and the current divides between branches.
What does Thevenin’s theorem do?
Thevenin’s theorem replaces a complicated linear circuit, as seen from two terminals, with a single voltage source in series with a single resistance, which makes it easier to analyze.
What is impedance?
Impedance is the opposition a circuit presents to alternating current. It combines resistance with the effects of capacitors and inductors and is measured in ohms.
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