Tuesday , 12 November 2019
Home > Electrical Circuit Analysis > Kirchhoff Current Law (KCL) with Example: Circuit Analysis

# Kirchhoff Current Law (KCL) with Example: Circuit Analysis

KCL state that:

The total current entering at a node (point in the circuit where multiple components meet) is always same as the total current leaving out from that node.

Suppose a node with five component meets, two of them are providing power and the rest of three are consuming power as shown in the diagram. According to KCL, the current provided by those two power sources will be exactly equal to current consumed by these three power dissipating components.

$sum{I_{Entering}= sum{I_{Leaving}}}$

I$_{1}$ + I$_{2}$ = I$_{3}$ + I$_{4}$ + I$_{5}$

Note the direction of current in the diagram. The two currents I1 and I2 are entering the node at point P. And three currents are leaving the node.

The KCL hold for DC circuits as well as AC circuits and linear and non-linear components.

Gustav Kirchhoff was a German physicist, who presented two laws; Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) and Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law (KVL). Ohm law is a very basic one, which may not be sufficient to analyze a complex circuit. The Kirchhoff’s Current Law (KCL) provide the basis for Nodal Voltage Analysis.

## Example:

Suppose a node with three wires connected, if one of them is providing a current of 4A and second is the wire is taking a current of 4A.

What would be the current of the third wire? And what would be the direction of the current?

### Solution:

Let’s draw the diagram representing the currents directions.

According to the KCL, the entering current will always be equal to leaving current, i.e.

$I_{entering}=I_{leaving}$

The unknown current is entering to the node :

$4A+I=4A$

$I=4A-4A=0A$

The unknown current is zero.

## Limitations Of KCL :

KCL assume that current flow only in conductors, but in case of high-frequency circuits, current can be caused by parasitic capacitance without any conductor.

Sending
0 (0 votes)

### About Michal

Michael has got his undergraduate degree in 2016 from a reputable university securing high grads. He is now working as a professional engineer for an internationally recognized organization as well as he is pursuing his master degree. His keen interests include Electronics, Electrical, Power Engineering.

## RLC Parallel circuit analysis with solved problem

In RLC parallel circuit, resistor, inductor, and capacitors are connected in parallel across Alternating current source. In contrast to the RLC series circuit, the voltage across each component is the same and is taken as reference in the phasor diagram.