STUDENT KIT LAB MODULE
Program: CEEE260/CEEM242 Semester: 1
Ownership: Discipline of Electronics
Version: 1.0 Date Issued: March 2022
Course Name: PRACTICAL CIRCUIT ANALYSIS/ELECTRIC CIRCUIT
Course Code: EEE404/MEK425
Mode of Delivery: ✔ Face to Face Virtual
THEVENIN, NORTON AND MAXIMUM POWER TRANSFER
Authors
Prepared by: Dr. Rafidah Rosman Date : March 2022
1st Revision : Dr. Rafidah Rosman Date :
2nd Revision : Date :
ASSESSMENT DETAILS
Field/Module: Electronics / E7
Experiment Title: THEVENIN, NORTON AND MAXIMUM POWER TRANSFER
Course At the end of the course, students should be able to:
Learning
Outcome CLO1: Identify the appropriate knowledge in
s: performing experimental tasks (C4).
CLO2: Analyze experimental findings through result
and discussion (C4).
CLO3: Demonstrate proficiency using laboratory tools
appropriately in conducting experiment (P4). CLO4:
Follow the experiment and laboratory regulations in
conducting the laboratory work. (A3).
CLO5: Work in a team effectively to perform laboratory works
(A3)
Module Outcomes: Upon completion of this experiment, students should able:
MO1 : to calculate the current through or voltage across a load
resistor using Thevenin and Norton Theorems.
MO2 : to obtain the relationship between Thevenin and Norton
theorem.
MO3 : to calculate the maximum power transferred to the load
resistor.
Instructions: Perform the following tasks:
1. Submit the report in group or individual as instructed
by Instructor.
2. The group shall consist maximum of 2-3 persons.
Safety Instructions: 1. Make sure good sitting posture throughout the
session. 2. Good lighting and good ventilation.
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1. THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Sometimes in circuit analysis we want to concentrate on what happens at a specific pair of
terminals. As an example, when we plug a mobile phone charger into an outlet, we are mostly
interested in the voltage and current at the terminals of the charger. We have no interest in the
effect of the charger on voltages or currents elsewhere in the circuit supplying the outlet. In
this laboratory experiment we are going to take a look at Thevenin and Norton equivalent
circuits, which are circuit simplifications techniques that focus on terminal behaviour.
Thevenin’s Theorem: Any combination of sources and resistances with two terminals can be
replaced by a combination of a single voltage source (Thevenin voltage) in series with a
single resistor (Thevenin resistance). The value of the Thevenin voltage is the open circuit
voltage at the output terminals. The value of the Thevenin resistance is the equivalent
resistance looking back into the network at the output terminals with all voltage sources
replaced by a short and all current sources replaced by an open. In Figure 10.1 a particular
driving circuit with output terminals a and b has been replaced by its Thevenin equivalent
circuit, consisting of a Thevenin voltage source VTH in series with the Thevenin resistance
RTH.
To find and apply the Thevenin equivalent circuit, follow the steps below: 1. Remove the
resistor (often referred to as the load resistor, RL) for which you wish to calculate the
current and/or voltage. Label these terminals (where the resistor was removed) “a” and
“b”. Calculate the voltage across these open terminals. This is VTH.
2. From the open terminals, (“a” and “b”) calculate the resistance “looking back” into the
circuit with all voltage sources removed and replaced by a short and all current sources
removed and replaced by an open. The resistance obtained is RTH.
3. Now, a circuit similar to Figure 10.1 can be put together to look for the current through
and the voltage across RL.
Figure 10.1: Thevenin Equivalent Circuit
Norton’s Theorem: Any combination of sources and resistances with two terminals can be
replaced by a combination of a single current source (Norton current) in parallel with a single
resistor (Norton resistance). The value of the Norton current is the short circuit current at the
at the output terminals. The value of the Norton resistance is the equivalent resistance looking
back into the network at the output terminals with all voltage sources replaced by a short and
all current sources replaced by an open. In Figure 10.2 a particular driving circuit with output
terminals a and b has been replaced by its Norton equivalent circuit, consisting of a Norton
current source IN in parallel with the Norton resistance RN.
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Figure 10.2 Norton equivalent circuit
One method for finding the Norton equivalent circuit is to find the Thevenin equivalent, and
then perform a source transformation. Another way to find the Norton equivalent circuit is to;
1. Remove the resistor (often referred to as the load resistor, R L) for which you wish to
calculate the current and/or voltage. Label these terminals (where the resistor was removed)
“a” and “b”. Short these terminals together and determine the current that flows through this
short. This short circuit current is IN.
2. From the open terminals, (“a” and “b”) calculate the resistance “looking back” into the
circuit with all voltage sources removed and replaced by a short and all current sources
removed and replaced by an open. The resistance obtained is RN.
3. Now, a circuit similar to Figure 10.2 can be put together to look for the current through and
the voltage across RL.
2. PRE-LAB WORK
1. Remove resistor R3 in the circuit of Figure 10.3;
a. Find the Thevenin equivalent circuit. Please show all your work and draw the circuit.
b. Find the Norton equivalent circuit. Please show all your work and draw the circuit.
2. Using your Thevenin equivalent circuit from part 1a of the prelab;
a. Find the current through R3 if connected back into the terminals a and b of the Thevenin
equivalent circuit (Record in Table 10.1).
b. Find the voltage across R3 if connected back into the terminals a and b of the Thevenin
equivalent circuit (Record in 10.1).
3. Using your Norton equivalent circuit from part 1b of the prelab;
a. Find the current through R3 if connected back into the terminals a and b of the Norton
equivalent circuit (Record in Table 10.1).
b. Find the voltage across R3 if connected back into the terminals a and b of the Norton
equivalent circuit (Record in Table 10.1).
Figure 10.3: Circuit for Thevenin and Norton Analysis
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Students/Group leader has to get your instructor to approve all your PRE-LAB work before
commencing the experiment. Submit the pre-lab work together with the report.
3. EXPERIMENTAL WORK
PROCEDURE (Use LTSpice to construct the circuit. The readings for currents and voltages
can be obtained when you run the netlist. The screenshots of netlist and circuit drawn in
LTSpice MUST BE ATTACHED together in the report).
1. Connect the circuit in Figure 10.3; measure and record in Table 10.3 the current through
and voltage across R3.
Thevenin and Norton Equivalent Determination and Validation
2. Remove resistor R3; replace with a resistor value of 9,999,999 ohm. Then measure and
record the Thevenin voltage in Table 10.2. (It is also referring to the voltage across 9,999,999
ohms. The value of 9,999,999 ohm is too big, thus it is assuming as an open circuit). Thus, the
voltage across open terminals a and b is the VTH).
3. Next replace the R3 with a resistor with a value of 0.001 ohm. Then measure and record the
current value across the resistor 0.001 ohm. The very small value of resistance is actually
referring to a short circuit between terminals a and b. Thus, we are measuring the Norton
current.
4. The RTH is obtained using a relationship of VTH = RTH X IN. Calculate the value of RTH. RTH
is the resistance between terminals a and b.
5. Using the results of VTH (from step 2) and IN (from step 3), connect the Norton and
Thevenin equivalent circuit respectively. Connect resistor RL between terminals a and b
(should look similar to Figure 10.1 and Figure 10.2).
6. Measure and record in Table10.3 the current through and voltage across R3.
Maximum Power Delivered to Load Calculation
1. The formula for maximum power delivered to the load is P max = VTH2/4RTH. Fill up the
table 10.4 and plot the graph Power vs. Rload. Observed the graph and give comments on the
maximum power delivered to the Rload. (Rload = RL)
4. RESULTS
Table 10.1: Calculated Voltage and Current for Resistor R3 (from pre-lab)
Table 10.2: Measured Thevenin and Norton Equivalents
Measured Thevenin and Norton Equivalents
VTH
IN
RTH (Use relationship
of VTH and IN)
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Table 10.3: Measured Voltage and Current for resistor R3
Measured Figure 10.3 Thevenin Norton
values Equivalent Equivalent
IR3
VR3
Table 10.4: Power at Rload
Rload (ohm) Power at load resistor (Watts)
500
700
900
1071
1200
1600
3300
5. DISCUSSIONS
From the data obtained in this experiment and prelab calculations simulations; discuss on
a. Observations regarding the current through resistor R3.
b. Observations regarding the voltage across resistor R3.
c. Observations regarding the Thevenin equivalent.
d. Observations regarding the Norton equivalent.
Student should discuss on the results that they have obtained & relate it with the theoretical
and simulation concept.
6 QUIZZES
1. What is the value of Rload to achieve maximum power at the load?
2. What is the relationship of Thevenin and Norton’s formula?
3. Briefly explain the reasons of applying Thevenin and Norton’s theorem for circuit
analysis.
7 CONCLUSIONS
Write the conclusion for experiments.
What has been achieved/obtained regarding to the experiments?
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8 REFERENCES
1. Alexander C. K. & Sadiku M. N. O., Fundamentals of Electric Circuits, 6th Edition,
McGraw-Hill, 2016 (eBook – Text Book)
2. John Bird, Electrical Circuit Theory and Technology, Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2017,
ISBN 9781138673496
END
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