Kirchhoff's laws

  2. Electricity and magnetism
  3. Electric circuits
  4. Kirchhoff's laws
    5. 10'

Kirchhoff's laws are very useful for solving complex circuit problems but are based on simple conservation principles. 

Key Concepts

Kirchhoff's first law

The sum of the currents into a junction = the sum of the currents out:

\(\sum I_{in}=\sum I_{out}\)

This is a consequence of charge conservation.

 

Kirchhoff's second law

Around any closed loop, the sum of the EMFs = the sum of the potential differences:

\(\sum \varepsilon=\sum V\)

This is a conseqence of energy conservation.

 

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