Lumped Element Abstraction

Consider

The Big Jump

from physics
to EECS

Suppose we wish to answer this question:

What is the current through the bulb?
Reading: Skim through Chapter 1 of A&L

We could do it the Hard Way

Apply Maxwells
Differential form
Faradays
Continuity
Others

B
E =
t

J =
t

E =
0
l
l
l

I?

Integral form

B
E dl = t
q
J dS = t
q
E dS =

l
l
l

Instead, there is an Easy Way

First, let us build some insight:
Analogy
I ask you: What is the acceleration?
You quickly ask me: What is the mass?
I tell you:
You respond:
Done ! ! !

Instead, there is an Easy Way

a?

F
In doing so, you ignored
l the objects shape
l its temperature
l its color
l point of force application
l
Point-mass discretization
10

The Easy Way

Consider the filament of the light bulb.

A
B

We do not care about

l how current flows inside the filament
l its temperature, shape, orientation, etc.
We can replace the bulb with a
discrete resistor
for the purpose of calculating the current.

11

The Easy Way

Replace the bulb with a

B
discrete resistor
for the purpose of calculating the current.

12

The Easy Way

A
+
V

A
B

I
R

V
I=
R

In EECS, we do things
the easy way

R represents the only property of interest!

Like with point-mass:

F
replace objects with their mass m to find a =
m

13

V-I Relationship
A

I
+
V

and

I=

V
R

B
R represents the only property of interest!
R relates element V and I

I=

V
R

called element v-i relationship

14

R is a lumped element abstraction for the bulb.

15

Lumped Elements
Lumped circuit element
described by its vi relation
Power consumed by element = vi
Resistor
+ i
v
-

Voltage source

i
v +"
"V
-

v
16

Demo
only for the
sorts of
questions we
as EEs would
like to ask!

Demo

Lumped element examples

whose behavior is completely
captured by their VI relationship.

Exploding resistor demo

cant predict that!
Pickle demo
cant predict light, smell
17

Not so fast, though

Bulb
filament

Although we will take the easy way using lumped abstractions

for the rest of this course, we must make sure (at least for
the first time) that our abstraction is reasonable.
In this case, ensuring that V I
are defined for the element

18

must be defined.

V
B

black box

19

must be defined. True when

IA

I out of S B
q
True only when
= 0 in the filament!
t
I into S A

SA

I A = IB

q
=0
only if
t

IB

SB

So, are we stuck?

Were engineers! So, lets make it true!

20

Must also be defined.

B
B
=0
t
outside elements

VAB defined when

So

VAB = AB E dl

.1
A
x
e
i
se
end
p
p
A
So lets assume this too!
A&L
Also, signal speeds of interest should be way lower than speed of light

21

Welcome to the EECS Playground

The world

The EECS playground

Our self imposed constraints in this playground

B
=0
t
q
=0
t

Outside
Inside elements
Bulb, wire, battery

Where
good
things
happen

22

Lumped Matter Discipline (LMD)

Or self imposed constraints:

More in
Chapter 1
of A & L

B
= 0 outside
t
q
= 0 inside elements
t
bulb, wire, battery

Connecting using ideal wires lumped elements

that obey LMD to form an assembly results in
the lumped circuit abstraction

23

So, what does LMD buy us?

Replace the differential equations with simple algebra using
lumped circuit abstraction (LCA).
a
For example:

V+"
"

R1

R3

R2

R4

d
R5

What can we say about voltages in a loop under the lumped matter discipline?
Reading: Chapter 2.1 2.2.2 of A&L

24

What can we say about voltages in a loop under LMD?

a

V+"
"

R1

R4

R3

R2

R5

Kirchhoffs Voltage Law (KVL):

The sum of the voltages in a loop is 0.

Remember, this is not

true everywhere, only in
our EECS playground
25

What can we say about currents?

V+"
"

R1

R4

R3

R2

R5

26

What can we say about currents?

I ca

S
a

I da
I ba

Kirchhoffs Current Law (KCL):

The sum of the currents into a node is 0.
simply conservation of charge
27

KVL and KCL Summary

KVL:

KCL:

28

Summary

Lumped Matter Discipline LMD:

Constraints we impose on ourselves to simplify our

analysis

B
=0
t
q
=0
t

Outside elements
Inside elements
wires

resistors

sources

Also, signals speeds of interest should be way

lower than speed of light
Allows us to create the lumped circuit abstraction
Remember, our EECS playground

29

Summary
i

+
v

Lumped circuit element

-
power consumed by element = vi

30

Summary
Review

Maxwells equations simplify to algebraic KVL and

KCL under LMD.
KVL:

j j = 0
loop

This is amazing!

KCL:

jij = 0
node

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