QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

1. What is a mesh current?

A mesh current is a current that loops around the essential mesh and the
equations are set solved in terms of them.

2. What a does a negative mesh current imply?

If the assumed direction of a mesh current is wrong, the answer for that
current will have a negative value.

3. What technique is employed if (a) a current source appears on the periphery of

the only one mesh in a given circuit? (b) a current source is common to two
meshes of a given mesh circuit?
(a) The current of the mesh current is equal to the current of the current
supply.

(b) For two meshes containing the same current source take a path around the
outside of the two meshes avoiding the current source - this is called a super
mesh.

4. How many node equations are obtained from an N number of nodes in a given
circuit?
For a circuit of N nodes the number of nodal equations is N-1

5. What technique is employed if (a) a voltage source appears connected to a

given node and a reference node (ground) in a given nodal circuit? (b) a voltage
source lies between two given nodes of a given nodal circuit?
(a) The technique used when a voltage source appears connected to a given
node and a reference node is Node Voltage Method. This method solves for the
unknown voltages at circuit nodes in terms of a system of KCL equations.
(b) Super Nodal Analysis is employed if the voltage source lies between two
given nodes of a given nodal circuit.

6. What basic laws are the underlying principles of Mesh Analysis and Nodal
Analysis?
The basic laws that underlies the principles of Mesh analysis and Nodal analysis
are Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law and Kirchhoff’s Current Law respectively.
 7. Determine the mesh current Ix shown in the figure below.

Solution:
Mesh Equations:
MESH 1: −24V + 5I1 + 20(I1 − I2 ) + 40V = 0
−16V = 25I1 − 20I2 eq1
MESH 2: −40V + 10I2 + 20(I1 − I2 ) + 36V = 0
4V = −20I1 + 30I2 eq2
Solving Simultaneously:
I1 = -1.14 A and I2 = -0.63 A
But Ix = I1, thus:
Answer: Ix = -1.14

8. Determine the mesh currents in the figure below.

 Solution:
Solving for Vx:

Vx = 10V - 5V

Vx = 5V

Applying KVL at mesh 1;

10 - 5 = 4 I1 - 2 I2

5 = 4 I 1 – 2 I2 (a)

Applying KVL at mesh 2;

5 = -2 I1 + 16 I2 + 10 I3 (b)

Applying KVL at mesh 3;

6 I1 – 5 I2 – I 3 = 0 (c)

Solving (a), (b) & (c)

I1 = 8A

I2 = 13.5A

I3 = -19.5A

9. Determine the node voltages in the circuit below.

Solution:
For node 1:
−8A − 3A = 3(V1 − V2 ) + 4(V1 − V3 ) = 0
−11A = 7V1 − 3V2 − 4V3 eq1
For node 2:
3(V1 − V2 ) = −3A + 2(V2 − V3 ) + V2
3A = −3V1 + 6V2 − 2V3 eq2
For node 3:
2(V2 − V3 ) + 4(V1 − V3 ) = −25A + 5V3
25A = −4V1 − 2V2 + 11V3 eq3

Solving the equations simultaneously:

−11A = 7V1 − 3V2 − 4V3

3A = −3V1 + 6V2 − 2V3
25A = −4V1 − 2V2 + 11V3
𝐕𝟏 = 𝟏𝐕
𝐕𝟐 = 𝟐𝐕
𝐕𝟑 = 𝟑𝐕
 10. Determine the node voltages in the circuit below.

Solution:

Applying KCL at node 1;

-8-3 = (3+4) Va – 3 Vb – 4 Vc = 0

-11 = 7 Va – 3 Vb – 4 Vc (a)

Applying KCL at node 2;

3+25 = (1+5+3 ) Vc +4 Vb –(3+4) Va

28 =- 7 Va + 4 Vb + 9 Vc (b)

Applying KCL at node 3;

2Va + Vb -3Vc = 0 (c)

Solving (a), (b) & (c);

Va = 1.705V

Vb = 4.24V

Vc = 2.55V