LAB EXPERIMENT 08

THEVENIN’S THEOREM
Name: ______________________________________ Roll No: _____________________

Score: ____________ Signature of Lab Tutor: ______________ Date: ________________

OBJECTIVE:TO VERIFY THEVENIN’S THEOREM

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Upon successful completion of this experiment, the student will be able to:
• Verify the Thevenin’s Theorem
• Understand the procedure and steps to apply Thevenin’s Theorem for the electrical
circuits
• Prototype Thevenin’s Theorem circuit

EQUIPMENTS
• DC Power Supply
• Digital Multimeter
• Resistance
• Connecting Leads/wires

NOTE
• Before making any connection to the circuit make sure that the power supply is
off.
• Take care the equipment. They can be damaged by misuse.
• Before switch on the supply, get it be checked by your teacher.

Discussion
THEVENIN’S THEOREM:
Thevenin’s Theorem states that, “Any linear bilateral network may be reduced to a
simplified two-terminal circuit consisting of a single voltage source in series with a single
resistor.”
OR
“Any two-terminal dc network can be replaced by an equivalent circuit consisting a
voltage source and a series resistor”.
Thevenin’s Theorem allows even the most complicated circuit to be reduced to a single
voltage source and a single resistance.

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Thevenin’s Theorem can be used to analyze networks with sources that are not in series
or parallel. It is used to reduce the number of components required to establish the same
characteristics at the output terminals. It can also be used to investigate the effect of
changing a particular component on the behavior of a network without having to analyze
the entire network after each change.

Thevenin’s Theorem is a circuit analysis technique which reduces any linear bilateral
network to an equivalent circuit having only one voltage source and one series resistor.
The resulting two-terminal circuit is equivalent to the original circuit when connected to
any external branch or component.

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1. Connect the equipment’s according to figure 8.1.

Switch on the power supply unit and adjust the supply voltage to a value given in
figure 8.1. First, measure the current flowing in the 820Ω and record the value in
Table 8.1.

Figure 8.1 Circuit arrangement Thevenin Theorem

2. Remove that portion of the network where the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit is found
in figure 8.2. This requires that the load resistor RL be temporarily removed from the
network. Mark the terminals. This will give the value of voltage across the open
terminals and is called the Thevenin’s Voltage Vth.

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 Figure 8.2 circuit diagram with Thevenin Voltage

3. Calculate RTH by first setting all sources to Zero (voltage source are replaced by
short circuits and current sources by open circuits) as shown in figure 8.3 Then
finding the resultant resistance between the two marked terminals.

Figure 8.2 circuit diagram with Thevenin Resistance

4. Now finally draw the Thevenin’s equivalent circuit and connect the equipment’s
according to the figure 8.4 with the values of Vth and Rth as measured from the
previous steps. Measure the value of the current through 820Ω resistor and it will be
observed that this value of current will be equal to the value of the current through
820Ω as was measured in step 1, which proves the significance of Thevenin’s
theorem.

Figure 8.2 circuit diagram with Thevenin Voltage

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OBSERVATION TABLES
TABLE 8.1 Measured and calculated values

Sr.# Quantity Calculated Value Measured Value

1. Load Current (IL)

2. Thevenin’s Voltage (VTH)

3. Thevenin’s Resistance (RTH)

4. Load Current (IL) for

Thevenin’s Eq. Circuit

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. For what purpose Thevenin’s Theorem is used?

2. If current source is used instead of a voltage source, then will it be replaced with a short-
circuit? If (Yes/No) why?

3. Is Thevenin’s theorem applicable for the power calculations?

FINAL CHECK LIST

1. Before you leave, clean all your equipment / material and workbenches.
2. Set all equipment and materials to their proper storage area.
3. Submit your answers to questions, together with your data, calculations and results
before the next laboratory.

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