Superposition Theorem

Superposition Theorem

The superposition principle states that the

voltage across (or current through) an
element in a linear circuits is the algebraic
sum of the voltage across (or current through)
that element due to each independent source
acting alone.
Current Source  open circuit(0 A)
Voltage Source  short circuit (0 V)

2
Superposition Theorem
Step to apply:
1. Turn off all independent sources except one

source. Find the output (voltage or current)

due to that active source.
2. Repeat step 1 for each other independent

sources.
3. Find the total contribution by adding

algebraically all the contribution due to the

independent source.

3
 j

i
e +
LN V
R1

i1 i2
+ e +
LN V1
R1
LN R1
V2
- -

V  V 1  V 2; i  i1  i 2
Example

v  v1  v 2
v1  2V ; v 2  8V
 v  10V
 determine the branches current using superposition theorem.
6 2

i1 i3
120 V i2 3 i4 4 12 A

Figure 1

 Solution
 The application of the superposition theorem is shown in Figure
1, where it is used to calculate the branch current. We begin by
calculating the branch current caused by the voltage source of
120 V. By substituting the ideal current with open circuit, we
deactivate the current source, as shown in Figure 2.
 6 v1 2

i'1 i'3
120 V i'2 i'4 4
3

Figure 2

 Tocalculate the branch current, the node voltage across the

3Ω resistor must be known. Therefore

v 1  120 v 1 v1
  =0
6 3 24
where v1 = 30 V
The equations for the current in each branch,
 6 2

i1" i3 "
i 2" 3 i4 " 4 12 A

120  30
 i'1 = = 15 A
6
30
i'2 = = 10 A
3
i'3 = i'4 =
30
=5A
6
In order to calculate the current cause by the
current source, we deactivate the ideal
voltage source with a short circuit, as shown
 To determine the branch current, solve the node
voltages across the 3Ω dan 4Ω resistors as shown in
Figure 4
6 2
+ +

v3 3 v4 4 12 A

- -

v3 v3 v3  v4
  =0
3 6 2
v4  v3 v4
  12 = 0
2 4
 The two node voltages are
 By solving these equations, we obtain
 v3 = -12 V
 v4 = -24 V

Now we can find the branches current,

To find the actual current of the circuit,
add the currents due to both the current
and voltage source,
Superposition - Problem

12V
2k 4mA
– +

2mA 1k 2k

I0
2mA Source Contribution

2k

2mA 1k 2k

I’0

I’0 = -4/3 mA
4mA Source Contribution

2k 4mA

1k 2k
I’’0
I’’0 = 0
12V Source Contribution

12V
2k
– +

1k 2k
I’’’0

I’’’0 = -4 mA
Example
 find v using superposition
one independent source at a time,
dependent source remains

KCL: i = i1 + i2

Ohm's law: i = v1 / 1 = v1

KVL: 5 = i (1 + 1) + i2(2)

KVL: 5 = i(1 + 1) + i1(2) + 2v1

10 = i(4) + (i1+i2)(2) + 2v1

10 = v1(4) + v1(2) + 2v1

v1 = 10/8 V
Consider the other independent source
KCL: i = i1 + i2

KVL: i(1 + 1) + i2(2) + 5 = 0

i2(2) + 5 = i1(2) + 2v2
Ohm's law: i(1) = v2
v2(2) + i2(2) +5 = 0 => i2 = -(5+2v2)/2
i2(2) + 5 = i1(2) + 2v2
-2v2 = (i - i2)(2) + 2v2
-2v2 = [v2 + (5+2v2)/2](2) + 2v2
-4v2 = 2v2 + 5 +2v2
-8v2 = 5 => v2 = - 5/8 V

from superposition: v = -5/8 + 10/8

v = 5/8 V
Example


+
+
30sin 5t
AC
v0(t) 0.2F 1H 2 cos10t
- -

Note that the voltage source and the current source have two
different frequencies. Thus, if we want to use phasors, the
only way we've solved sinusoidal steady-state problems, we
MUST use superposition to solve this problem. We will
consider each source acting alone, and then find v0(t) by
superposition.
Remember that sin t  cos  t  90 

 
Example
+
+
30sin 5t AC
v0(t) 0.2F 1H 2 cos10t
- -

Consider first the 30sin 5t acting alone.

Since, 30sin 5t  30 cos  5t  90  ,we have  = 5 and

1 1

ZC     j1
jC j 5(0.2)

+
+
30  90AC V01 -j1 j5 O.C.
- -
Z L  j L  j 5
 1 1
Example 
ZC  
jC j 5(0.2)
  j1

Use voltage division +

+
30  90 AC

V01 -j1 j5 O.C.
Z1 - -
+ +
Z L  j L  j 5
VS AC Z2 V0
- -
( j1)( j 5) 5
Z2 Z2     j1.25
V  1
0 VS  j1  j 5 j4
Z1  Z 2
Z1  8

 j1.25 1.25  90 
V01 
8  j1.25
 30  90  
8.097  8.881   30  90 

V01  4.631  171.1

 
v10 (t )  4.631cos 5t  171.12  4.631sin 5t  81.12  
 Example YC  jC  j10(0.2)  j 2
S

+
+
2 Yeq I
V 0 V02 j2 -j/10 20
- -

I 1 1
YV  I V  2
0
YL  
j L j10
  j 10
Y
For a parallel combination of Y's we have
Yeq   Yi  1 8  j 2  j 0.1  0.125  j1.90

Yeq  1.90486.24

2 0 
V02   1.05  86.24 

1.90486.24


v02 (t )  1.05cos 10t  86.24 
 
Example
+
+
30sin 5t
AC
v0(t) 0.2F 1H 2 cos10t
- -


v01 (t )  4.631sin 5t  81.12 

v02 (t )  1.05cos 10t  86.24 
By superposition
v0 (t )  v01 (t )  v02 (t )

 
v0 (t )  4.631sin 5t  81.12  1.05cos 10t  86.24  
University End Examination Questions
Using super position theorem find the
current in 2 ohms resistor. Verify the
result with other method
Using super position theorem, find the
current I through (4 + j3) impedance
Using super position theorem find Vab in
the figure