Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL)

1. Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL) Node Then, the sum of all the currents is zero. This can be generalized as follows

2. Loop 1 Loop 2 Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL) Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (or Kirchhoff's Loop Rule) is a result of the conservation of energy. It states that the total voltage drops around a closed loop must be zero. If this were not the case, then when we travel around a closed loop, the voltages would be indefinite. So Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (or Kirchhoff's Loop Rule) is a result of the conservation of energy. It states that the total voltage drops around a closed loop must be zero. If this were not the case, then when we travel around a closed loop, the voltages would be indefinite. So In the figure the sum of the voltage drops around loop 1 should be zero, as in loop 2. Furthermore, the voltage drops around the outer part of the circuit (including both loops) should also be zero. Once we have chosen a direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) to go around a loop, we will adopt the convention that the potential drop going from point i to point j is given by If Vi< Vjthe potential drop Vij is negative (potential gain), which means that the energy increases in that part of the circuit when positive charges go from point i to point j If Vi> Vjthe potential drop Vij is positive, which means that the energy diminishes in that part of the circuit when positive charges go from point i to point j (the energy is dissipated in a resistence, or the energy of the charges drops across a source of voltage).