Tutorial 4     Question 4

Find the power in the 2W resistor R6 using Thevenin's theorem.

Step One

Remove R6 from the circuit

Step Two

Redraw the circuit after finding the resistance, RA of the parallel branch R3||R4.

Redraw the circuit and calculate the voltage across the break AB which is the voltage across RA = VT. Remember that 20V is dropped across R1 and also across R2+RA. Since R2 = RA = 5W half of the voltage is dropped across each resistor VT = 10V

Step Three

Remove V1 and replace it with a short circuit

This action also short circuits R1 out of the circuit

Step Four

Determine Resistance looking into the break AB = RT

RT = (RAxR2) / (RA+R2) + R5 + R7 = 14.5W

Step Five

Determine the value of the current from the Thevenin equivalent circuit

I = VT/(RT + R6) = 10/16.5 = 0.606A

Power dissipated by R6 = I x I x R = 0.73 Watts