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Norton equivalent

Network analysis · Advanced · about 20 minutes · part of Zen’s Electronics Design Mastery

The same network can also be replaced by a current source I_N in parallel with R_N. I_N is the short-circuit current, and R_N equals R_th.

Norton equivalent: the circuit on the simulator's bench

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How it works

IN = current through a short across a–b = Vth / Rth = 7.127 mA

RN = Rth = 1.16 kΩ

A load in parallel takes VL = IN · (RN ∥ RL).

Try it on the bench

  1. Click the changeover switch S to put the load on the original network. V_L then matches V_L’.
  2. Thévenin and Norton are the same thing: V_th = I_N · R_N.

Parts on the bench

In the course

Zen’s Electronics Design Mastery, module “DC Circuit Analysis”.

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