NETWORK Analysis
Thevenin Lab

This simulated laboratory is intended to teach some aspects of Thevenin's Theorem for DC circuits. You will need a calculator.

An instructor in a circuits laboratory uses a selection of resistors, DC voltage sources, and DC current sources (all of which may be considered to be ideal) to build a complex circuit. She attaches a wire to each of two points in the circuit, then seals the rest of the circuit inside a "black box," with just the two wires sticking out, as shown below. 


      ___________________
     |                   |
     |                   |-------o
     |     Black Box     |
     |                   |-------o
     |___________________|

You arrive in the lab, and the lab instructor asks you to find out how much current will flow between the two wires when they are tied together. The only things she lets you use are a resistor and a digital voltmeter.

Click the button below to connect the voltmeter to the two wires, then look at the results on the voltmeter. 


              ___________________
             |     Voltmeter     |
     o-------|                   |
             |            |
     o-------|       Volts       |
             |___________________|

You examine the resistor, and you find that it has a value of ohms.

You now connect the resistor between the two wires coming out of the black box. Click the button below to connect the voltmeter across the resistor, then look at the results on the voltmeter.

Based on this information, you should be able to figure out the solution. When you think you know the answer, enter it in the box below, and click the "Submit Answer" button. Be sure your answer is in milliamps.

This is what you want to tell the lab instructor: "If I connect together the two wires from the black box, the current will be milliamps."

The lab instructor says:

If you'd like to try again, click Reload or Refresh on the tool bar at the top of this page. Each time you do this, you'll get a new circuit to analyze. You should repeat the simulated lab until you can consistently get the right answer.

You have completed this tutorial. You may now use the form below to provide your results to your instructor.



Your Name:
Your Email:
Your ID #:
Course number/section:
Instructor's Name:
Instructor's Email Address:
Tutorial Name:

When you are finished, please click to go back to the main menu.


© 1999 Thomas G. Cleaver. All rights reserved.