14:332:221 - Principles of Electrical Engineering I

Course Catalog Description: 

14:332:221 - Principles of Electrical Engineering I (3)
Circuit elements, Independent sources, Dependent sources, Circuit analysis in DC and AC steady state, Network theorems, Operational amplifiers, Power Computations.

Pre-Requisite Courses: 


Co-Requisite Courses: 

01:640:251 and 14:332:223

Pre-Requisite by Topic: 
  1. Electricity and Magnetism
  2. Solution of linear algebraic equations
  3. Matrix operations and inverse of a matrix
  4. Complex variables
  5. Differential calculus
  6. Integral calculus
Textbook & Materials: 

J. W. Nilsson and S. A. Riedel, Electric Circuits, 8th Ed., Prentice Hall, 2008, and class notes.



Overall Educational Objective: 

To develop skills in determining DC and AC steady state solutions to electrical networks, and power computations.

Course Learning Outcomes: 

A student who successfully fulfills the course requirements will have demonstrated:
1. an ability to define and explain the meaning/function of charge, current, voltage, power, energy, R, L, C, the op amp, and the fundamental principles of Ohm's law, KVL and KCL including an understanding of electrical safety and the effect of current on humans.
2. an ability to write the equilibrium equations for a given network and solve them analytically, and also using appropriate software as needed for the steady state (DC and AC/phasor) solution.
3. an ability to state and apply the principles of superposition, linearity, source transformations, and Thevenin/Norton equivalent circuits to simplify the analysis of circuits and/or the computation of responses.
4. an ability to analyze resistive op amp circuits and design inverting, non-inverting, summing, and differential amplifier circuits using op amps.
5. an in depth understanding of the behavior of inductances and capacitances, and differentiating and integrating op amp circuits.
6. an ability to qualitatively and quantitatively predict and compute the steady state AC responses of basic circuits using the phasor method.
7. an ability to compute effective and average values of periodic signals and compute the instantaneous and average powers delivered to a circuit element.
8. an ability to compute the complex power associated with a circuit element and design a circuit to improve the power factor in an AC circuit.
9. an ability to determine the conditions for maximum power transfer to any circuit element.

How Course Outcomes are Assessed: 

  • HW Problems (15%)
  • Two Mid-Term Exams (50 %)
  • Final Exam (35 %)

  • N = none S = Supportive H = highly related

    Outcome Level Proficiency assessed by
    (a) an ability to apply knowledge of Mathematics, science, and engineering H HW Problems, Exams
    (b) an ability to design and conduct experiments and interpret data N
    (e) an ability to identify, formulate, and solve ECE problems H HW Problems, Exams
    (f) an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility N
    (g) an ability to communicate in written and oral form N
    (i) a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning S Home-work
    (j) a knowledge of contemporary issues N
    (k) an ability to use the techniques, skills, and modern engineering tools necessary for electrical and computer engineering practice H HW Problems, Exams
    Basic disciplines in Electrical Engineering H HW Problems, Exams
    Depth in Electrical Engineering S HW Problems, Exams
    Basic disciplines in Computer Engineering N
    Depth in Computer Engineering N
    Laboratory equipment and software tools S HW Problems, Mid-Term Exams
    Variety of instruction formats S Lecture, office hour discussions

Topics Covered week by week: 

Week 1: Circuit variables: voltage, current, power and energy, Voltage and current sources, Dependent and independent sources, Circuit elements - resistance, inductance and capacitance.
Week 2: Modeling of practical circuits, Ohm’s law and Kirchhoff’s laws, Solution of simple circuits with both dependent and independent sources, Electrical safety
Week 3: Series-parallel resistance circuits and their equivalents, Voltage and current divider circuits, Delta-Wye equivalent circuits, D’Arsonval meter movement - ammeter, voltmeter and ohmmeter circuits, Wheatstone bridge.
Week 4: Hourly Exam 1; Techniques of general DC circuit analysis, Introduction to topological concepts.
Week 5: Node-voltge method, Mesh-current method, Source transformations.
Week 6: Thevenin and Norton equivalents, Maximum power transfer.
Week 7: Operational amplifiers; inverting, non-inverting, summing and difference amplifier circuits.
Week 8: Equivalent circuits of Op-Amp circuits, Common-mode rejection ratio.
Week 9: Hourly Exam 2; Properties of Inductances and capacitances.
Week 10: Series-parallel combinations of inductances and capacitances; Integrating and differentiating circuits (both passive and active), Concepts of transient and steady state response.
Week 11: Review of Complex variables, Introduction to sinusoidal steady state analysis, Sinusoidal sources, Phasors.
Week 12: Impedance, Admittance, Reactance, Susceptance, Series - parallel and Delta-Wye simplifications.
Week 13: Node-voltge method, Mesh-current method, Source transformations, Thevenin and Norton Equivalents, Phasor diagrams.
Week 14: Sinusoidal steady state power calculations, RMS values, Real and reactive power, Maximum power transfer, Frequency selective circuits.
Week 15: Review and Final Examination

Computer Usage: 

Students use the computer circuit-simulation program P-Spice, Multisim, and Matlab to do Home-Work and in Laboratory.

Laboratory Experiences: 

It is a separate course 14:332:223 associated with this course.

Design Experiences: 


Independent Learning Experiences : 

Home-Work problems are assigned weekly, collected and graded.

Contribution to the Professional Component: 

(c) General Education: 0 credit hours
Total credits: 3

Prepared by: 
P. Sannuti
May, 2011