Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL) is a fundamental principle in electrical circuit theory that states that the sum of the voltages around any closed loop in a circuit must be equal to zero. In other words, the algebraic sum of the potential differences (voltages) across the elements (such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors) and voltage sources within a closed loop is always equal to zero.
Mathematically, KVL can be expressed as:
ΣV = 0
Where:
ΣV is the sum of the voltages around a closed loop.
0 represents the total sum of voltages being equal to zero.
KVL is a consequence of the law of conservation of energy, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred or converted from one form to another. KVL is a powerful tool used in circuit analysis to determine relationships between voltages and currents in complex electrical circuits. It is essential for analyzing and solving circuits with multiple elements and sources.