Question

How are current and voltage sources represented in circuit diagrams?

Answer 1

In circuit diagrams, current sources and voltage sources are represented using specific symbols to indicate their respective functionalities. These symbols make it easier to understand and analyze the circuit's behavior without the need to draw detailed physical representations of the actual components.

Voltage Source:
A voltage source is a device that provides a constant voltage across its terminals, regardless of the current flowing through it. In circuit diagrams, voltage sources are represented by the following symbol:
markdown
Copy code
    +
    |
    V
    |
    -


The symbol consists of a long vertical line with a plus sign (+) at the top and a minus sign (-) at the bottom. The voltage is indicated next to the symbol, usually labeled as "V" followed by the voltage value in volts (e.g., V = 5V for a 5-volt voltage source).

Current Source:
A current source is a device that provides a constant current through its terminals, regardless of the voltage across it. In circuit diagrams, current sources are represented by the following symbol:
lua
Copy code
  ---->


The symbol consists of an arrow pointing to the right (sometimes with a label "I" for current) to indicate the direction of the constant current flow.

It's important to note that in real-world circuits, perfect ideal voltage sources and current sources are rare as they are usually associated with practical limitations. However, using these ideal symbols in circuit diagrams helps in understanding the theoretical behavior and simplifying analysis.

In addition to these basic symbols, there are variations and additional symbols used to represent specific types of voltage or current sources, such as alternating current (AC) sources, batteries, generators, and controlled sources (dependent sources). However, the symbols mentioned above represent the fundamental representations of voltage sources and current sources in circuit diagrams.