Does this device follow Passive Sign Convention?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around determining whether current and voltage assignments in a circuit adhere to the Passive Sign Convention (PSC). For PSC to be valid, current must flow towards the positive voltage terminal of a passive element, such as a resistor. Participants clarify that if current flows from positive to negative, it follows PSC, while the opposite indicates Active Sign Convention (ASC). Confusion arises regarding the direction of current flow in the provided circuit image, but it is ultimately established that current entering the positive terminal aligns with PSC. The conversation concludes with participants confirming their understanding of PSC and ASC.
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Hello:
I need help determining if I and V assignments follow the passive sign convention.

Here is the image of the circuit:
http://img178.imageshack.us/img178/9572/pic1xu2.gif

I know that in order for it to follow PSC the current I needs to flow towards +V. I'm not sure if that is happening in this picture.

Please help!
 
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That looks like a symbol for an active power source. I'm not familiar with what you call the PSC. Can you provide a web pointer to the definition of that convention?
 
PSC stands for Passive Sign Convention.

The following link describes it in detail: http://morley.eng.ua.edu/E125-2PassiveConv.pdf

With the image that my teacher gave me, it's kind of hard for me to tell if it follows it or not. Maybe I'm not looking at it correctly...
 
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I was just about to give you the link you just provided for passive sign convention. From that you can see that the current through a PASSIVE ELEMENT (like a resistor) has the convention of pointing to the + end. Your picture looks like the current is leaving a power source (like a battery).
 
I think I got it figured out now. Thanks guys! :-)
 
So tell us the answer is it PSC?? I'm also confused my professor gave us the same problem and it got me confused.. for me it looks like the current is leaving from the + end
 
That is passive sign convention. If the current goes from + to -, that's PSC. If the current goes from - to +, that's ASC or Active Sign Convention.
 
isen't it leaving from the + though??
 
No, the current is entering on the + sign, leaving from the - sign
 
  • #10
alright how about if the arrow was going away from the + end toward the box.. would that be considered ASC?
 
  • #11
hadia said:
alright how about if the arrow was going away from the + end toward the box.. would that be considered ASC?

Correct.
 
  • #12
alright i think i got it one last question lol how about if the arrow was leaving from - end toward the box is that ASC or PSC?
 
  • #13
hadia said:
alright i think i got it one last question lol how about if the arrow was leaving from - end toward the box is that ASC or PSC?

PSC.
 
  • #14
Alright thanks for your help...
 
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