Engineering Solving a Superposition Circuit Question: Finding Ia without a Voltage Source

AI Thread Summary
In the discussion about solving a superposition circuit question, participants clarify that even without a voltage source, it's possible to determine the current Ia using superposition principles. The approach involves applying Kirchhoff's and Ohm's laws to analyze the circuit. By defining voltages and currents across specific resistors, a set of five equations can be established to solve for the unknowns. The method emphasizes the importance of isolating one voltage or current source at a time for accurate calculations. Ultimately, the circuit can be solved effectively despite the absence of a voltage source.
andyintranzit
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http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/2070/circuit1vf1.gif

i drew this from a superposition question.. the voltage source is shorted out.

what on Earth could Ia be if there's no voltage source?
 
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wow I am really stupid. you have to solve for only one voltage/current source at a time, right?

just out of interest though... is it possible to solve that?
 
andyintranzit said:
wow I am really stupid. you have to solve for only one voltage/current source at a time, right?

just out of interest though... is it possible to solve that?
Of course you can solve it by using superposition. Otherwise, you can solve it using Kirchoff's and Ohm's laws.
Call V1 the voltage between resistors 3 and 5 ohm and V2 the voltage between 5 and 2 ohm. Call ib the current in the 3 ohm resistor and ic in the 2 ohm. You have:
ib = -V1/3
ic = V2/2
ia = (V1 - V2)/5
ib = ia + 6
ic = ia + 8
You have 5 independent equations in 5 unknowns. You can solve it for the unknowns.
 

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