Voltage drop over an independent current source?

[nickadams]

Homework Statement

I am supposed to give a thevenin equivalent circuit to the one posted in the picture.

Homework Equations

V=IR
KVL: "voltage drops around a closed loop sums to zero
KCL: "current into a node equals current out of a node"

The Attempt at a Solution

The part I'm confused about is the node and wire I've circled in red. I know since the wire coming down from the node is connected to ground that the bottom of the wire has V=0... I also know that the voltage drop across the current source is = Voc... but Voc has the higher voltage on top which would mean the current source is forcing current to flow from low voltage to high voltage...

Can someone please help me understand?

 

[gneill]

The part I'm confused about is the node and wire I've circled in red. I know since the wire coming down from the node is connected to ground that the bottom of the wire has V=0... I also know that the voltage drop across the current source is = Voc... but Voc has the higher voltage on top which would mean the current source is forcing current to flow from low voltage to high voltage...

Current sources will make their specified current flow regardless of the potential difference. That's how they can supply power to a circuit. If you think about it, voltage sources do the same thing, moving charges from a lower potential to a higher potential.

 

[nickadams]

Current sources will make their specified current flow regardless of the potential difference. That's how they can supply power to a circuit. If you think about it, voltage sources do the same thing, moving charges from a lower potential to a higher potential.

Okay! That makes sense; thank you.