EE 211: Electrical Circuits and Power Distribution

Textbook Information

  • Required material: Electrical Engineering: Principles and Applications, 7th edition, Allan Hambley, Pearson.  ISBN-13:978-0-13-448414-3

Published Remarks

  • None

Hardware Requirements

  • None

Software Requirements

  • None

Proctored Exams

  • None

Course Description

This course provides an introduction to electrical circuits for students who are not majoring in electrical or computer engineering.  Topics include resistance, capacitance, inductance, Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws, node and mesh analysis, source transformations, Thevenizing, transformers, single phase power, motors and generators, and operational amplifiers (op-amps).

Prerequisite:  PHYS 212

 

Overview

During this course, the topics included are:

  • Basic circuit analysis;
  • Advanced analysis using node, mesh, and source transformations;
  • Calculation of power;
  • Study of specific devices, e.g., resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, operational amplifiers, and transformers.

Learning Goals

By the end of this course, students will be expected to demonstrate competency in the following areas:

  • Solve circuits using one of the methods mentioned above;
  • Demonstrate knowledge of nodal and mesh analysis;
  • Demonstrate knowledge of Thevenin’s theorem;
  • Perform source transformations;
  • Compute power for various circuits;
  • Explain operational amplifiers;
  • Solve transformer problems.

Outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students should possess the following skills:

  • Elements: Students should be comfortable with the voltage and current characteristics of resistors, capacitors, inductors, and a few other devices as stated above.
  • Passive sign convention:  Students will be expected to know how to deal with circuit analysis when confronted with passive and non-passive circuit components.
  • Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws: Knowledge of these two concepts is critical to the understanding of how circuits are analyzed.
  • Circuit Analysis: Given a circuit, students should be able to solve the circuit for the voltages across, and the current through, specific devices.
  • Source Transformations: This circuit analysis technique is simple to employ and students should be comfortable with using it.
  • Thevenin’s Theorem:  This is a very important concept and students will be asked to demonstrate a basic knowledge of Thevenizing.
  • Transformers: Students should be able to determine the voltage and current characteristics for step-up and step-down transformers from input to output.  This also includes power.
  • Students will be asked to compute power for basic circuits.
  • Operational Amplifiers:  Op-amps are very important in a host of applications.  Students will be asked to solve the inverting, non-inverting, summing, and difference amplifiers.  This may include a few others if time permits.

 This course supports the following ABET outcomes:

A: an ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, and engineering E: an ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems

Course Requirements and Grading

Your grade for the course will be determined by percentage.  The following grading scale will be used:

A >= 93 A- >= 90 B+ >= 88
B >= 83 B- >= 80 C+ >= 78
C >= 72 D >= 63 F <   63

Students must bring grading issues to the attention of the instructor within one week of receipt of the graded work.

Assignment %
HW and/or quizzes 15
Exam 1 20
Exam 2 20
Exam 3 20
Final Exam 23
Discussion 2
Total 100

Homework, Exams and Quizzes:

There will weekly homework assignments, three exams and a final exam as well. All exams are announced prior to the testing period (see course calendar on Canvas). Makeup exams may ONLY be given to those with a documented excuse who have notified the instructor of their absence, submitted verbally and via email, in advance so that alternate arrangements may be made. The final decision to allow or deny a makeup exam is the instructor’s.

General Guidelines:

Homework will be assigned on a weekly basis and may or may not be graded.  It is due at the beginning of each new module release.  Only selected homework problems will be graded, usually three of them.

  • All homework is to be turned in on engineering paper. All homework is expected to be neat with all solutions indicated with a box or circle.
  • It is to your advantage to do the homework since most test problems come from homework.
  • Three problems will be chosen by the instructor to be graded from each homework assignment for a total of 18 points.
  • Contact me if you have problems with the material and make certain that you don’t get behind.
  • Your lowest homework grade will be dropped.