Kirkwood Community College Course Syllabus
Electric Circuits I
ELT-345-CRF01
Fall 2015
Instructor
Instructor
Information
Jim Trepka
Contact Information
140 Jones Hall
(319)398-7146
e-mail jim.trepka@kirkwood.edu
Section
Information
0246689
Credit hours
5
Contact hours
Monday-Thursday 10:10-11:05 Friday 9:05--11:05
Co-requisites
concurrent with MAT-745 and ELT-345
Prerequisites
none
Course
Description
Presents the study of the fundamental DC concepts (i.e. current, voltage,
polarity, energy, power), describes the methods of analysis of DC electric
circuits, studies resistive-inductive and resistive capacitive circuits, and
introduces the fundamental concepts of AC electricity. Learning activities
will include computer simulations and extensive laboratory sessions to
allow the student to investigate these concepts.
1. Circuit Analysis: Theory and Practice, Robbins & Miller, 5th Edition,
(Delmar Learning).
ISBN 13: 9781133281009
ISBN 10: 1133281001
Required Course
Materials
2. Lab manual to accompany text, Robbins & Miller, (Delmar Learning).
ISBN 13: 9781133281023
ISBN 10: 1133281028
Books and course materials for this course are available at the Kirkwood
Bookstore.Books and course materials for this course are available at the
Kirkwood Bookstore.
Course Student
Learning
Outcomes and
Competencies
Upon completion of this course students will be able to:
1.
2.
3.
Analyze DC circuits using appropriate equations and techniques
Build DC circuits with resistors, capacitors, and inductors
Measure DC circuits with a multimeter and an oscilloscope
Objectives
(The wording for the following objectives comes from Circuit Analysis with
Devices: Theory and Practice, Robbins & Miller, 5th Edition, Delmar
Learning).
Chapter 1
1. Use power of ten notation to simplify handling of large and small
numbers.
2. Express electrical units using standard prefix notation such as A,
kV, mW, etc.
Chapter 2
1. Define voltage
2. Explain current as a movement of charge and how voltage causes
current in a conductor
3. Describe how to measure voltage and current
Chapter 3
1. Use resistor color codes to determine the resistance and tolerance of
a given fixed-composition resistor
2. Demonstrate the procedure for using an ohmmeter to determine
circuit continuity and to measure the resistance of both an isolated
component and one that is located in a circuit.
3. Describe how to measure voltage and current
Chapter 4
1. Compute voltage, current and resistance in simple circuits using
Ohm’s law.
2. Use the voltage reference convention to determine polarity.
3. Describe how voltage, current, and power are related in a resistive
circuit.
4. Compute power in dc circuits.
5. Use the power reference convention to describe the direction of
power transfer.
6. Compute energy used by electrical loads.
7. Determine energy costs.
8. Determine the efficiency of machines and systems.
9. Use MultiSIM to solve Ohm’s law problems.
Chapter 5
1. Determine the total resistance in a series circuit and calculate circuit
current.
2. Use Ohm’s law and the voltage divider rule to solve for the voltage
across all resistors in the circuit.
3. Express Kirchhoff’s voltage law and use it to analyze a given circuit.
4. Solve for the power dissipated by any resistor in a series circuit and
show that the total power dissipated is exactly equal to the power
delivered by the voltage source.
5. Solve for the voltage between any two points in a series or parallel
circuit.
6. Calculate the loading effect of an ammeter in a circuit.
7. Use computers to assist in the analysis of simple series circuits.
Chapter 6
1. Recognize which elements and branches in a given circuit are
connected in parallel and which are connected in series.
2. Calculate the total resistance and conductance of a network of
parallel resistances.
3. Determine the current in any resistor in a parallel circuit.
4. Solve for the voltage across any parallel combinations of resistors.
5. Apply Kirchhoff’s current law to solve for unknown currents in a
circuit.
Chapter 7
1. Find the total resistance of a network consisting of resistors
connected in various series-parallel configurations.
2. Solve for the current through any branch or component of a seriesparallel circuit.
3. Determine the difference in potential between any two points in a
series-parallel circuit.
4. Calculate the voltage drop across a resistor connected to a
potentiometer.
5. Analyze how the size of a load resistor connected to a potentiometer
affects the output voltage.
6. Calculate the loading effects of a voltmeter or ammeter when used to
measure the voltage or current in any circuit.
7. Use MultiSIM to solve for voltages and currents in series-parallel
circuits.
Chapter 8
1. Convert a voltage source into an equivalent current source.
2. Convert a current source into an equivalent voltage source.
3. Analyze circuits having two or more current sources in parallel.
4. Write and solve branch equations for a network.
5. Write and solve mesh equations for a network.
6. Write and solve nodal equations for a network.
7. Convert a resistive delta to an equivalent wye circuit to a wye to its
equivalent delta circuit and solve the resulting simplified circuit.
8. Determine the voltage across or current through any portion of a
bridge network.
9. Use MultiSIM to analyze multiloop circuits.
Chapter 9
1. Apply the superposition theorem to determine the current through
or voltage across any resistance in a given network.
2. State Norton’s theorem and determine the Norton equivalent circuit
of any resistive network.
3. Determine the required load resistance of any circuit to ensure that
the load receives maximum power from the circuit.
4. State the reciprocity theorem and demonstrate that it applies for a
given single-source circuit.
5. State the substitution theorem and apply the theorem in simplifying
the operation of a given circuit.
Chapter 10
1. Describe the various types of commercial capacitors
2. Compute the capacitance of capacitors in series and in parallel
combinations
3. Compute capacitor voltage and current for simple time-varying
waveforms
Chapter 11
1. Explain why transients occur in RC circuits
2. Explain why an uncharged capacitor looks like a short circuit when
first energized.
3. Describe why a capacitor looks like an open circuit to steady state
DC.
4. Describe charging and discharging of simple RC circuits with DC
excitation
5. Determine voltages and currents in simple RC circuits during
charging and discharging
6. Plot voltage and current transients
7. Understand the part the time constants play in determining the
duration of transients.
8. Compute time constants
9. Describe the use of charging and discharging waveforms in simple
timing applications
10. Calculate the pulse response of simple RC circuits
11. Solve simple RC transient problems with MultiSIM.
Chapter 13
1. Compute inductance for series and parallel configurations
2. Compute inductor voltages and currents for steady state dc
excitation
3. Describe common inductor problems and how to test for them.
Chapter 14
1. Explain why transients occur in RL circuits
2. Explain why an inductor with zero initial conditions looks like an
open circuit when first energized.
3. Compute time constants for RL circuits
4. Compute voltage and current transients in RL circuits during the
current buildup phase.
5. Compute voltage and current transients in RL circuits during the
current decay phase.
6. Explain why and inductor with nonzero initial conditions looks like a
current source when disturbed.
7. Solve moderately complex RL transient problems using circuit
simplification techniques.
Solve simple RL transient problems with MultiSIM.
Homework Late Policy: 50% is deducted from your score after initial
due date. No work is accepted one week beyond the original due
date! Any item not made up in this time frame will not be accepted,
and a zero will be recorded for that item.
Late
Work/Make-up
Test Policy
NO MAKE UP LABS. Labs not completed on the day of the lab will be
recorded as a zero.
Exam make up policy: If you miss an exam, under very special
circumstances you may make it up with the permission of the instructor.
All makeup exams must be done prior to the next class or you will take the
makeup exam during finals week and the exam will be different from the
rest of the class.
Exams missed due to unexcused absences will be recorded as an "F"
with a score of 0%.
Class Attendance
Policy and
College
Sponsored
Activities
Productive
Classroom
Learning
Environment
As stated in the Student handbook: In compliance with Public Law 105-244,
Kirkwood Community College makes a wide variety of general institutional
information available to students. For additional information, go to:
http://www.kirkwood.edu/site/index.php?p=32303
We believe that the best learning takes place in an environment where faculty and
students exhibit trust and mutual respect.
In a productive learning environment, faculty and students work cooperatively,
recognize and respect differences, model the values of character and citizenship,
and become lifelong learners.
Kirkwood Community College is a community of shared values, foremost of which
is a strong commitment to academic integrity, honorable conduct, and respect for
others. Through the honest completion of academic work, students sustain the
integrity of the college and promote a culture of civility, fairness, trust, and
respect among its members. Those who violate these standards must be held
responsible.
Plagiarism Policy
Kirkwood students are responsible for authenticating all work in a course. This
includes but is not limited to quizzes, exams, presentations, papers, journals, and
projects. For this reason, it is recommended that students engage in a verifiable
working process on assignments and conduct themselves during class in a
manner that does not lead to the suspicion of academic dishonesty. Examples of
Academic Dishonesty include but are not limited to: Plagiarism and Fabrication,
Misrepresentation, Cheating and Facilitation, and Impeding Fair and Equal Access
to the Education and Research Process.
It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the behaviors that constitute
academic dishonesty. A detailed description of this policy and the sanctions
associated with it can be found here:
http://www.kirkwood.edu/site/index.php?p=32303
Campus Closings
Academic
Accommodations
Counseling and
Career Services
See Student Policies: General Policies and Student Rights
http://www.kirkwood.edu/site/index.php?p=32309
Students with specific academic and/or classroom needs may request individualized
accommodations. Students wishing to request accommodations should complete an
‘Accommodation Request Form’ which is available at the Learning Services office,
2063 Cedar Hall, or online at www.kirkwood.edu/accommodations. Students will be
asked to provide documentation supporting their request. An accommodation plan
must be completed each semester and given to instructors before academic
accommodations will be provided.
Free, confidential counseling services are available for Kirkwood Community
College students seeking career direction, academic support and individual
counseling. While college years are a time of personal growth, this time can be
accompanied by accelerated change and significant challenges that often bring
considerable stress. Counselors promote student emotional and intellectual well –
being. Call 319-398-5540 or visit www.kirkwood.edu/counseling to learn more.
Midterm grades
A midterm grade will be calculated and posted on EagleNet. The midterm grade is
a grade-in-progress, and will not affect your official GPA, nor will it impact
financial aid. The midterm grade has three purposes: first, to communicate your
academic performance; second, to provide opportunities for you to discuss your
progress with your instructor; and third, to allow Kirkwood to design collegewide intervention programs that will improve student success.
Unit Exams - Exams will be given after every chapter totaling 40% of your
final grade. Missed exams must be made up on or before the next class
period. In a rare situation where the exam can not be made up in that time
period, the student will be given an exam that is different than that taken
by the rest of the class.
Final Exam - The final exam will be worth 15% of your final grade.
Homework - Homework will be assigned on a weekly basis (usually).
Homework will be worth 20% of your final grade.
Labs - Labs will be worth 25% of your final grade.
Class Room Participation, and Professional Conduct
Points will be deducted from the your final grade for the following:
1. Inappropriate language or jokes.
Student
Evaluation
2. Ringing of cell phones in class.
3. Disrupting the class.
4. Leaving class early.
5. Not cleaning up workspace at the end of the class.
After earning the Associates of Applied Science in Electronics Engineering
Technology at Kirkwood Community College, you may be working with
people from substantially different backgrounds than your own. Since the
Electronics Engineering Technology program is a career tech program,
respect for differences in the workplace will be a skill that will be fostered
in this program. You will be expected to show respect for those from
different nationalities, religions, gender, sexual orientations, and learning
abilities. This respect is expected during class, between class, and after
class. In other words, anytime you are in Jones Hall or its vicinity (i.e. parking lot, sidewalks, etc.). These are the same expectations that some
area employers have. Your final grade will be negatively impacted by each
violation of this policy.
Grading Scale
A
94 - 100
C
73 – 76.99
A-
90 – 93.99
C-
70 – 72.99
B+
87 – 89.99
D+
67 – 69.99
B
83 – 86.99
D
63 – 66.99
B-
80 – 82.99
D-
60 – 62.99
C+
77 – 79.99
F
59.99 and less
Students dropping a class during the first two weeks of a term may receive
a full or partial tuition refund for 16 week terms, for shorter courses check
with Enrollment Services for total withdraw information.
Drop Date
The last date to drop this class for this term is Friday, November 20.
Details of the refund schedule can be found under Academic & Enrollment
Policies at: www.kirkwood.edu/student_policies
Final Exam
Information
Emergency
Information
Other
Information
Final exams are scheduled during the last week of the term from December
9 to December 15. The final exam for this class is scheduled on Friday
December 11 at 9:05 am.
See Facilities: Emergency/Crisis Information
http://www.kirkwood.edu/site/index.php?p=7987
Check Refund Policy at: www.kirkwood.edu/registration
Rev. 4/11 -- Rev. 5/11 -- Rev. 6/12
Rev. 8/14/12 -- Rev. 1/22/14 -- Rev. 7/29/14
Rev. 3/10/15 – Rev. 6/19/15