LOOPS, MESHES AND LOOP CURRENTS
EACH COMPONENT
IS CHARACTERIZED
BY ITS VOLTAGE
ACROSS AND ITS
CURRENT THROUGH
A LOOP IS A CLOSED PATH THAT DOES NOT
GO TWICE OVER ANY NODE.
THIS CIRCUIT HAS THREE LOOPS
fabcdef
A MESH IS A LOOP THAT DOES NOT ENCLOSE
ANY OTHER LOOP.
fabef, ebcde ARE MESHES
A LOOP CURRENT IS A (FICTICIOUS) CURRENT
THAT IS ASSUMED TO FLOW AROUND A LOOP
fabef
ebcde
A MESH CURRENT IS A LOOP CURRENT
ASSOCIATED TO A MESH. I1, I2 ARE MESH
CURRENTS
CLAIM:
IN A CIRCUIT, THE CURRENT THROUGH
ANY COMPONENT CAN BE EXPRESSED IN TERMS
OF THE LOOP CURRENTS
FACT:
NOT EVERY LOOP CURRENT IS REQUIRED
TO COMPUTE ALL THE CURRENTS THROUGH
COMPONENTS
THE DIRECTION OF THE LOOP
CURRENTS IS SIGNIFICANT
FOR EVERY CIRCUIT THERE IS A MINIMUM
NUMBER OF LOOP CURRENTS THAT ARE
NECESSARY TO COMPUTE EVERY CURRENT
IN THE CIRCUIT.
SUCH A COLLECTION IS CALLED A MINIMAL
SET (OF LOOP CURRENTS).
