Engineer4Free: The #1 Source for Free Engineering Tutorials
Menu

Passive Sign Convention for Circuits

11/17/2020

 

Passive Sign Convention for Circuits
This tutorial introduces goes over the passive sign convention used in circuit analysis. When conventional power flows into the positive terminal of an element, we consider the current in the P=VI expression to be positive. When conventional power flows into the negative terminal of an element, we consider the current in the P=VI expression to be negative. We arbitrarily define power flowing out of the circuit to be positive, and power flowing in to be negative. We refer to elements with a positive power flow as passive elements, which dissipate, or absorb power from the circuit. We refer to elements with negative power flow as active elements, which deliver or generate power to the circuit.

This is lesson #10 from: Circuits
Previous lesson: What is Conductivity
Next lesson: Basic Circuit Elements, Nodes, and Branches

Comments are closed.
    👋 Hello! I'm proud to offer all of my tutorials for free. If I have helped you then please support my work on Patreon:
    Engineer4Free Patreon

    ​Other ways to support Engineer4Free
    ​<3
    I work hard to create Engineer4Free. Please support my work on Patreon. You can also:​
    • Try a Free trial of Amazon Prime Student. You get 6 months Prime shipping, Prime Video Streaming, and more. I get $3.
    • Try a Free trial of Audible. You get up to 2 free audio books. I get $5.
    • Install the Free Grammarly Browser Extension. You get better grades on your writing assignments. I get $0.20.
    • Disable your ad-blocker while watching my videos or browsing the website. You get a high-five. I get a few cents.
    • Tell your friends or fellow students about Engineer4Free. You get a high-five. I get to help some more people.
Social
yt | fb | tw | ig | in
  ©​ Copyright ​www.engineer4free.com 2012 - 2022 All Rights Reserved
About | Course List | Patreon | Newsletter | Blog | ToS | Contact
 
Engineer4Free is committed to sustainability. You should be too.
  • Home
  • C++ Programming
  • Calculus 1
  • Calculus 2
  • Chemistry
  • Circuits
  • Differential Equations
  • Dynamics
  • Linear Algebra
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Project Management
  • Statics
  • Structural Analysis
  • Home
  • C++ Programming
  • Calculus 1
  • Calculus 2
  • Chemistry
  • Circuits
  • Differential Equations
  • Dynamics
  • Linear Algebra
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Project Management
  • Statics
  • Structural Analysis