Quick question about finding Thevenin equivalents

[DWill]

Homework Statement

When finding the Thevenin resistance for a circuit, there is a method involving applying either a test voltage source or a test current source at the terminals a and b. My teacher didn't really go into this in very much detail so I was wondering if you can specify any value for the test sources? i.e. I can place an arbitrary voltage source (say 5 V) at the terminals, find the current I_t through the source and have R_Th = 5/I_t?

Thanks

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 

[rootX]

Yes.

 

[Mene]

Hello,

Thank you for your question. The method you mentioned for finding Thevenin equivalents is known as the "voltage division" method. It involves applying a test voltage source at the terminals and calculating the resulting current through the source. This current is then used to determine the Thevenin resistance using the formula R_Th = V_t/I_t, where V_t is the test voltage and I_t is the current through the source.

To answer your question, yes, you can use any value for the test voltage source as long as it is within the operating range of the circuit. Similarly, you can also use a test current source instead of a voltage source, and the resulting Thevenin resistance will be the same. The key is to ensure that the test source does not significantly alter the behavior of the circuit.

I hope this helps clarify the method for finding Thevenin equivalents. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask. Best of luck with your studies!