Sources

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Figure 3.5 Sources

The voltage source on the left and current source on the right are like all circuit elements in that they have a particular relationship between the voltage and current defined for them. For the voltage source, v = vs for any current i; for the current source, i = −is for any voltage v 

 

Sources of voltage and current are also circuit elements, but they are not linear in the strict sense of linear systems. For example, the voltage source's v-i relation is v = v_s regardless of what the current might be. As for the current source, i = −is regardless of the voltage. Another name for a constant-valued voltage source is a battery, and can be purchased in any supermarket. Current sources, on the other hand, are much harder to acquire; we'll learn why later.