Block 1 — Resistive Circuits and Power Distribution

Block 1 — Resistive Circuits and Power Distribution#

Block 01Lessons 1–14

Analyze a circuit, protect it, and move power across a whole system. We start with one resistor and Ohm's Law, add Kirchhoff's laws and the divider rules, move into AC and the three kinds of power, then follow the energy through transformers and converters — accounting for every watt lost on the way. The block closes with decision matrices, which turn all of that analysis into a recommendation you can defend.

What you’ll learn#

  • 1.1 — I can calculate the voltages, currents, and power associated with devices in a simple DC-powered circuit using tools such as KVL, KCL, voltage and current dividers, Ohm’s Law, and the power equation.

  • 1.2 — I can determine appropriate circuit breaker values for adequate system protection.

  • 1.3 — I can calculate the voltages, currents, instantaneous power, and average power associated with devices in a simple AC-powered circuit using tools such as KVL, KCL, voltage and current dividers, Ohm’s Law, RMS values, and the power equation.

  • 1.4 — I can compute the reactive and apparent power values for an AC-powered circuit.

  • 1.5 — I can calculate the efficiency of a system modeled as an electrical circuit.

  • 1.6 — I can use a transformer’s turns ratio, input voltages and currents, and output voltages and currents to calculate the efficiency, source voltage, and current of a power transmission system with one or more transformers.

  • 1.7 — I can calculate the efficiency, source voltage, and current of a power transmission system with one or more power converters.

  • 1.8 — I can use a decision matrix to quantitatively compare various measures of merit.

In this block#

Lesson 1

Course Overview

What the course covers, how it is graded, and how the 1/0 mastery grading works.

 Lesson 2

Circuit Fundamentals and Ohm's Law

Charge, current, voltage, and resistance; Ohm's Law and the power equation; using a DMM. Objective 1.1.

 Lesson 3

Kirchhoff's Laws

KVL and KCL, labeling polarity and current direction, and checking with conservation of power. Objective 1.1.

 Lesson 4

Series, Parallel, and Dividers

Series and parallel reduction, and the voltage and current divider rules. Objective 1.1.

 Lesson 5

Circuit Protection

Short circuits, fuses and breakers, and sizing protection from the source current. Objective 1.2.

 Lesson 6

AC Circuit Analysis

Reading an AC waveform, phase angle, RMS values, and real power. Objective 1.3.

 Lesson 7

Reactive and Apparent Power

Capacitors and inductors, the power triangle, and why power factor costs money. Objective 1.4.

 Lesson 8

Power and Efficiency

Motors and generators, where energy is lost, and efficiency through a chain of stages. Objective 1.5.

 Lesson 9

Transformers and Power Transmission

Why transmission runs at high voltage, the turns ratio, and line losses. Objective 1.6.

 Lesson 10

Power Converters

Rectifiers, inverters, and DC-DC conversion as efficiency stages in a power chain. Objective 1.7.

 Lesson 11

Decision Matrices

Normalizing, weighting, and scoring competing designs — and defending the result. Objective 1.8.

 Lesson 12

Block Wrap-Up and Project 1 Kickoff

Block 1 recap across all eight objectives, plus the Project 1 problem and constraints.

 Lesson 13

Project 1 Workday 1

Team work time. Requirements walkthrough and the two mistakes teams make every semester.

 Lesson 14

Project 1 Workday 2

Part 2 released — you switch from contractor to government evaluator.

 Project

Project 1 - Power Distribution

Design a power system for a prototype aerial platform, then evaluate the competing proposals as the government customer.
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