key term - Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL)

Definition

Kirchhoff's Current Law, also known as KCL, states that the total current entering a junction or node in an electrical circuit is equal to the total current leaving that junction. In other words, the sum of currents flowing into a point in a circuit is equal to the sum of currents flowing out of that point.

Related terms

Ohm's Law:

This law relates voltage, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit. It states that the current through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across those points and inversely proportional to the resistance.

Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL):

KVL states that in any closed loop or mesh within an electrical circuit, the algebraic sum of all voltages is zero.

Node: A node refers to any point where two or more components are connected together in an electrical circuit. It can be thought of as a junction where currents meet and split.