๐Ÿ’กap physics c: e&m review

Kirchhoff's Laws

Written by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโ€ขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โ€ข Last updated September 2025

Definition

Kirchhoff's Laws are used to analyze complex electrical circuits. The first law, also known as Kirchhoff's Current Law (KCL), states that at any junction point in an electrical circuit, the sum of currents entering must equal the sum of currents leaving. The second law, known as Kirchhoff's Voltage Law (KVL), states that in any closed loop within an electrical circuit, the sum of voltage rises must equal the sum of voltage drops.