Kirchhoff's current law

Kirchhoff's current law states that the algebraic sum of currents at an electrical junction is zero. It expresses conservation of electric charge in a circuit.

Electric charge: A fundamental property of matter that determines its electromagnetic interactions. The law follows from charge conservation: charge cannot accumulate indefinitely at an ideal junction.
Modified nodal analysis: A computer-oriented circuit formulation that combines node-voltage equations with selected branch-current variables. Its equations enforce current balance while accommodating voltage sources and other circuit elements.
Kirchhoff's voltage law: Kirchhoff's law stating that signed voltage changes around a closed circuit loop sum to zero. It balances voltage changes around loops, whereas the current law balances flows at junctions.
Electrical network: A collection of electrical components connected through branches and nodes. The law applies to the nodes of a network, where connected branches meet.
Electric current: The rate at which electric charge passes a point or through a surface. The law balances the rates of charge flow into and out of a junction.
Circuit analysis: The study of predicting voltages and currents in electrical networks from their components and connections. Current balance is one of the central constraints used to solve circuits.
Displacement current: A term in Maxwell's equations representing changing electric fields as a contribution to magnetic-field production. Time-varying fields can complicate lumped-circuit current accounting, especially across capacitor gaps.
Circuit topology: The pattern of connections among components in an electrical network, independent of component values. Topology identifies which branch currents meet at each junction.
Node-voltage analysis: A circuit-analysis method that uses node voltages and current-balance equations to solve for circuit behavior. It applies current balance at circuit nodes to build a solvable system of equations.
Nodal analysis: A circuit-solving method that assigns voltages to nodes and applies current balance at each nonreference node. This method translates the law directly into equations using branch currents.

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