What is Kirchhoff

Kirchhoff’s second law

Around any closed loop of a network, the algebraic sum of changes in potential must be zero. OR, the algebraic sum of EMFs in any loop of a circuit is equal to the sum of the product of currents and resistances in it.

Mathematically the loop rule may be expressed as

The sign convention for applying the rule:

1. We can take any direction (clockwise or anticlockwise) as the direction of traversal

2. The emf of the cell is taken as positive if the direction of traversal is from negative to the positive terminal (through the electrolyte)