An
electrical network is an interconnection of
electrical components (e.g.
batteries,
resistors,
inductors,
capacitors,
switches) or a model of such an interconnection, consisting of
electrical elements (e.g.
voltage sources,
current sources,
resistances,
inductances,
capacitances). An
electrical circuit is a network consisting of a closed loop, giving a return path for the current.
Linear electrical networks, a special type consisting only of sources (voltage or current), linear lumped elements (resistors, capacitors, inductors), and linear distributed elements (transmission lines), have the property that signals are
linearly superimposable. They are thus more easily analyzed, using powerful
frequency domain methods such as
Laplace transforms, to determine
DC response,
AC response, and
transient response.