Consider an arbitrary
lumped network that has b branches and n nodes. In an
electrical network, the branches are two-terminal components and the nodes are points of interconnection. Suppose that to each branch we assign arbitrarily a branch potential difference W_{k} and a branch current F_{k} for k=1,2,\dots,b, and suppose that they are measured with respect to arbitrarily picked
associated reference directions. If the branch potential differences W_{1},W_{2},\dots,W_{b} satisfy all the constraints imposed by KVL and if the branch currents F_{1},F_{2},\dots,F_{b} satisfy all the constraints imposed by KCL, then : \sum_{k=1}^{b} W_{k} F_{k} = 0. Tellegen's theorem is extremely general; it is valid for any lumped network that contains any elements,
linear or nonlinear,
passive or active,
time-varying or time-invariant. The generality is extended when W_{k} and F_{k} are linear operations on the set of potential differences and on the set of branch currents (respectively) since linear operations don't affect KVL and KCL. For instance, the linear operation may be the average or the
Laplace transform. More generally, operators that preserve KVL are called Kirchhoff voltage operators, operators that preserve KCL are called Kirchhoff current operators, and operators that preserve both are simply called Kirchhoff operators. These operators need not necessarily be linear for Tellegen's theorem to hold. The set of currents can also be sampled at a different time from the set of potential differences since KVL and KCL are true at all instants of time. Another extension is when the set of potential differences W_{k} is from one network and the set of currents F_{k} is from an entirely different network, so long as the two networks have the same topology (same
incidence matrix) Tellegen's theorem remains true. This extension of Tellegen's Theorem leads to many theorems relating to two-port networks. == Definitions ==