26 RC Circuit

Experiment 26
Experiment 26: AC Circuits - The RC Circuit

Purpose
To study the properties of an AC circuit containing a resistance R and a capacitance C.
Apparatus
(a) an AC power supply
(b) an AC multimeter
(c) a sample containing a capacitor and three resistors
Theory
Alternating Current (AC)
In an AC circuit the current
flows in one direction for a short time,
then reverses and flows in the opposite
direction for an equally short time,
before making another reversal, and so
on. The value of the current i changes
in time harmonically.
(Fig. 1).
The instantaneous current i in Fig. 1 is described by:
i = IMAX sint = IMAX sin 2 f t (1)
where IMAX = maximum amplitude of the current; f = frequency; = angular frequency = 2f .

Both f and are measured in hertz (= cycles/second (cps) for frequency f and radians/sec for
angular frequency ).
Phase Relationships
When an AC given by equation (1) flows through a resistor, the instantaneous voltage*
between the terminals of the resistor is:
vR = i R = IMAX R sint (2)
and is said to be in phase with the current. This means that vR and i are zero at the same instant
of time, and they also reach their maximum values at the same instant of time.
In this lab small case letters for currents and voltages will be used to denote instantaneous values which
are functions of time.
131
Experiment 26
When a capacitor is inserted in the path of an alternating current at in equation (1), the
current still flows to and from the power supply, since the capacitor is alternately charged and
discharged. The instantaneous voltage vC across the capacitor is:
vC = -
1
IMAX cost =
1
IMAX sin(t + ) (3)
C C 2
It takes some time for the voltage to build up in the capacitor when the current flows, so that the
phase of the voltage is different from the phase of the current. The voltage peaks after the current
peaks. We say that the voltage lags the current by 90 (or , in radians), or that the current
2
leads the voltage by 90 (see Fig. 2).
RMS Values
In AC circuits, harmonically-varying quantities like voltages and currents are
characterized by their amplitudes. It is customary to use effective values defined by:
Effective Value = RMS value* = peak amplitude (4)

2
e.g. IRMS = 1 IMAX VRMS = 1 VMAX
2 2
Phasor Diagrams
Harmonically-varying quantities are customarily represented by phasors (vectors in this
context) in a PHASOR DIAGRAM (vector diagram), constructed as follows:
(i) Choose a scale in volts appropriate for your data.
(ii) Plot all voltages using their RMS values, in the chosen scale.
(iii) Voltages in phase with the current are plotted as vectors in the positive
x direction (to the right) - see Fig. 3.
(iv) Voltages lagging the current by 90 are plotted as vectors in the negative
y direction (down) - see Fig. 3.
(v) All other voltages are plotted as vectors in a similar fashion, according to their
phase with respect to the current.
*
RMS stands for Root Mean Square ie the square root of the average of the squared value.
132
Experiment 26
The reason for this is that the resultant RMS voltage across two or more circuit elements (like
resistors, capacitors, inductors) connected in series, is the vector sum of individual RMS voltages.
For instance, a resistor in series with a capacitor yields a phasor diagram as in Fig. 3 and
formulae (5) apply:
NOTE: In AC circuits, all phases are given in the range between + 90 and - 90 .
Negative angles are to be used when applicable.
Reactances and Impedances

The quantity appearing in equation (3), 1/ c, is called the reactance of the capacitor
(capacitive reactance) Xc:
Xc = 1 = 1 (6)
C 2 fC
and is measured in ohms when C is in farads and is in hertz and f is in hertz. The RMS values
of the current and the voltage across the capacitor are related by
VRMS = IRMS XC (7)
If we have a capacitor and a resistor in series then the voltage across the resistor
alone is:
VR = I R (8)
but for the RC circuit, using the equations (5), this can be rewritten as:
VRC = I R2 + Xc2 = I ZRC tan = -X (9)

RC c
R
where the quantity ZRC = R2 + Xc2 is the impedance of the RC combination and is
measured in ohms.
133
Experiment 26
Procedure Part I. Constant Frequency

Your instructor will explain to you how to use the power supply and the AC multimeter. Set your
voltmeter so that you will be using the 10 volt AC scale (red scale) on the multimeter, Read it to
0.05 volt accuracy. Ask your instructor for help if you are not sure that you can do this correctly.
a) With the AC power supply unplugged and its

power switch off, set up the circuit in Fig. 4,
using resistance R1 4,000. Record its exact
value. Set the voltage output knob to its
minimum position.
Set the frequency f =2,000 hertz and record this

value. Attach your voltmeter probes to the
terminals of the power supply so you can measure
the output voltage.
CHECK YOUR SET-UP WITH YOUR LAB

INSTRUCTOR BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER.
b) Upon your instructors approval, plug in your power supply and turn the power ON.
Slowly turn the output knob (amplitude knob) and increase the output voltage to your
maximum voltage (~9 volts). Record it to an accuracy of 0.05 volts as VOUT .
c) Measure and record the voltage VR across the resistor and then VC across the
capacitor. Measure and record the voltage VRC across both of them together.
Always record to 0.05 volt accuracy.
d) Change the resistance to R2 2,000 and record its exact value.

Using the same frequency (f = 2,000 hertz) return the voltage output knob to
its MINIMUM POSITION. Put your voltmeter probes on the terminals of the
power supply and set the output voltage to your maximum. (It may not be the same as
(b) earlier.) Record its value. Repeat the measurements of (c).
e) Change the resistance to R3 1,000 and repeat this process, starting as before with
the MINIMUM POSITION of the output knob.
134
Experiment 26
Procedure Part II. Different Frequencies

f) Following the procedures of Part I set up your circuit using R1 4,000. Set the
frequency f1 = 1,500 hertz again. Adjust the output voltage to your maximum voltage
Repeat (c) and record everything carefully.
g) Using the same resistance set the frequency to f2 = 600 hertz. Repeat (f) and
record.
h) Using the same resistance set the frequency to f3 = 400 hertz and record.
Procedure Part III. High Frequency

j) Using the same resistance R1 4,000, set the frequency to 40,000 hertz. Adjust the
output as usual. Measure and record VR, VC, VRC.
Lab Report
Part I
1) Using your measured values of VR and VC draw a separate phasor diagram, as in
Fig. 3, for each of the three runs. Use graph paper. Quote what your scale is.
2) Prepare a table as shown below. To find the deduced values of VRC

and RC use the measured values of VR , and VC and formula (5). To find
graphical values of RC, measure the angles with a protractor, in your
phasor diagrams.
TABLE ONE: (CONSTANT FREQUENCY) f = _______________

DEDUCED GRAPHICAL %
RUN R MEASURED VALUES VALUES VALUES DISCREPANCY
# (ohms) VR VC VRC VRC RC RC IN VRC
1 . . . .(quote the units!) . . . .
2
3
Fill out this table using your calculator. For the % discrepancies use the measured VRC as the
basis.
135
Experiment 26
Part II
3) Draw phasor diagrams as in (1) above.
4) Prepare a table as shown below. Quote all units.
TABLE TWO: (DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES) R = ____________

MEASURED VALUES DEDUCED VALUES
f I = VR XC = VC ZRC = R 2 + XC 2 VRC
(hertz) VR VC VRC
R I ZRC
1,500
600 . . . . . . . . .(quote the units!) . . . . . . . . .
400
Fill out this table. To find the deduced values, use the measured values of VR, VC,
and VRC, using formulae explicitly quoted in Table Two.
5) From the values of f and XC in Table Two, TABLE THREE

construct Table Three as shown, and f XC C
calculate the capacitance C of your sample.
Quote your results in microfarads.
AVERAGE:
Part III
6) According to your understanding of AC circuits, and the value of C which you
obtained, what should be the value of XC at f = 40,000 hertz? How does this conform
with your measurements of VR , and VC , as compared to VRC ? Explain briefly.
136

26 RC Circuit

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

26 RC Circuit

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

26 RC Circuit

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Experiment 26

Experiment 26: AC Circuits - The RC Circuit

i = IMAX sint = IMAX sin 2 f t (1)

where IMAX = maximum amplitude of the current; f = frequency; = angular frequency = 2f .

vR = i R = IMAX R sint (2)

Effective Value = RMS value* = peak amplitude (4)

Reactances and Impedances

VRMS = IRMS XC (7)

VRC = I R2 + Xc2 = I ZRC tan = -X (9)

Procedure Part I. Constant Frequency

a) With the AC power supply unplugged and its

Set the frequency f =2,000 hertz and record this

CHECK YOUR SET-UP WITH YOUR LAB

d) Change the resistance to R2 2,000 and record its exact value.

Procedure Part II. Different Frequencies

Procedure Part III. High Frequency

2) Prepare a table as shown below. To find the deduced values of VRC

TABLE ONE: (CONSTANT FREQUENCY) f = _______________

4) Prepare a table as shown below. Quote all units.

TABLE TWO: (DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES) R = ____________

5) From the values of f and XC in Table Two, TABLE THREE

You might also like