MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

For Teachers

For Students

Learn more about OCW Scholar

ocw.mit.edu

OCW Scholar
Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

One frame of an animation showing a magnet levitating below a superconducting ring. As the magnet falls under gravity, a current is induced in the ring that generates a magnetic field that pulls the magnet upwards, levitating it below the ring. (Image courtesy of John Belcher).

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Instructors:
Prof. Walter Lewin Prof. John Belcher Dr. Peter Dourmashkin
Course Description

This freshman-level course is the second semester of introductory physics. The focus is on electricity and magnetism, including electric fields, magnetic fields, electromagnetic forces, conductors and dielectrics, electromagnetic waves, and the nature of light.
Course Format

This course has been designed for independent study. It includes all of the materials you will need to understand the concepts covered in this subject. The materials in this course include:

A complete set of Lecture Videos by renowned MIT Physics Professor Walter Lewin A complete set of detailed Course Notes, replacing the need for a traditional course textbook A complete set of Class Slides, with overviews and illustrations of the concepts and applications of the subject Homework Problems and Concept Questions to gauge your understanding of and progress through the materials Homework Help Videos in which Prof. Lewin takes viewers step-by-step through solving homework problems Visualizations of electromagnetic phenomena which are normally invisible to the human eye An online study group at OpenStudy where you can connect with other independent learners

The content has been organized for linear progression through each of the Course Modules, starting with Electric Fields and concluding with The Nature of Light. It is a self-study course that you can work through at your own pace.
About OCW Scholar

OCW Scholar courses are designed specifically for OCW's single largest audience: independent learners. These courses are substantially more complete than typical OCW courses, and include new custom-created content as well as materials repurposed from previously published courses. Learn more about OCW Scholar.

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism Home > Courses > Physics > Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism > 24. Undriven RLC Circuits

OCW Scholar

24. Undriven RLC Circuits

Expand All / Hide All Learning Objectives

To comprehend the analogy between the mass on a spring problem and the behavior of undriven RLC circuits. To comprehend the mathematics governing the LC circuit with no resistance. To comprehend the mathematics governing the LC circuit with light damping (small resistance).

Preparation Course Notes

Read through the course notes before watching the video. The course note files may also contain links to associated animations or interactive simulations. Read sections 11.4 through 11.13: Inductance and Magnetic Energy (PDF - 1MB)

Lecture Video
From Lecture 21: Magnetic Materials of 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism, Spring 2002

Clip1: Magnetic Materials Clip1:Transcript (PDF)

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

From Lecture 22: Hysteresis and Electromagnets of 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism, Spring 2002

Clip 2: Hysteresis and Electromagnets Clip2:Transcript (PDF)

Learning Activities Guided Activities

Read through the class slides. They explain all of the concepts from the module. Slides (PDF - 1.7MB)

Self-Assessment
Do the Concept Questions first to make sure you understand the main concepts from this module. Then, when you are ready, try the Challenge Problems.

Concept Questions
Concept Questions (PDF) Solutions (PDF)

Challenge Problems
Challenge Problems (PDF) Solutions (PDF)

Problem Solving Help

Watch the Problem Solving Help videos for insights on how to approach and solve problems related to the concepts in this module.

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Problem 1: Lightly Damped Undriven RLC Circuits

A circuit consists of a battery, a resistor with resistance R, a capacitor with capacitance C, and an inductor with an inductance L. Apply Faradays Law to this circuit and deduce the equation that governs the way that the current in this circuit changes with time. Discuss the solution to this equation when the battery emf is zero and we have light damping, that is when the resistance R is smaller than 2(L/C) Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 31MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 31MB)

Problem 2: An LC Circuit
A capacitor with capacitance C of 6 x 10-4 F is initially charged to a voltage of 24 V. At t = 0, it is connected to an inductor of inductance L = 3 H. Describe the subsequent behavior of the system. Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 9MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 9MB)

Related Visualizations
The visualizations linked below are related to the concepts covered in this module.

Creating a Magnetic Field Destroying a Magnetic Field The Levitating Ring The Falling Ring with Finite Resistance The Force on a Moving Charge in a Time-Changing Field

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Home > Courses > Physics > Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism > 25. Driven RLC Circuits

25. Driven RLC Circuits

Expand All / Hide All Learning Objectives

To become familiar with the concept of a circuit driven by an external power supply and how it differs from a circuit which is not driven. To comprehend the analogy between a driven mass spring system and a driven RLC circuit. To understand the meaning of the phasor diagram for a capacitor and an emf, for an inductor and an emf, and for a resistor and an emf. To understand the meaning of the phasor diagram when all three circuits are present in series with a driving emf. To understand the meaning of the phrase "the current leads the emf" as opposed to the phrase "the current lags the emf."

Preparation Course Notes

Read through the course notes before watching the video. The course note files may also contain links to associated animations or interactive simulations. Alternating-Current Circuits (PDF - 1.2MB)

Lecture Video
From Lecture 20 of 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism, Spring 2002

Clip1: Inductance and RL Circuit Clip1:Transcript (PDF)

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

From Lecture 25 of 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism, Spring 2002

Clip 2: Driven RLC Circuits and resonance Clip 2: Transcript (PDF) From Lecture 27 of 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism, Spring 2002

Clip 3: Resonance and Destructive Resonance: The Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse:
Information about the Tacoma Narrows Bridge Collapse: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bridge/tacoma3.html http://www.ketchum.org/bridgecollapse.html Clip 3: Transcript (PDF) Download the complete lectures from this course: iTunes U Internet Archive

Learning Activities Guided Activities

Read through the class slides. They explain all of the concepts from the module. Slides (PDF)

Self-Assessment
Do the Concept Questions first to make sure you understand the main concepts from this module. Then, when you are ready, try the Challenge Problems.

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Concept Questions
Concept Questions (PDF) Solutions (PDF)

Challenge Problems
Challenge Problems (PDF) Solutions (PDF)

Problem Solving Help

Watch the Problem Solving Help videos for insights on how to approach and solve problems related to the concepts in this module.

Problem 1: Driven RLC Circuits

A circuit consists of a generator with frequency , a resistor with resistance R, a capacitor with capacitance C, and an inductor with an inductance L. Why does the circuit end up oscillating at the frequency of the driving electromotive force? Give an expression for the amplitude of the driven current in the circuit. Plot this current as a function of our driving frequency . At what frequency does it maximize, and what is the maximum current? How does the shape of this curve depend on the resistance in the circuit? What is the phase difference between the current and the driving electromotive force? In what frequency regime does the capacitor play the primary role, and in what frequency range does the inductor play the primary role? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 18MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 18MB)

Problem 2: A Driven RLC Circuit

A driven RLC circuit has a resistance of 300 Ohms, an inductance of 0.25 Henries, and a capacitance of 8 x 10-6 Farads. It is driven by a 120 V power supply at an angular frequency =400 radians/sec. Find the current in the circuit, the voltage you would read when you put voltmeters across the resistor, the capacitor, and the inductor, and the lead or lag of the current with respect to the driving voltage.

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Make sure you specify whether the current leads or lags the voltage. Is this circuit dominated by the capacitor or the inductor, or neither one? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 11MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 11MB)

Problem 3: Another Driven RLC Circuit

A driven RLC circuit has a total impedance Z of 150 Ohms. The root mean square voltage of the generator is 160 Volts, and the resistance in the circuit is 110 Ohms. What is the mean power delivered to the circuit in Watts? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 7MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 7MB)

Problem 4: An RLC Circuit at Resonance

A driven RLC circuit is driven at its resonant frequency by a generator with an amplitude of 90 Volts. The capacitance is 2.5 x 10-6 Farads, the inductance is 0.90 Henries, and the resistance is 400 Ohms. At resonance, we have L = 1/C = 600 Ohms. What is the root mean square voltage measured individually across the capacitor and the inductor? If we put a voltmeter across both the capacitor and the inductor together, what root mean square voltage will we read? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 8MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 8MB)

Problem 5: A Driven RLC Circuit

In a driven RLC circuit, suppose you put a voltmeter across the combination of the resistance and the inductor. What is the ratio of the voltage read across that the RL combination to the generator source voltage? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 18MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 18MB)

MIT OpenCourseWare - OCW Scholar - Physics II: Electricity and Magnetism

Problem 6: An RLC Circuit

The tuning RLC circuit in an FM radio has an inductance of 1 x 10-6 Henries, but we do not know the resistance or the capacitance. We vary the capacitance to tune into one FM station which broadcasts at an angular frequency = 6 x 108 radians per second. What is the value of the capacitance when we are receiving this station? There is an annoying nearby station which radiates at a frequency = 5.99 x 108 radians per second, but our tuning is so sharp that the power across the resistor due to this second station is only 1% of the power of the station we want to hear at = 6 x 108 radians per second. What is the resistance of the circuit? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 22MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 22MB)

Problem 7: An Unusual RLC Circuit

Suppose instead of the usual arrangement of a series RLC circuit, we have all of the elements (power source, capacitor, inductor, resistor) in parallel instead of in series. How does this differ from our usual series RLC circuit? What is the expression for the total current flowing in the circuit in terms of R, L, C, and the driving amplitude of the power source Vs? If R is fixed, when is the current a maximum? Suppose R, L, and C are all fixed, is there a value of where the current is a maximum? Download this video: iTunes U (MP4 - 41MB) Internet Archive (MP4 - 41MB) Previous: Undriven RLC Circuits Next: The Displacement Current and Maxwell's Equations

10