EXPERIMENT 5

PARALLEL RC AND RL CIRCUITS UNDER AC EXCITATION

Objectives:
 To investigate the basic characteristics of parallel RL and RC circuits under
variable frequency AC excitations.
 To be familiar with the oscilloscope and how to use it to measure the phase shift
between tow waveforms.

Pre-lab assignments:
 show how to calculate theoretical expected values required to fill:
1. Table (1) (one frequency is enough).
2. Table (2) (one frequency is enough).
 Plot BL, Z, I and θ versus frequency f for circuit of Figure (1).
 Plot BC, Z, I and θ versus frequency f for circuit of Figure (2).
 Draw typical impedance triangle of circuits in Figures (1) and (1).
 Draw typical phasor diagram for each studied circuit.

Equipments required in the lab :

 Function generator.
 Oscilloscope and probes.
 Digital multimeter.
 Bread board.
 Connecting wires.
 Resistor , inductor and capacitor.

Practical procedure:
PART I: Parallel R-L circuits

(1) Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 1 .The oscilloscope should be properly
connected as shown.

Eng. Ola Ananbeh. 1

 (2) Set the first DMM to read AC voltage and the second to read the AC current.
(3) Set the function generator to be at the sinusoidal mode, and make sure that its
voltage knob is fully counter clockwise.
(4) Ask the lab instructor to check your connections.
(5) Switch ON the function generator and increase its output to (1) VRMS at 500Hz.
Use the voltmeter to measure the voltage.
(6) Record the readings of the Ammeter and the phase shift (in degrees) between V
and VRH in Table (1).
(7) Switch OFF the Function Generator.
(8) Reconnect the Ammeter to measure the RMS values of IR and record your
readings in Table (1).
(9) Switch OFF the Function Generator.
(10) Reconnect the Ammeter to measure the RMS values of IL and record your
readings in Table (1).
(11) Switch OFF the Function Generator.
(12) Reset the frequency of the input voltage signal to match the values in Table(2),
and repeat steps (6)
(13) Make sure that VS remains 1Vrms at all frequencies.

Table (1)

Frequency Current (mA) IR (mA) IL (mA) Phase shift θ Y=I/VS ( 1/Ω ) BL=IL/VS (1/Ω )
(Hz) EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS.

500

1000

2000

3000

5000

Eng. Ola Ananbeh. 2

 PART II: Parallel R-C circuits

(1) Connect the circuit as shown in Figure 2 . The oscilloscope should be properly
connected as shown.

(2) Connect the circuit shown in Figure (2).

(3) Repeat steps (3)-(10) as in PART I. Note that the results should be recorded in
Table (2) and IL should be replaced by IC
(5) Switch OFF the power supply.

Table (2)

BC =IC/ VC
Frequency Current (mA) IR ( mA ) IC ( mA ) Phase shift θ Y=I/VS ( 1/Ω)
(1/Ω )
(Hz)
EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS. EXP. MEAS.

500

1000

2000

3000

5000

Eng. Ola Ananbeh. 3