No.

1
Study on AC signal in R-L-C Circuits

I. Objectives
Determine the equivalent resistance of R-C, R-L circuits.
Determine the phase difference between the potential differences in circuits.
II. Apparatus
- A4 Test board,
- Resistors STE 1Ω, 2W; 100Ω, 2W; 10kΩ, 0.5W,
- 500-turn and 1000-turn coils,
- Function Generator S12,
- Oscilloscope 303,
- Connecting cords,
- Multimeter.
III. Theory
Current i(t) and potential difference u(t) in an AC circuit are determined by using an
Oscilloscope with 2-channel mode. A function generator S12 is used as an AC voltage source
with the amplitude of U0 and the frequency of f.
- If an AC circuit has only resistor, i(t) and u(t) have the same phase.
- If an AC circuit has only induction coil, the potential drop u(t) across the inductor leads the
current i(t) by 90°.
- If an AC circuit has only capacitor, the potential drop u(t) across the capacitor lags the
current i(t) by 90°.
1. R-C Circuit

C UR I
R


u(t)
UC
U

Figure 1
Figure 1 shows a resistor R in series with a capacitor C. Because the same current i(t) runs
along R and C, we use i(t) as the origin. From Fig. 1, we can see the potential drop u(t) across R-
C lags the current i(t) by :
 UC 1
tg   (1)
U R RC

- The current: i = I0Sin(t)

- The potential drop across R: uR = U0Rsin (t)
- The potential drop across C: uC = U0Csin(t - /2)
- The potential drop across the R-C circuit: u = U0sin (t - )
In series RC circuit: u = uR + uC
And U2 = UR2 +UC2 = I2(R2 + 1/(.C)2).
Therefore, we can define total resistance of RC circuit in series:
1
Z  R2  (2)
 C  2

2. R-L Circuit

R L U
UL

u(t)


UR I
Figure 2

Figure 2 shows a resistor R in series with a conduction coil L. From Fig. 2, we can see the
potential drop u(t) across R-L leads the current i(t) by :
U L L
tg   (3)
UR R

- The current: i = I0sin(t)

- The potential drop across R: uR = U0Rsin (t)
- The potential drop across L: uL = U0Lsin(t + /2)
- The potential drop across the R-L circuit: u = U0sin (t + )
In series RC circuit: u = uR + uL
And U2 = UR2 +UL2 = I2(R2 + (.C)2).
Therefore, we can define total resistance of RC circuit in series:
 R 2   L  (4)
2
Z 

3. L-C circuit

Figure 3

Figure 3 shows a conduction coil L in series with a capacitor C. The phase difference
between the potential drop u(t) across L-C and the current i(t) is determined as shown in Fig. 3.
- If UL > UC  the potential drop u(t) across L-C leads the current i(t) by 90°.
- If UL > UC  the potential drop u(t) across L-C lags the current i(t) by 90°.
- The current: i = I0Sin(t)
- The potential drop across L: uR = U0RSin (t + /2)
- The potential drop across C: uL = U0LSin(t - /2)
- The potential drop across the R-L circuit: u = U0Sin (t  /2)
In series RC circuit: u = uR + uL
And U = UL - UC = IL – 1/(.C).
Therefore, we can define total resistance of LC circuit in series:
1
Z  L  (5)
C

IV. Experiment
Because a multimeter can only measure effective values and can’t measure the phase
difference, we have to use an CRO to measure them. Using an CRO, we can:
- Draw the plot of u(t) versus t,
- Determine effective voltages from peak-to-peak voltages Upp:
U pp
U  . (6)
2 2
- Determine the phase difference between the potential drops across elements in a circuit.
1. R-C circuit
Set up a R-C circuit as shown in Fig. 1 with R = 10Ω, C = 0.22μF. u(t) is input from a
Function Generator. Follow the user guide of CRO to determine the period T, the angular
frequency , the effective value of potential drop UR and UC across R and C, respectively.
- Take the photograph of the plots uR(t) vs t, uC(t) vs t.
- Determine UR and UC from the corresponding Upps.
- Determine the phase difference between uR(t), uC(t).
2. R-L circuit
Set up a R-L circuit as shown in Fig. 2. R = 200Ω and L is a 1000-turn conduction coil. u(t) is
input from a Function Generator. Follow the user guide of CRO to determine the period T, the
angular frequency , the effective value of potential drop UR and UL across R and L,
respectively.
- Take the photograph of the plots uR(t) vs t, uL(t) vs t.
- Determine UR and UL from the corresponding Upps.
- Determine the phase difference between uR(t) and uL(t).
3. L-C circuit
Set up a L-C circuit as shown in Fig. 3. L is a 1000-turn conduction coil and C = 0.22μF. u(t)
is input from a Function Generator. Follow the user guide of CRO to determine the period T, the
angular frequency , the effective value of potential drop UL and UC across L and C,
respectively.
- Take the photograph of the plots uL(t) vs t, uC(t) vs t.
- Determine UL and UC from the corresponding Upps.
- Determine the phase difference between uL(t) and uC(t).
V. Results and calculation
Source voltage U0 = ……….. V
1. RC circuit
- Resistor R = ………….. Ω
- Capacitor C = ............... μF
a. UR on resistor
- The plot uR(t) vs t
 - URpp = ………………. V
U Rpp
- UR  = ………... V
2 2

b. UC on capacitor
- The plot uC(t) vs t

- UCpp = ………………. V
U Cpp
- UC  = ………... V
2 2

c. The phase difference between uR(t) and uC(t)

- The plot uR(t) and uC(t) vs t

- T = ............ ms
- t = ………. ms
 t
- Phase difference   360 = …………. degree = …………… rad
T
2. RL circuit
- Resistor R = ………….. Ω
a. UR on resistor
- The plot uR(t) vs t

- URpp = ………………. V
U Rpp
- UR  = ………... V
2 2

b. UL on conductor
- The plot uL(t) vs t

- ULpp = ………………. V
U Lpp
- UL  = ………... V
2 2

c. The phase difference between uR(t) and uL(t)

- The plot uR(t) and uL(t) vs t
 - T = ............ ms
- t = ………. ms
t
- Phase difference   360 = …………. degree = …………… rad
T
3. LC circuit
- Capacitor C = ............... μF
a. UL on resistor
- The plot uL(t) vs t

- ULpp = ………………. V
U Lpp
- UL  = ………... V
2 2

b. UC on capacitor
- The plot uC(t) vs t
 - UCpp = ………………. V
U Cpp
- UC  = ………... V
2 2

c. The phase difference between uR(t) and uC(t)

- The plot uL(t) and uC(t) vs t

- T = ............ ms
- t = ………. ms
t
- Phase difference   360 = …………. degree = …………… rad
T