(Last name)1

(Name)

(Instructor)

(Institution)

(Course)

(Date)

Lab 7: Transient responses of first-order RC circuits

Lab objective

Investigate about the responses of first-order RC circuits to different frequencies of square

wave signals.

Equipment used in this experiment

I used the Multisim Online version.

Procedure

I started by drawing the RC circuit given in the lab manual where the Vin was 1v and a

frequency of 500Hz. I ran the simulation to get the values of Vin and VC as well as VC PPK

which I used later to determine change in time. Then I interchanged the positions of capacitor

and resistor in the circuit and ran the simulation of the circuit to find the values of Vin and VR

as well as VR PPK.

I repeated the simulation of the first circuit by this time using frequencies 10kHz and 2kHz to

get values of Vin, VC and VC PPK. Similarly, for the second circuit I repeated using frequencies

10kHz and 2kHz to get values of Vin, VR and VR PPK. Then I compared how VC, PPK is smaller

than VIN, PPK and why their ratio decreases as the frequency of the input signal increases.

Finally, I explained the shape of VR and how it relates to source frequency changes.
 (Last name)2

Simulation screenshots

Screenshot for part 1b showing the values of voltage measured.

Screenshot for part 1c and 1d that shows a graph of voltage (mV) against time (s) that is used

to determine the VC PPK and change in time t taken to reach steady state.

Screenshot for part1e showing the values of voltage measured.

 (Last name)3

Screenshot for part 1f and 1g that shows a graph of voltage(mV) against time (s) that I used

to calculate the values of VR PPK and change in time t taken to reach steady state.

Screenshot for part2a showing the values of voltage measured and a graph of voltage (mV)

against time (s) that is used for calculating the value of VC PPK when frequency is 2kHz.
 (Last name)4

Screenshot for part 2c using 10kHz showing values of voltage measured and a graph of

voltage (mV) against time (s) for measuring VC PPK.

Screenshot for part 2e showing value of voltage measured and a graph of voltage (mV)

against time (s) for calculating the value of VR PPK when using 2kHz frequency.
 (Last name)5

Screenshot for part 2e using 10kHz frequency showing value of measured voltage and a

graph of voltage (mV) against time (s) that I used for calculating the value of VR PPK.

Calculations
 (Last name)6

Explanation for part 1h

VC and VR respond differently to the same input due to capacitor having ability to store

charges whereas the resistor opposes flow of current.

Explanation for part 2d

VC PPK is smaller than Vin PPK because the charges stored in capacitor cannot exceed source

voltage and thus it reduces with increase in frequency of the source.

Explanation for part 2f

VR increases with increase in source frequency as the time taken becomes shorter as well due

to resistors capability of opposing flow of current.

(Last name)7
 (Last name)8

Conclusion

Tau is same as change in time.

The value of change in time gotten from measurement is roughly the same as the value of tau

evaluated from 5*tau because they are the being evaluated same thing (time constant).

The value of VR PPK is greater than VC PPK of the charge stored in the capacitor that supplies

voltage to the resistor during discharging period.

The values VR PPK and VC PPK decreases with increase in source frequency because the period

reduces that results in decrease in rise time hence voltage reduces.

(Last name)9