RC Series Circuit

The current I leads the voltage V by 𝜽

𝑿𝑪
𝒁 = √𝑹𝟐 + 𝑿𝒄 𝟐 𝒕𝒂𝒏−𝟏 polar form
𝑹

𝒁 = 𝑹 − 𝒋𝑿𝑪 rectangular form

𝟏
𝑿𝑪 = /−𝟗𝟎°𝜴
𝝎𝑪
𝟏
𝑿𝑪 = 𝜴
𝟐𝝅𝒇𝑪

𝑽 = √𝑽𝑹 𝟐 + 𝑽𝑪 𝟐

𝑽/𝜽 = 𝑽𝑹 − 𝒋𝑽𝑪

𝑽=𝑰∗𝒁
Where:
Z = impedance in 𝛺

Impedance Diagram:

𝑿𝑪
𝒁 = √𝑹𝟐 + 𝑿𝒄 𝟐 𝒕𝒂𝒏−𝟏 polar form
𝑹

𝒁 = 𝑹 − 𝒋𝑿𝑪 rectangular form

Voltage Diagram:

𝑽 = √𝑽𝑹 𝟐 + 𝑽𝑪 𝟐

𝑽/𝜽 = 𝑽𝑹 − 𝒋𝑽𝑪

𝑽 = 𝑰𝑹
𝑽=𝑰∗𝒁
𝑿𝑪
𝜽 = 𝒕𝒂𝒏−𝟏 𝑹

Power Diagram:
𝑹
𝒑𝒇 = 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝜽 = 𝒁 = 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈
𝑹𝑪

RC = I leads voltage V by 𝜽

Example Problem:
A 10-ohm resistor in series with a capacitance of 𝐶 = 153.15𝜇𝑓 is connected to a voltage source
of 120 volts 60 Hz source. Determine:
A. The total impedance
B. The total current
C. The over-all pf
D. The voltage across the resistor
E. The voltage across the capacitor
Solution:
Let
𝑉 = 120 /0° 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠
1
𝑋𝐶 =
𝜔𝐶
1
𝑋𝐶 =
2𝜋𝑓𝐶
1
𝑋𝐶 =
2𝜋(60)(153.15𝑥10−3 )
𝑋𝐶 = 17.32𝛺
A. The total impedance:
𝑋𝐶
𝑍 = √𝑅 2 + 𝑋𝑐 2 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
𝑅
17.32
𝑍 = √102 + 17.322 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1
10
𝒁 = 𝟐𝟎 /𝟔𝟎°𝜴
Or
𝑍 = 𝑅 − 𝑗𝑋𝐶
𝑍 = 10 − 𝑗17.32
𝒁 = 𝟐𝟎 /−𝟔𝟎°𝜴
B. The total current
𝑉
𝐼=
𝑍
120 /0°
𝐼=
20 /−60°

𝑰 = 𝟔 /𝟔𝟎° 𝑨

C. The overall pf

𝑝𝑓 = 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

𝑝𝑓 = cos(60°)

𝒑𝒇 = 𝟎. 𝟓 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈
D. The voltage across the resistor

𝑉𝑅 = 𝐼𝑅

𝑉𝑅 = 6 /60° (10)

𝑽𝑹 = 𝟔𝟎 /𝟔𝟎° 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔

E. The voltage across the capacitor

𝑉𝑅 = 𝐼(−𝑗𝑋𝐶 )

𝑉𝑅 = (6 /60°)(17.32 /−90°)

𝑽𝑹 = 𝟏𝟎𝟑. 𝟗𝟐 /−𝟑𝟎° 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒔