University of Bahrain

College of Engineering
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering

EEG200: Circuit Theory II

Experiment No. 3: Second-Order Circuits
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1. Objectives
A series RLC circuit subjected to a step input voltage is investigated in this experiment. In particular,
the following characteristics are looked for:

1. Finding the time-varying waveform of the voltage across a capacitor in the circuit under overdamped
as well as under underdamped conditions.
2. Calculating the damping factor, the resonant frequency, and the frequency of oscillations in a series
RLC circuit.
3. Investigating the effect of the value of the resistance on the damping factor.
4. Investigating the effect of the value of the capacitor on the frequency of oscillations.
5. Measuring the frequency of oscillations, the damping factor in an underdamped RLC circuit.

Previous characteristics will be done practically as well as via computer simulation using
MATLAB/SIMULINK environment.

2- Background
Second-order circuits are characterized by second-order differential equations. Such circuits are
made of a combination of resistance, inductor, and capacitor. Previous elements can be connected
in series to make what is called series RLC circuit or in parallel and it will be therefore called shunt or
parallel RLC circuit. In this experiment, only the series RLC circuit is investigated.

Referring to your class notes or chapter 8 of your course textbook (i.e. “Fundamentals of Electric
circuits” by C. K. Alexander and M. N. O. Sadiku, International Edition , McGraw Hill Company,
2004 ), the series RLC circuit, as shown in figure 1, can be described by the following second-order
differential equation:

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The previous equation can be also rewritten in the following standard format:

Where:

is known by the term damping factor

is known by the resonant frequency (ωo)

The solution of the previous differential equation is of the form:

Where

ωd represents the angular velocity of the oscillations of the underdamped solution.

A1 and A2 are obtained from the initial conditions: v(0) and dv(0)/dt.

The damping factor (α) determines approximately how long it takes for the current to damp out when we
have an underdamped RLC circuit. The current will damp out in approximately five time constants. One time
constant can be found from

The frequency (fd ) of the damped oscillation can also be determined by measuring the time period (Td) for
one cycle. The frequency (fd ) in Hz can be calculated from

The frequency calculated from the expression of ωd = 2πfd

3- Equipments Needed
The following material is needed to conduct the experiment:
​One dual trace scope
​One function generator
​Capacitors: 1μ F and 0.1μ F
​Inductor 100 mH
​Resistors: 1 KΩ, 100 Ω, and 50 Ω,
​Multimeter
.

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4- Procedure:
I- Practical Part:
a-1. Using the multimeter, measure the value of the resistances and capacitors. Record their values in
the following table (Table 1):

Table 1: Components Values

Resistances Capacitor

R1= …… Ω , R2= ……...Ω and R3=……...Ω C1=…..μF and C2=…….μF

a-2. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1
a-3. Based on the RLC circuit component values, calculate the damping factor (α) and the resonant
frequency (ωo).
α= , ωo =

a-4. Set the function generator (FCN Gen) to provide TTL pulses (0V ; 5 V) with a frequency of 50 Hz.
Connect the scope across ab terminals and across the input voltage (in a dual trace mode so that you view
simultaneously the input voltage and the voltage across the capacitor). Record both plots: Vab . and supply
voltage.

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 a-5. From the previous plots, what the value of the time required for the capacitor to reach steady state
voltage when the supply voltage is 5 V.
Charging time= ....................second.
a-6. Interchange the capacitor with the resistor. Record both plots: Vab (voltage across the resistance
terminals) and supply voltage.

a-7. From the previous plots, what the value of the time required for the resistance to reach nearly zero
voltage when the supply voltage is zero.
Discharging time= ....................second.

a-8. Change the value of R to 100Ω in figure 1. Set the function generator (FCN Gen) to provide TTL
pulses (0V ; 5 V) with a frequency of 50 Hz. Record both plots: Vab . and supply voltage.

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a-9. Based on the new value of R, calculate the new damping factor (α) and the angular
velocity (ωd) of oscillations. Calculate also the period (Td) of the oscillations

α = ………………. =……………… =……..

a-10. From the plots of step a-8, what the value of the time required for the capacitor to reach steady state
voltage when the supply voltage is 5 V.
Charging time= ....................second.

a-11. From the plots of step a-8, what the value of the time required for the capacitor to make one
oscillation when the supply voltage is 5 V.
Period of one cycle = ....................second.

a-12. Change the value of R to 10Ω in figure 1. Set the function generator (FCN Gen) to provide TTL
pulses (0V ; 5 V) with a frequency of 50 Hz. Record both plots: Vab . and supply voltage.

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 a-13. From the plots of step a-12, what the value of the time required for the capacitor to reach steady
state voltage when the supply voltage is 5 V.

Charging time= ....................second.

Comment on the effect of R on the capacitor voltage waveform.

a-14. Set R=10 Ω, L=100mh, and C=0.1μF in figure 1. Set the function generator (FCN Gen) to provide
TTL pulses (0V ; 5 V) with a frequency of 50 Hz. Record both plots: V ab . and supply voltage.

II- Simulation Part:

b-1. Using the Matlab Simulink Environment, build the circuit of figure a-1. The values of the resistance,
inductor, and capacitor are R=1kΩ, L=100mh, and C=0.1μF respectively. The Simulink circuit should be
similar to the one of figure b-1. The figure is supplied to you as a soft file carrying the name fig1exp3.mdl

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 Figure b.1
The pulse generator block has been actually created as a subsystem and it consists of the elements shown
in figure b-2.

Figure b-2
Set the frequency of the sine wave signal to 50 Hz. Set the simulation time to 0.1 second.

b-2. Run the simulation and click on the scope twice to depict the supply voltage and the voltage across the
capacitor terminals.
b-3. To take the scope plots to the Matlab Workspace environment, perform the following steps:
a- while in the scope icon, click one time on the second option in the upper left side of the menu. This
option represents the parameters icon.
b- click one time on the Data history icon, then tick on the save data to workspace option.
c- Go back to the simulink circuit and run the simulation gain.
d- Go to the Matlab workspace environment and type the following command:
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 plot(ScopeData(:,1),ScopeData(:,2), ScopeData(:,1),ScopeData(:,3))

b-4. Change the value of the resistance to 100 ohm in figure b-1. Visualize the supply voltage and the
voltage across the capacitor terminals.

b-5. From the previous step (step b-4) plots, estimate the time that the capacitor takes to stabilize when the
supply voltage is 5V.

Estimated Time= ………………..S.

b-6. From the previous step (step b-4) plots, estimate the period of one cycle of the oscillations when the
supply voltage is 5V.

Period of one cycle= ………………..S.

b-7. Change the value of the resistance to 10 ohm in figure b-1. Visualize the supply voltage and the voltage
across the capacitor terminals. Comment on the effect of the resistance on damping of the oscillations of
the capacitor voltage.

b-8. Set R=10 Ω, L=100mh, and C=0.1μF in figure b-1. Visualize the waveforms of the supply voltage
and the voltage across the capacitor terminals,

b.9 From the previous step (step b-t) plots, estimate the period of one cycle of the oscillations when the supply
voltage is 5V.

Period of one cycle= ………………..S.

Comment on the effect of the capacitor C on the frequency of the oscillations.

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5- Results and Discussion

I- Practical Part:

a-1. Based on the plot of figure step a-4 of the procedure, what type of solution we have obtained? ( i.e
overdamped, critically damped, or underdamped)?

b-2. From the measurement of step a-5 of the procedure, deduce the value of α and compare it with one
valued in step a- 3 of the procedure.
αmeasured=5/(Charging time of step a-5 of the procedure ).

b-3. From the measurement of step a-10 of the procedure, deduce the value of α and compare it with one
valued in step a-9 of the procedure.

αmeasured=5/(Charging time of step a-10 of the procedure ).

b-4. From the measurement of step a-11 of the procedure, calculate the angular velocity of the oscillations
as:
ωd, measured= 2*π/( Period of one cycle of step a-11 of the procedure)

Compare the previous result with step a-9 of the procedure.

b-5. Compare the plots of step a-14 and step a-12 of the procedure. Comment on the effect of the capacitor
C on the frequency of oscillations.

II- Simulation Part:

b-1. Based on the plot of figure step b-2 of the procedure, what type of solution we have obtained? ( i.e
overdamped, critically damped, or underdamped)?

b-2. From the simulation of step b-5 of the procedure, deduce the value of α

αsimulated=5/(Charging time of step b-5 of the procedure ).

b.3. From the simulation of step b-6 of the procedure, calculate the angular velocity of the oscillations as:

ωd, simulated= 2*π/( Period of one cycle of step b-6 of the procedure)

b-4. From the simulation of step b-9 of the procedure, calculate the angular velocity of the oscillations as:

ωd, simulated= 2*π/( Period of one cycle of step b-9 of the procedure)

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