Department of Computer Science and Engineering (CSE)

BRAC University

Spring 2023

CSE250 – Circuits and Electronics

FIRST ORDER CIRCUITS

PURBAYAN DAS, LECTURER
DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING (CSE)
BRAC UNIVERSITY
 Circuit elements
• Active element
An active element is capable of generating energy.
In other words, an element is said to be active if it can add some gain (in terms of voltage or
current) to a circuit.
Active elements can absorb energy if they are forced to do so by other active elements.
Examples: Voltage/current sources, generators, transistors, operational amplifiers.
• Passive element
Passive elements cannot supply energy. They can only consume/dissipate/store energy.
Examples: Resistors, capacitors, inductors, transformers.
Transformers change the voltage or current levels, but the power is unchanged. This is why
transformers are passive element.

[PDS] PURBAYAN DAS CSE250 – C–IRCUITS

CSE250 CIRCUITS
AND ELECTRONICS
AND ELECTRONICS DEPARTMENT
DEPARTMENT CSE,
OF OF BRAC
CSE, UU
BRAC 2
 Capacitors
• A capacitor is a passive circuit element designed to store energy in its electric
field.
• Unlike resistors, which dissipate energy, capacitors and inductors do not
dissipate but store energy, which can be retrieved at a later time. For this
reason, capacitors and inductors are called storage elements.

Electrolytic Polyester Film Ceramic Mica Capacitors Dipped Capacitors Variable Capacitors
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 Parallel plate capacitor
• Most widely used configuration is the two conducting surfaces (aluminium mainly) separated by a
dielectric (air, ceramic, paper, or mica).
• The switch is open initially (no net charge)
• Closing the switch causes electrons to flow from and to the upper and lower plates respectively as
shown by the arrows.
• Electron flow continues until the potential difference between the plates equals the applied potential.
• The final result is a net positive charge on the top plate and a negative charge on the bottom plate.

VC = V

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 Capacitance
d

VC = V

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 I-V relation of a Capacitor

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 Energy stored & Power of a Capacitor

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 Capacitor: some important properties

Voltage across a capacitor

(a) allowed and (b) not allowed

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 Inductors
• An inductor is a passive circuit element designed to store energy in its magnetic
field.
• Inductors are designed to set up a strong magnetic field linking the unit,
whereas capacitors are designed to set up a strong electric field between the
plates.

RF chokes
Air core
Toroid Coil
Molded Coil
Hash choke Coil

Common-mode
Toroid Plastic core Ferrite core Delay line Coil choke Coil Surface mount Variable inductors
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 Magnetic field
• A magnetic field exists in the region surrounding a permanent magnet, which can be represented by magnetic
flux lines (imaginary) similar to electric flux lines. Magnetic flux lines, however, do not have origins or
terminating points as do electric flux lines but exist in continuous loops
• In 1820, the Danish physicist Hans Christian Oersted discovered that the needle of a compass deflects if
brought near a current-carrying conductor. This was the first demonstration that electricity and magnetism
were related. 3
2 4
1

6 9
5 8
7

Flux distribution is quite

similar to that of
permanent magnet

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 Magnetic flux density
• Magnetic flux (φ) is measured in webers (Wb) as derived from the
surname of Wilhelm Eduard Weber.
• The number of flux lines per unit area is called flux density (B).
Measured in tesla (T).

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 Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction

• This important phenomenon can now

be applied to an inductor

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 Inductance

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 Lenz's law of electromagnetic induction

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 I-V characteristics

Air-core
Iron-core
Variable
iron-core

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 Inductor: some important properties

Current through an inductor

(a) allowed and (b) not allowed

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 First order circuits
• A first-order circuit is characterized by a first-order differential equation.
• We shall examine two types of differential circuits: circuit comprising resistors
and capacitors (RC circuit) and circuit comprising resistors and inductors (RL
circuit).
• Two ways to excite the circuits: (i) by initial conditions of storage elements
(source free circuits) and (ii) by independent sources (DC for this course).
• The two types of first-order circuits and the two ways of exciting them add up to
the four possible situations:
(i) source free RC circuits,
(ii) source free RL circuits,
(iii) step response of an RC circuits, and
(iv) step response of an RL circuits.
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 The source-free RC circuit

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 Time constant (discharging) for RC circuit

R = Req as seen from the capacitor terminal

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 Significance of 5𝜏 time (discharging)

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 Power and energy

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 Example 1
• Let VC (0) = 15 V, Determine vC, vx, and ix
for t > 0.

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 Problem 1
• Let VC (0) = 60 V, Find VC, Vx, and ix for t > 0.

Ans: vC = 60e-0.25t V; vx = 20e-0.25t V; ix = - 5e-0.25t A

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 t<0
Example 2
• The switch in the circuit has been
closed for a long time, and it is
opened at t = 0. Find v(t) for t > 0.
Calculate the initial energy stored in
the capacitor.

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 Example 2 (contd …2)

Original circuit

t>0

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 Problem 2
• The switch in the circuit has been closed for a long time, and it is opened at t =
0. Find v(t) for t > 0. Calculate the initial energy stored in the capacitor.

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 Problem 3
• The switch opens at t = 0. Find v0(t) for t > 0.

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 Problem 4

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 Problem 5
• Assume that the switch has been in position A for a long time and is moved to
position B at t = 0. Then at t = 1s, the switch moves from B to C. Find VC(t) for t >
0.

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 The source-free RL circuit

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 Time constant (discharging) for RL circuit

R = Req as seen from the inductor terminal

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 Significance of 5𝜏 time (discharging)

i(t)/I0

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 Power and energy

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 t<0
Example 3
• Find i(t) for t > 0. Find the initial Shorted
energy stored in the inductor.

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 Example 3 (contd …2)

Original circuit

t>0

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 t<0
Example 4 Shorted Shorted

• Determine the inductor current i(t)

for both t < 0 and t > 0.

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 Example 4 (contd …2)

Original circuit

t>0

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 Problem 6
• Find i0, v0, and i for all time, assuming that the
switch was open for a long time.

Ans:

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 Problem 7
• Determine i, i0, and v0 for all t in the circuit shown below. Assume that the switch was
closed for a long time.

Ans:

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 Problem 8

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 Problem 9
• Find i and vx if i(0) = 7 A.

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 Problem 10
• Find i(t) for t > 0 if i(0) = 5A.

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 Step response of a RC circuit

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 Time constant (charging) for RC circuit

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 Significance of 5𝜏 time (charging)

V0+0.632(Vs−V0)
0.632Vs

• The capacitor is fully charged

after five time constants. It
takes 5τ for the circuit to reach
its final state or steady state
when no changes take place with τ 5τ
time.
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 Transient and steady-state response

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 t<0 +
Example 5 8V
−
• Calculate the capacitor voltage
v(t) for t < 0 and for t > 0.

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 Example 5 (contd … 2)

Original circuit

Req = 3 Ω
t>0

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 Problem 11
• Find v(t) for t > 0 in the circuit shown below. Assume the switch has been open for a
long time and is closed at t = 0. Calculate v(t) at t = 0.5s.

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 Problem 12
• Calculate the capacitor voltage for t < 0 and for t > 0.

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 Problem 13
• The switch has been in position a for a long time. At t = 0 it moves to position b.
Calculate i(t) for all t > 0.

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 Problem 14
• Consider the circuit shown below. Find i(t) for t < 0 and t > 0.

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 Problem 15
• The figure below shows the voltage response of an RC circuit to a sudden DC voltage applied through an
equivalent resistance of 4 kΩ.
I. Define time constant.
II. Determine the approximate time constant from the figure.
III. Find the mathematical expression of v(t) for t > 0. v(t)
IV. What is the initial energy stored in the capacitor?
V. Draw the circuit diagram.
6V

t (ms)
0
10 20 30 40 50 60
−2 V

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 Problem 16
• Simplify the circuit 1 below so that it takes the form of the circuit 2. Determine the values
of V1 and R1.
• Perform transient analysis to determine ic(t) through the capacitor for t > 0.

Circuit 2

Circuit 1

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 Problem 17
• Simplify the circuit 1 below so that it takes the form of the circuit 2. Determine the values
of V and R.
• Perform transient analysis to determine vc(t) across the capacitor for t > 0.

Circuit 2
Circuit 1

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 Step response of a RL circuit

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 Time constant (charging) for RL circuit

I0 < Vs/R

I0 > Vs/R

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 Significance of 5𝜏 time (charging)

I0+0.632(Vs/R−I0)
0.632Vs/R
Iinitial < Ifinal

• The inductor is fully charged after

five time constants. It takes 5τ for
the circuit to reach its final state
or steady state when no changes
τ 5τ
take place with time.
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 Significance of 5𝜏 time (discharging)

Iinitial > Ifinal

I0+0.632(I0−Vs/R)

• The inductor is fully charged after

five time constants. It takes 5τ for
the circuit to reach its final state
or steady state when no changes
take place with time. τ 5τ
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 Transient and steady-state response

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 t>0
Example 6 Shorted Shorted

• The switch has been closed for a

long time. It opens at t = 0. Find
i(t) for t > 0.

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 Example 6 (contd … 2)
Original circuit
t>0

Req = 5+10 = 15 Ω

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 Problem 18
• Obtain the inductor current i(t) for and t > 0.

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 Problem 19
• Find v(t) for both t < 0 and t > 0.

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 Problem 20
• Find v(t) for t > 0.

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 Problem 21
• Find i1(t) and i2(t) for t > 0.

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 Thank you for your attention

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