DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY - DASMARIÑAS

College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology

Electronics Engineering Program

CAPACITORS AND CAPACITIVE

REACTANCE

Experiment No. 4

By
(Name)
ECE21

T-EET221LA - Electrical Circuits 2 Lab

Date Performed: February 27

Date Submitted: February 27

Engr. Conrado Monzon

Instructor
Introduction:
This experiment examines the behavior and properties of capacitors in DC and AC
circuits. Capacitors are passive electrical components that can store electric charge,
making them helpful for blocking DC impulses while allowing AC signals to pass through.
The capacitance value affects how much charge a capacitor can hold. In alternating
current circuits, capacitors show capacitive reactance, which is a resistance to the flow of
the alternating current induced by the capacitor's charging and discharge cycles. The
capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to both the capacitance and the frequency
of the AC signal.
This experiment investigates the effects of connecting capacitors in various
topologies (single, series, and parallel) on circuit characteristics such as current, voltage,
impedance, and phase angles between voltage and current. The capacitor's
responsiveness to frequency variations was also evaluated. The experiment gives
insights into how capacitors affect AC circuits by measuring currents, voltages, reactance,
impedance, and comparing measured results. Understanding capacitor behavior is
critical for constructing filters, timing circuits, and various other electronic applications.

Objectives of the Experiment:

The main objectives of this experiment were to explore the fundamental behavior
of capacitors in both DC and AC circuits, as well as to confirm the theoretical principles
that control capacitors and capacitive reactance. The experiment sought to describe the
influence of a capacitor on current flow in DC vs AC circuits. It aims to test voltage and
current parameters in various capacitive circuit designs and compare the results to
computed theoretical values. This allows for the experimental determination of the
features of fundamental RC circuits.
A further important objective is to investigate how connecting capacitors in series
or parallel affects circuit characteristics such as total capacitance, current flow, reactance,
and impedance. The experiment also seeks to determine how the frequency of the
applied AC voltage affects capacitive reactance and current in a capacitive circuit. The
experiment's overall goal was to give practical confirmation of theories explaining the links
between capacitance, frequency, reactance, and impedance in capacitive AC circuits
through hands-on experiments, computations, and analysis.
Results:

1. Switches S1 and S2, which are normally open, must be pushed and held in order
to be closed. Use the multi-meter to measure the voltage across capacitor C1. If
you measure a voltage, then C1 has a charge on it. Switch S2 provides a means
of discharging C1 through R3. Press S2 for several seconds until 0 volt is measured
across C1.

2. Switch S1 applies the 15 Vdc to the circuit. While monitoring the oscilloscope for
voltage across capacitor C1, press S1 and hold it closed. Does the capacitor
charge up when the dc voltage is applied? Yes.

3. Release S1 to remove the dc source, then observe the voltage across C1. Does the
charge on the capacitor C1 remain even after the dc source is removed? Yes, the
charge remains but the capacitor discharges through the input of the oscilloscope.

Note: You will observe decreasing voltage because the capacitor is discharging through
the input impedance of the oscilloscope.
4. Discharge the capacitor by pressing S2 until the voltage across C1 is zero.
Remove the oscilloscope probes from the circuit.

5. Set the multi-meter to read dc current. Replace the two-post connector between S1
and R2 with the multi-meter probes. Set the range of the multi-meter to read
microampere. While monitoring the multi-meter, press S1 and hold it closed for
about 15 seconds. Based on the reaction of the multi-meter display, was the current
flowing while capacitor C1 was charging? Yes, as the capacitor charges, the
current slowly decreases to zero.

Did the current stop flowing after the capacitor became fully charged? No, since it
becomes an open circuit.

6. Locate the CAPACITANCE/CAPACITIVE REACTANCE circuit block, and

connect the circuit as shown. Set the vertical coupling controls for both channels
to AC. Measure and record circuit current through the current-sensing resistor
R2 by measuring the voltage across R2 and divide by 10 ohms.
 90𝑚𝑉
VR2 = 90mV; I = VR2/R2; 𝐼 = 10Ω
; I = 9mA

Does the current flowing in the circuit indicate that capacitor C3 is passing ac? Yes.

7. Measure and record the voltage drop across C3. Using the measured
value of I, determine the reactance of capacitor C3.

VC3 = 7.5 V
7.5𝑉
XC = VC3/I; XC = 9𝑚𝐴 ; XC = 833.33 ohms

8. While observing the voltage across R2 using the oscilloscope, place CM switch 10
in the ON position. What do you observe about the circuit current? The circuit current
increases.

Did the capacitance increase or decrease? Why? The capacitance decreases because
the voltage increases. They are inversely proportional to each other.
9. Return CM switch 10 to OFF position. Increase the generator frequency while
observing the circuit current. Does increasing the frequency of the applied voltage
increase or decrease circuit current? The circuit current decreases as the frequency
increases due to their proportionality.

10. Readjust the generator frequency to 1 kHz. Connect channel 1 of the

oscilloscope to measure VC3 and channel 2 to measure VR2. Measure and record the
phase angle between the channels. Sketch the graph of the waveforms.
 Phase Angle, ϴ = 95.02 degrees.

What do you observe about the waveforms? The VR2 leads VR by 95.02 degrees.

Capacitors in Series and in Parallel

11. Connect the circuit as shown. Calculate the total capacitance using the given
values and record the result in the succeeding table.

12. Measure the current and record the result in the table. Did adding a capacitor in
series cause the current to decrease or decrease? By adding a capacitor, the
current decreases.
13. Measure the combined voltage drop across C1 and C2, VC. Determine the total
capacitor reactance and record the result in the table. Did added series capacitor
cause the total reactance to increase or decrease? Decrease.
28.8𝑚𝑉
𝐼= 10Ω
= 2.88𝑚𝐴
9.04𝑉
XC = VC/I; XC = 2.88𝑚𝐴 ; XC = 3.13889 ohms
14. Connect the circuit as shown and calculate the total capacitance, then record
your result in the table. Did adding a parallel capacitor cause total capacitance to
increase or decrease? Adding a parallel capacitor causes the total capacitance to
increase.
15. Measure the circuit current through R2 and record the result in the table. Did adding
a capacitor in parallel cause the current to increase or decrease? Decrease.

16. Place CM switch 10 in the ON position. Make sure that you maintain a 10
Vpk-pk generator voltage. Measure the total current and voltage across the
capacitors, then calculate XC. Record your result in the table.

Measured and Calculated Values of Capacitance, Current, Reactance and Impedance

Single Capacitors in Capacitors in CM Switch 10

Capacitor Series Parallel in ON position

Total 0.1 µF 50 nF 0.2 µF 0.2 µF

Capacitance
Total Circuit 9.12 mA 6.4 mA 9.6 mA 9.84 mA
Current
Capacitive 789.47 Ω 1412.5 Ω 500 Ω 365.85 Ω
Reactance
1096.49 Ω 1562.5 Ω 1041.67 Ω 1016.26 Ω
Circuit
Impedance

17. Determine the total impedance of the corresponding circuit connections using
the measured and calculated values. Record your result in the table.

What do you observe about the values of reactance and impedance?

The impedance is always greater than the reactance.

18. Place CM switch 10 in the OFF position. Measure the voltages, VC3 and VR2 for
both the series and parallel connection using the oscilloscope. Measure also the
phase angle between the channels. Sketch the graph of the waveforms.
 Voltage and Current Waveforms of Capacitors in Series

Phase Angle, ϴ = 91 degrees.

Voltage and Current Waveforms of Capacitors in Parallel

Phase Angle, ϴ = 84.92 degrees.

What do you observe about the waveforms? Channel 2 or the current, leads Channel 1
or the voltage.

Single Capacitor Capacitors in Series Capacitors in Parallel

Phase Angle, θ 95.02˚ 91˚ 84.92˚

Discussion:
The experimental results convey clarity regarding the behavior of capacitors in
both DC and AC circuits. When a DC voltage was supplied to a capacitor, it charged as
predicted and stored the electrical charge. Crucially, even after the DC source was
withdrawn, the capacitor retained its charge, demonstrating the capacitors' charge storing
capabilities. The measured current in the AC capacitive circuit indicated that the capacitor
allowed AC to flow through it, but it blocked DC. The capacitive reactance computed from
the observed voltage and current was consistent with the theoretical inverse connection
between reactance and capacitance value and frequency.
Increasing the frequency caused a drop in the measured circuit current, which is
consistent with the inverse relationship between capacitive reactance and frequency.
Enabling the parallel capacitor lowered total reactance, enabling higher current flow,
whereas the series capacitor raised overall reactance, restricting current flow -
characteristics that were expected. The observed phase angles between the voltage and
current waveforms confirmed the expected 90° phase lag of the voltage across the
capacitor in relation to the current. The phase change resulted from the capacitor's
charging and discharging cycles.
Small differences between estimated and measured values of current, reactance,
and impedance were most likely due to component tolerances, meter mistakes, and
noise. The findings consistently verified the fundamental theoretical rules regulating
capacitors in both DC and AC circuits.

Conclusion/Findings:
The experiment effectively demonstrated the underlying principles that control
capacitor behavior in both DC and AC circuits. Capacitors prevented DC while allowing
AC to pass by charging and discharging, as expected. The observed capacitive reactance
varied inversely with capacitance and frequency, consistent with theory. Parallel
capacitors reduced net reactance, but series capacitors increased it, affecting current
proportionately. The projected 90° phase lag between capacitor voltage and current was
thoroughly measured. Minor differences from estimated values were most likely due to
component tolerances and measurement mistakes. Overall, the findings confirmed the
basic equations and principles underlying capacitor charge storage, AC/DC
responsiveness, reactance characteristics, and the impacts of series/parallel topologies,
so supporting the theoretical foundation for effectively exploiting capacitors in electronics
applications.
References:

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https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/alternating-current/chpt-4/ac-capacitor-
circuits/
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