Experiment Three

Phasor Diagram for a Coil

Aim:
• Determine the inductance and internal resistance values of a coil using the phasor diagram for an
AC circuit.
Tools:
• AC source.
• Resistor.
• Coil.
• Voltmeter.
• Connecting wires.
• Electrical connection board.

THEORY
In an AC circuit, the current flowing through a resistor and the potential drop across it, are related through
Ohm’s law. Let the current be given by, ݅, where:

݅ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = ‫ܫ‬௢ sinሺ߱‫ݐ‬ሻ
(1)

Where, (‫ܫ‬௢ ) is the peak value of the current, i.e. ݅௠௔௫ = ‫ܫ‬௢ , (߱ = 2ߨ݂ሻ is the angular frequency of the
source, (݂) is the frequency of the source and (t) is the time.
Therefore, the voltage, ‫ݒ‬ோ , across a resistor of resistance (ܴ) is:

‫ݒ‬ோ ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = ܴ݅ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = ‫ܫ‬௢ ܴ‫݊݅ݏ‬ሺ߱‫ݐ‬ሻ
(2)

Hence, the peak voltage is ‫ݒ‬௠௔௫ = ‫ܫ‬௢ ܴ, and the resistance (ܴ) here represents the ratio between the peak
values of the voltage and the current.

For a coil of inductance (‫ )ܮ‬and zero internal resistance (‫ = ݎ‬0), the current, ݅, is related to the voltage
ௗ௜
across the coil, ‫ݒ‬௅ , using: ܸ௅ = ‫ ܮ‬ௗ௧, so:

గ
‫ݒ‬௅ ሺ‫ݐ‬ሻ = ‫ܫ‬௢ ωL cosሺ߱‫ݐ‬ሻ = ‫ܫ‬௢ ωL sin ቀ߱‫ ݐ‬+ ଶ ቁ
(3)

Then, ‫ݒ‬௖೘ೌೣ = ‫ܫ‬௢ ߱‫ܥ‬, and the ratio of the maximum voltage to the maximum current is given by (ܺ௅ ),
where:
௩ಽ ೘ೌೣ
ܺ௅ = ௜೘ೌೣ
= ߱‫ܮ‬
(4)
The parameter (ܺ௅ ) is called the reactance of the coil and has the unit (Ω) such as the resistance of a
resistor.

Comparing equations (1) and (2), the voltage of the resistor is said to be in phase with the current since
both have the same dependence on time (sin ሺ߱‫ݐ‬ሻ). Comparing equations (1) and (3), the coil voltage is
said to lead the current by (ߨ/2ሻ.

In a real case, a coil has a non-zero internal resistance (‫ )ݎ‬due to the resistance of the coil components
௩ ೘ೌೣ
(plates, terminals and dielectric). The voltage across the coil in here is (‫ݒ‬௅௥ ). In this case the ratio ಽೝ
௜
is
೘ೌೣ
given by the coil impedance (ܼ), where:
௩ಽ ೘ೌೣ
ܼ= ௜೘ೌೣ
= ඥܺ௅ଶ + ‫ ݎ‬ଶ
(5)
And this impedance has the unit (Ω). The phase lead of the voltage with respect to the current is given by
(߶௅ ሻ, where:

௑ಽ
tanሺ߶௅ ሻ = ௥

(6)

గ
Note that when (‫ = ݎ‬0), we get (tanሺ߶௖ ሻ = ∞) which returns the value (߶௅ = ଶ ).

In order to study the relation between the voltage and the current in an AC circuit consisting of a resistor
and a coil connected in series to an AC source, the phasor diagram method is employed.

The steps of drawing a phasor diagram go as follows.

1. Connect the circuit.
2. Use a voltmeter to measure the voltage drop across the resistor, ‫ݒ‬ோ , across the coil, ‫ݒ‬௅௥ , and across
the whole load (resistor and coil together), ‫ݒ‬௧௢௧ .
3. Draw a horizontal line representing ‫ݒ‬ோ with a suitable scale as shown in Figure 1.
4. At the end of this line draw an arc upward with radius equal to ‫ݒ‬௅௥ .
5. From the start of ‫ݒ‬ோ draw an arc downward of radius ‫ݒ‬௧௢௧ .

ࢂࡾ

Figure 1: Phasor diagram drawing

6. The intersection of the two arcs represents the vertex of the voltage triangle as shown in Figure 2.
7. From this point, draw a line perpendicular to the line representing ‫ݒ‬ோ as shown in Figure 2.
8. The length of this perpendicular line represents‫ݒ‬௅ .
9. The horizontal distance from the end of ‫ݒ‬ோ line to ‫ݒ‬௅ line represents ‫ݒ‬௥ .
௩
10. Calculate the internal resistance as follows: ‫ ܴ = ݎ‬௩ೝ
ೃ
ఠ௅ ௩
11. Calculate the inductance using: ோ
= ௩ಽ
ೃ

Figure 2: Phasor diagram for the R-L circuit

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1. Place the resistor on the board and measure its resistance (ܴ) using an ohmmeter. Record the
reading in table (1).
2. Make sure that the AC source is turned off.
3. Connect the AC source to the resistor. Connect the resistor to the coil and finally the coil to the
AC source.
4. Turn on the AC source.
5. Using a voltmeter, measure and record in table (1) the values of ‫ݒ‬ோ , ‫ݒ‬௅௥ and ‫ݒ‬௧௢௧ .
6. Construct the phasor diagram representing this circuit.
7. Find the values of (‫ )ܮ‬and (‫ )ݎ‬as explained above.

Table (1)

݂( ) ܴ( ) ‫ݒ‬ோ ( ) ‫ݒ‬௅௥ ( ) ‫ݒ‬௧௢௧ ( )

50

௩ೝ
‫ܴ=ݎ‬ =
௩ೃ

ܴ‫ݒ‬௅
‫=ܮ‬ =
߱‫ݒ‬ோ