Second Order

Circuits
 Introduction
• Here we are considering circuits having two storage elements.
• These are known as second-order circuits because their responses are described
by differential equations that contain second derivatives.
• Typical examples of second-order circuits - RLC circuits
• A second-order circuit may have two storage elements of different type or the
same type (provided elements of t
• he same type cannot be represented by an equivalent single element).
Parallel RLC circuit
Series RLC circuit

Typical examples
of second-order
circuits:
RL circuit
RC circuit
Analysis of second-order circuits will be
similar to that used for first-order
 Finding Initial and Final Values
• Care should be taken while finding the initial and final conditions on circuit
variables in second-order circuits
• Initial and final condition of RLC circuits : v(0), i(0), dv(0)∕dt, di(0)∕dt, i(∞),
and v(∞).
• v denotes capacitor voltage, i is the inductor current.
• 2 key points to remember
• Carefully handle the polarity of voltage v(t) across the capacitor and
the direction of the current i(t) through the inductor
• Following passive sign convention
• The capacitor voltage is always continuous

• The inductor current is always continuous

where t = 0− denotes the time just before a switching event and t = 0+ is the
time just after the switching event, assuming that the switching event takes
place at t = 0
The Source-Free Series RLC Circuit
This is a second-order differential equation
• To solve a second-order differential equation, we have two initial conditions
• the initial value of i and its first derivative or
• the initial values of some i and v.
• The initial values are v(0)=V0 & i(0)=I0
• That is:
 With our experience from solving first-order differential circuits, suggests
that the solution is of exponential form.

Since i = Aest is the assumed solution we are trying to find, only the expression
in parentheses can be zero:
where
 • Roots s1 & s2 - natural frequencies, because they are associated with the
natural response of the circuit
• ω0 - the resonant frequency or strictly as the undamped natural frequency
α – damping factor or neper frequency
• In terms of α and ω0, Eq. (8.8) can be written as

The 2 values of s indicates that there are 2 possible solutions of i

A complete or total solution of Eq. (8.4) would therefore require a linear

combination of i1 and i2. Thus, the natural response of the series RLC circuit is

where the constants A1 and A2 are determined from the initial values i(0) and
di(0)∕dt in Eqs. (8.2b) and (8.5).
There are three types of solutions:
Overdamped response
 where A3 = A1 + A2

This cannot be the solution, because the two initial conditions

cannot be satisfied with the single constant A3. Our assumption
of an exponential solution is incorrect for the special case of
critical damping.
Let us go back to Eq. (8.4).
• where A2 is another constant.
• Hence, the natural response of the critically damped circuit is a sum of
two terms:
• a negative exponential and a negative
• exponential multiplied by a linear term

Critically damped response

• ωd - damped frequency.
• Both ω0 and ωd are natural frequencies because they help determine the
natural response;
• while ω0 is often called the undamped natural frequency,
• ωd is called the damped natural frequency
• The natural response is
Underdamped response
Source-Free Parallel RLC Circuit
Consider the parallel RLC circuit.
Assume initial inductor current I0
and initial capacitor voltage V0,

Because the three elements are in parallel, they have the same
voltage v across them. Applying KCL at the top node gives,

Taking the derivative with respect to t and dividing by C results in,

• The characteristic equation is obtained as, by replacing the
first derivative by s and the second derivative by s2,
• 3 cases are there.
1. Overdamped Case (α > ω0)
- For α > ω0 when L > 4R2C.
The roots of the characteristic equation are real and negative. The
response is

2. Critically Damped Case (α = ω0)

- For α = ω0, L = 4R2C.
The roots are real and equal so that the response is
3. Underdamped Case (α < ω0)
- For α < ω0, L < 4R2C.
The roots are complex and may be expressed as
The constants A1 and A2 in each case can be determined
from the initial conditions. We need v(0) and dv(0)∕dt.
Source Free Series RLC Circuit-
Problems
1. In the figure shown R = 40 Ω, L = 4 H, and C = 1∕4 F.
Calculate the characteristic roots of the circuit. Is the
natural response overdamped, underdamped, or
critically damped?
2. If R = 10 Ω, L = 5 H, and C = 2 mF in Fig. 8.8, find α, ω0, s1, and s2. What type of natural
response will the circuit have?
3. Find i(t) in the circuit shown in the figure.
Assume that the circuit has reached steady state
at t = 0-
4. The circuit shown in the figure has reached
steady state at t = 0-. If the make before-
break switch moves to position b at t = 0,
calculate i(t) for t > 0.
Source Free Parallel RLC Circuit-
Problems
5. In the parallel circuit shown in the figure, find
v(t) for t > 0, assuming v(0) = 5 V, i(0) = 0, L = 1
H, and C = 10 mF. Consider these cases: R =
1.923 Ω, R = 5 Ω, and R = 6.25 Ω.
6. In the figure shown, let R = 2 Ω, L = 0.4 H, C = 25
mF, v(0) = 0, i(0) = 50 mA. Find v(t) for t > 0.
7. Find v(t) for t > 0 in the RLC circuit
shown in the figure.
8. Find v(t) for t > 0 in the RLC circuit shown
in the figure.