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R L C circuit with one switch
Problem #1

#1) In the circuit showed in figure 1, answer the questions below:
#1-1) Find so that voltage of the capacitor becomes critically damped.
1
R
#1-2) Find so that
2
R (0) 100 V v =
#1-1) Find ( ) v t in the point 1ms t =


Figure 1
(Solution in the next page)


Solution:
For the current source delivers 0 Ampere and the switch is closed (see
figure 2). For the current source has been delivering 0.5 Amperes for a
long time to the circuit (see figure 3).
0 t >
0 t <



Figure 2





Figure 3

To find , see figure 2:
1
R

1
0
1
1
C
L
L L
R
dv
I C
dt
dI
v v L I v dt I
dt L
v
I
R
=
= = = +
=

And,
1
0
C L R
I I I + + =
0
1
1
0
dv v
C v dt I
dt L R
+ + + =

2
2
1
1 1
0
d v dv
C v
dt L R dt
+ + =
2
2
1
1 1
0
d v dv
v
dt R C dt LC
+ + = (1)

So the characteristic equation is as below:

1
1 1
0 v v v
R C LC
+ + =
2
1
1 1
0 p p
R C LC
+ + = (2)
If we want the voltage of the capacitor becomes critically damped, the equation
(1) must have one root,

2
1
1 1
4 0
R C LC


=




1 1
6
4
1000
4 4 10
L
R R
C

= = =

To find , see figure 3, because the current source has been delivering a fixed
amount of current for a very long time, so the voltage across the inductor, and
the current of the capacitor is equal to zero, so two resistors are parallel and all
the current is passing through the equal resistor. On the other hand, we have the
condition
2
R
(0) 100 V v = , so:

1
1
1 2
1000
1 2
1 2 1 2
1 2
2 2
2
100
(0) 100 0.5
0.5
1 1 100
200
0.5
200 200 200
1000 200 1000 200
250
eq eq
eq
R
v R R
R
R R
R R
R R R R
R R
R R
R

=
= = =

= + = =


= = +
+
= +
=


To find ( ) v t in the point , the equation (1) must be solved for . At
first, substitute the values and into (1) and rewrite the equation,
1 ms t = 0 t >
1
R
2
R


( )
2
2 3 6 6
2
3 3
2
2 3 3
2
1 1
0
10 10 4 10
10 250 10 0
10 250 10 0
500 0
500
d v dv
v
dt dt
d v dv
v
dt dt
p p
p
p

+ +

+ + =
+ + =
+ =
=
=


So the homogeneous response becomes,

( )
500
1 2
( )
t
v t A A t e

= + (3)

There are two conditions, the first one is (0) 100 V v = ,

( )
500 0
1 2 1
(0) 100 0 100 v A A e A

= = + =

For the second condition,

6 500
2
6 500 500
2 2
6 500 0 500 0
2 2
10 (100 )
( ) 10 500(100 )
(0 ) 10 500(100 0)
t
C
t t
C
C
dv d
I C A t e
dt dt
I t A e A t e
I A e A e


+
= = +

= +

= +



6 3
2
(0 ) 10 50 10
C
I A
+
=

(4)

Here we need to discuss about the value of (0 )
C
I
+
. Although its value is
definitely zero for , but is it zero for 0 0 t <
+
? First, we calculate the (0 )
L
I

and
:
1
(0 )
R
I


1
(0 ) (0 ) (0 ) 0.5
C L R
I I I A

+ + =
A

1
0 (0 ) (0 ) 0.5
L R
I I

+ + = (5)
And,
1
2 1
(0 ) (0 )
L R
R I R I

=
1
250 (0 ) 1000 (0 )
L R
I I

= (6)
(5) and (6) yield,
1
(0 ) 0.4
(0 ) 0.1
L
R
I A
I A

=
=


We know that the current of an inductor won't change immediately. Let's say
the current of the resistor for 0
1
R
+
can be changed so that the current of the
capacitor remains zero for 0 , in this case the current of the inductor must pass
through the resistor so we will lose 0.1 Amperes in the circuit immediately
and this is not possible. Therefore the currents
+
1
R
(0 )
L
I

and cannot be
changed and must pass through the capacitor, so
1
(0 )
R
I


1
(0 ) (0 ) (0 ) 0.5
C L R
I I I
+ + +
= + = A (7)
(4) and (7) yield,
6 3
2
0.5 10 50 10 A

=


3
2
450 10 A =
Then,
( )
3 50
( ) 100 450 10
t 0
v t t

= e
For t=1 ms,
( )
3
3 3 500 10
(1ms) 100 450 10 10 v e


=
0.5
(1ms) 350 v e

=
(1 ) 212V v ms =


Last updated on April 9, 2009
Rasoul Mojtahedzadeh

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