AC

Circuit Analysis (Part 1)

EEE3 Lecture 7

Objec6ves
De,ine the characteristics of sinusoidal AC voltages.
Identify the properties of sinusoids
Identify leading and lagging sinusoids
Visualize how inductors and capacitors affect circuit

analysis (in the time domain)

Calculate and interpret the effective value of a sinusoid

Prerequisites
Knowledge on:

Circuit Analysis Laws, Theorems and Techniques
Ohms Law, KCL, KVL, Nodal Analysis, Mesh Analysis
Circuit Equivalence, Thevenin Theorem

Sinusoids
Complex Numbers

Outline
AC quantities vs. DC quantities
AC Circuit Analysis vs. DC Circuit Analysis
Inductors and Capacitors
Time-domain AC Circuit Analysis
Sinusoids

Outline
AC quantities vs. DC quantities
AC Circuit Analysis vs. DC Circuit Analysis
Inductors and Capacitors
Time-domain AC Circuit Analysis
Sinusoids

i(t)

v(t)

VS

v(t)

VS

RE

i(t)

RE

Outline
AC quantities vs. DC quantities
AC Circuit Analysis vs. DC Circuit Analysis
Inductors and Capacitors
Time-domain AC Circuit Analysis
Sinusoids

Can we perform AC analysis as repeated DC analyses

for each time instant?

No. There are circuit components whose

characteristics depend on how the voltage or current
changes and not on the present/instantaneous value
of voltage or current alone.

Outline
AC quantities vs. DC quantities
AC Circuit Analysis vs. DC Circuit Analysis
Inductors and Capacitors
Time-domain AC Circuit Analysis
Sinusoids

Inductors
The inductor is a circuit element that consists of a
conducting wire usually in the form of a coil. It is an
important element as it has the ability to store energy
in its magnetic ,ield.
+
v

L is the inductance of the inductor.

Henry (H) is the SI unit for inductance.

Inductor: Fundamental Characteris6cs

+

!!
##"! !!
i "! !!"! #$
"! #$

The voltage across an inductor is

!!

"!
"! L

The current through an inductor is

!!

!!

Capacitors
The capacitor is a circuit element that consists of two
conducting surfaces separated by a non-conducting
(dielectric) material. It is an important element as it has
the ability to store energy in its electric ,ield.
i
C

+
v
-

C is the capacitance of a capacitor.

Farad (F) is the SI unit for capacitance.

Capacitor: Fundamental Characteris6cs

$"# $"#
!" !"
$! $! !"# !"#
#! #!
i
C

The current through a capacitor is

! !

+
vC
-

! !

The voltage across a capacitor is

!!

!!

Dual Rela6onship of C and L

The de,ining equations for capacitors and inductors are
identical if we interchange C with L and i with v.

Capacitor

dv
i =C
dt

1t
v ( t ) = v ( t0 ) + i ( t )dt
C0

Inductor
di
v =L
dt

1t
i ( t ) = i ( t0 ) + v ( t )dt
L0

Dual Rela6onship of C and L

Capacitor

Inductor

Voltage cannot change

Current cannot change

If the voltage is constant,

If the current is constant,

instantaneously.

the current is zero.

Capacitor acts like an open

circuit to DC.

instantaneously.

the voltage is zero.

Inductor acts like a short

circuit to DC.

!"#$%&'()*+"*,-(+-)*

"#$%&'()*+"*,-(+-)*
!"#
!$#
!%#

Inductors
in
Series
!"#
!$#
!%#

!&#

!&#L1

L2

Ln

!'(#

L3

!"#$%&'()*+"*./(
!"#$%&'()*+"*./(/00-0*
!"# in Parallel
!$#
!%#
Inductors
!"#
!$#
!%#
!&#
L1

L2

!'(#

Ln

!'(#

!'

Leq

Leq


#


#

L3

 # 

*+,-./0+%01&.+&/0

!()(*+,-./0+%02(.(33&30

!()(*+,-./0+%01&.+&/0

!()(*+,-./0+%02(.(33&30

Capacitors
!
! in Series

in
!"! Capacitors
!#!
!Parallel
$!
!%!

!"!

#!

$!

!"!

!#!

C1

%!

C2

!$!
C3

!"!

C1

!#!

C2

!$!

C3

!%!

Cn

!%!

Cn

!&'!

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Ceq

 !


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 AC quantities vs. DC quantities

AC Circuit Analysis vs. DC Circuit Analysis
Inductors and Capacitors
Time-domain AC Circuit Analysis
Sinusoids

Consider the network shown. Let

v(t)=Vm cos t where Vm and w are
+
constant. Find the steady-state
v(t)
current i(t).
-

From KVL, we get:

di
L + Ri = Vm cos !t
dt
Let i = A cos t + B sin t
di
= A sin t + B cos t
dt

R
i

Substitution gives

Vm cos t = RA cos t + RB sin t

+ LB cos t LA sin t
Comparing coef,icients, we get

Vm = RA + LB
0 = RB LA
Solving simultaneously, we get

R
A= 2
Vm
2 2
R +L

and

L
B= 2
Vm
2 2
R +L

Thus, the steady-state current is

Vm

1 L
i=
cos t tan

R 2 + 2L2

Example: Find the current i(t)

and the average power dissipated
+
by the resistor. Assume
v(t)
v(t)=100cos 10t V.
-

8
i

Earlier we got the steady-state current as

"
!1 ! L %
i=
cos $! t ! tan
'
2
2 2
#
R &
R +! L
Vm

Substitution gives
100

1 10(0.6)
i=
cos 10t tan

2
2
2
8

8 + 10 (0.6)
Simplifying, we get

i = 10 cos 10t 36.87o A

0.6H

Example: Find the

differential equations that
describe the mesh
v(t)
currents i1 and i2 in the
network shown.

1H

+
i1

1
F
16

i2

First, write the mesh equations for the circuit.

Mesh 1:
Mesh 2:

8i1 + 16 (i1 i2 )dt = v(t)

t
di2
+ 10i2 + 16 (i2 i1 )dt = 0

dt

Then, differentiate the mesh equations to eliminate the

integrals.

10

We get

di1
d
8
+ 16i1 16i2 =
v(t)
dt
dt
2
d i2
di2
16i1 + 2 + 10
+ 16i2 = 0
dt
dt

(a)

(b)

d
Using operators, let D= . Substitution gives
dt

(8D + 16) i1 16i2 = Dv(t)

16i1 + (D2 + 10D + 16)i2 = 0

(1)
(2)

Next, multiply equation (1) by 16 and equation (2) by (8D

+16), then add the resulting equations. This will eliminate
the current variable i1.

16 (8D + 16) i1 16i2 = Dv(t)

(8D+16)
We get

16i1 + (D + 10D + 16)i2 = 0

(8D3 + 96D2 + 288D) i2 = 16Dv(t)

which simpli,ies to

(D2 + 12D + 36) i2 = 2v(t)

The differential equation for the current i2 is

d2i2
di2
+ 12
+ 36 i2 = 2v(t)
2
dt
dt

(1)
(2)

Similarly, if we multiply equation (2) by 16 and equation (1)

by (D2+10D+16), then add the resulting equations, we will
eliminate the current variable i2. We get

(8D3 + 96D2 + 288D) i1 = D(D2 + 10D + 16)v(t)

which simpli,ies to

(D2 + 12D + 36) i1 = 18 (D2 + 10D + 16)v(t)

The differential equation for current i1 is
2

d i1
di1
d v(t)
+ 12
+ 36 i1 = 0.125
2
dt
dt
dt 2
dv(t)
+ 1.25
+ 2v(t)
dt

Outline
AC quantities vs. DC quantities
AC Circuit Analysis vs. DC Circuit Analysis
Inductors and Capacitors
Time-domain AC Circuit Analysis
Sinusoids

The sinusoid is described by the expression

f(t) = Fm cos(t + )

where

Fm = amplitude or peak value

= angular frequency, rad/sec
= phase angle at t=0, rad
Fm

-Fm

t, rad

The sinusoid is generally plotted in terms of t, expressed

either in radians or degrees. Consider the plot of the
sinusoidal function f(t)=Fmcos t.
T

Fm

180

-Fm

2 t, rad
360

t, deg

2
When t=2, t=T. Thus we get T=2 or = . The function
T

may also be written as

2
f(t) = Fm cos t = Fm cos
t
T

De:ine: The frequency of the sinusoid

1
sec-1 or cycles/sec or Hertz (Hz)
f =
T
Then, the sinusoid may also be expressed as

f(t) = Fm cos t = Fm cos 2ft

Note: The nominal voltage in the Philippines is a sinusoid described by

v(t) = 311cos(377t + ) V
The peak value of the voltage is Vm=311 volts. The angular
frequency is =377 rad/sec. The frequency is f=60 Hz. The
period is T=16.67 msec.

Consider the plot of the sinusoidal functions

and

f1(t) = Fm cos(t + 60)

f2(t) = Fm cos(t + 30)
f1(t)
-60

60

-90 -30 30

90

180

270

360

t, deg

f2(t)
Note: We say either f1(t) leads f2(t) by an angle
of 30 or that f2(t) lags f1(t) by an angle of 30.

iR

Consider a resistor. Let the current

be described by

R
+

vR

iR = Im cos t
From Ohm s law, we get

vR

iR
-90

90

vR = RiR = RIm cos t

180

270

360

Note: The current is in phase with the voltage.

t, deg

iL

Consider an inductor. Let the

current be described by

L
+

vL

iL = Im cos t

diL
From vL= L
, we get vL = LIm sin t
dt

iL
-90

90

vL

180

270

360

Note: The current lags the voltage by 90o.

t, deg

iC

Consider a capacitor. Let the

current be described by

C
+ vC -

iC = Im cos t

Im
1
From vC= iC dt, we get v C =
sin t
C
C
iC
-90

90

vC
180

270

360

Note: The current leads the voltage by 90o.

t, deg

1. In a resistor, iR and vR are in phase.

2. In an inductor, iL lags vL by 90o. In a capacitor,
iC leads vC by 90o.
Note: It can be shown that:
1. For an RL network, the current lags the voltage by an
angle between 0 and 90.
2. For an RC network, the current leads the voltage by
an angle between 0 and 90.
3. For an RLC network, either 1 or 2 will hold.

Consider a DC (constant) current I and an AC (sinusoidal)

current i(t)=Imcos t.
The sinusoidal current i(t) is said to be as effective as the
constant current I if i(t) dissipates the same average power
in the same resistor R.
Consider R with the DC current I. The
power dissipated by R is

2

P=IR

R
I

Since the current I is constant, then PAV,DC = I2R.

Consider next R with the AC current i(t).

The instantaneous power dissipated by R is
2

2
m

p(t) = i R = I R cos2 t

R
i(t)

Simplifying, we get

1 + cos 2t
p(t) = I R
=
2

2
m

1
2

Im R + 12 Im R cos 2t

The average value of any sinusoidal function can be shown to

be equal to zero. Thus
2
1
2 m

PAV,AC = I R

Equating average power, we get

2

IR =
or

I=

Im
2

1
2

2
m

I R

0.707 Im

De:inition: The effective value of a sinusoidal current with

an amplitude Im is equal to

IEFF =

Im

Note: The same de,inition applies to a sinusoidal voltage

v(t)=Vm cos t.

The effective value of a periodic function is also called the

Root-Mean-Square (RMS) value.
That is, given a periodic function f(t), we get

FEFF = FRMS =

1
T

f(t)2 dt

Note: The nominal voltage in the Philippines is a sinusoid

described by

v(t) = 311cos(377t + ) V
The effective or RMS value of the voltage is

V = 0.707(311) = 220 V