1

Introduction
The first order system has only one pole.
C (s )
K

R(s ) Ts 1

Where K is the D.C gain and T is the time

constant of the system.
Time constant is a measure of how quickly a
1st order system responds to a unit step input.
D.C Gain of the system is ratio between the
input signal and the steady state value of
output.

Introduction
The first order system given below.
10
G( s )
3s 1
D.C gain is 10 and time constant is 3 seconds.

And for following system

3
3/5
G(s )

s 5 1 / 5s 1

D.C Gain of the system is 3/5 and time

constant is 1/5 seconds.

Relation between standard Test

Signals
Impulse

Step

Ramp
Parabolic

A
(t )
0

A
u(t )
0

At
r (t )
0
At 2

p(t ) 2
0

t0
t0

d
dt

t0
t0

d
dt

t0
t0
t0
t0

d
dt

Laplace Transform of Test

Signals
Impulse

A
(t )
0

t0
t0

L{ (t )} (s ) A

Step

A
u(t )
0

t0
t0

A
L{u(t )} U (s )
S

Laplace Transform of Test

Signals
Ramp

At
r (t )
0

t0
t0

L{r (t )} R(s )

Parabolic

At 2

p(t ) 2
0

A
s2
t0

t0

L{p(t )} P(s )

2A
S3

Impulse Response of 1st Order

System
Consider the following 1st order system
(t)

K
Ts 1

R(s )
0

R(s ) (s ) 1
K
C (s )
Ts 1

C (s )

Impulse Response of 1st Order

System
K
C (s )
Ts 1
Re-arrange following equation as

K /T
C (s )
s 1/T
In order represent the response of the system in
time domain we need to compute inverse Laplace
transform of the above equation.
1

C
at
L

Ce

sa

K t / T
c(t ) e
T

Impulse Response of 1st Order

System

K t / T
If K=3 and T=2s then
c(t ) e
T
K/T*exp(-t/T)

1.5

c(t)

0.5

Time

10

Step Response of 1st Order

System
Consider the following 1st order system

R(s )

K
Ts 1

C (s )

1
R(s ) U (s )
s
K
C (s )
s Ts 1
In order to find out the inverse Laplace of the above
equation, we need to break it into partial fraction
Forced Response
Natural Response
expansion
K
KT

C (s )

Ts 1

Step Response of 1st Order

System
T
1
C (s ) K

s Ts 1

Taking Inverse Laplace of above equation

c(t ) K u(t ) e t / T
Where u(t)=1

c(t ) K 1 e t / T

When t=T

c(t ) K 1 e 1 0.632 K

Step Response of 1st Order

System t / T

If K=10 and T=1.5s then

c(t ) K 1 e
K*(1-exp(-t/T))

11
10

Step Response

9
8

D.C Gain K

c(t)

63%

steady state output 10

Input
1

5
4
3
2

Unit Step Input

1
0

5
Time

10

Step Response of 1st Order

System t / T

If K=10 and T=1, 3, 5, c7(t ) K 1 e

K*(1-exp(-t/T))

11
10

T=1s

9
8

T=3s

7
c(t)

T=5s

T=7s

5
4
3
2
1
0

Time

10

15

Step Response of 1st order

System
System takes five time constants to
reach its final value.

Step Response of 1st Order

System t / T

If K=1, 3, 5, 10 and T=1

c(t ) K 1 e

K*(1-exp(-t/T))

11
10

K=10

9
8

c(t)

7
6

K=5

5
4

K=3

3
2

K=1

1
0

Time

10

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Relation Between Step and

impulse response
The step response of the first order
system is

c(t ) K 1 e t / T K Ke t / T

Differentiating c(t) with respect to t

dc(t ) d
K Ke t / T
yields
dt

dt

dc(t ) K t / T
e
dt
T

Example#1
Impulse response of a 1st order system is
given below.
c(t ) 3e 0.5t
Find out

Time constant T
D.C Gain K
Transfer Function
Step Response

Example#1
The Laplace Transform of Impulse response
of a system is actually the transfer function
of the system.
Therefore taking Laplace Transform of the
0.5t following
impulse responsec(given
t ) 3e by
equation.
3
3
C (s )
1
(s )
S 0.5
S 0.5
C (s ) C (s )
3

(s ) R(s ) S 0.5
C (s )
6

R( s ) 2 S 1

Example#1
Impulse response of a 1st order system is
given below.
c(t ) 3e 0.5t
Find out

Time constant T=2

D.C Gain K=6 C (s ) 6
R(s ) 2 S 1
Transfer Function
Step Response
Also Draw the Step response on your notebook

Example#1
For step response integrate impulse
response
c(t ) 3e 0.5t
0.5t
c
(
t
)
dt

3
e
dt

c s (t ) 6e 0.5t C
We can find out C if initial condition is known e.g.
cs(0)=0

0 6e 0.50 C
C6

c s (t ) 6 6e 0.5t

Example#1

If initial Conditions are not known then partial

fraction expansion is a better choice
C (s )
6

R(s ) 2 S 1
1
since R(s ) is a step input , R(s )
s
6
C (s )
s 2 S 1
6
A
B

s 2 S 1 s 2 s 1
6
6
6

s 2 S 1 s s 0.5

c(t ) 6 6e 0.5t

Practical Determination of
Transfer Function of 1st Order
Systems

Often it is not possible or practical to obtain a

system's transfer function analytically.

Perhaps the system is closed, and the component

parts are not easily identifiable.
The system's step response can lead to a
representation even though the inner construction
is not known.
With a step input, we can measure the time
constant and the steady-state value, from which
the transfer function can be calculated.

Practical Determination of
Transfer Function of 1st Order
Systems

If we can identify T and K from laboratory

testing we can obtain the transfer function of
the system.

C (s )
K

R(s ) Ts 1

Practical Determination of Transfer

Function of 1st Order Systems
For example, assume the
unit step response given
in figure.
From
the response, we can
measure the time constant,
that is, the time for the
amplitude to reach 63% of its
final value.
Since the final value is about
0.72 the time constant is
evaluated where the curve
reaches 0.63 x 0.72 = 0.45,
or about 0.13 second.

K is simply steady state

value.

K=0.72

C (s )
5

R(s ) s 7
T=0.13s

Thus transfer function

is obtained as:
C (s )
0.72
5.5

R(s ) 0.13s 1 s 7.7

Comparison of location of
Poles
C (s )
1

R( s ) s 1
Step Response

0.8

0.08

0.6

0.06

0.4

0.2

Step Response

0.1

Amplitude

Amplitude

C (s )
1

R(s ) s 10

0.04

0.02

3
Time (sec)

0.1

0.2

0.3
Time (sec)

0.4

0.5

0.6

Examples of First Order

Systems
Electrical System

E o (s )
1

Ei (s ) RCs 1

Examples of First Order

Systems
Mechanical System

X o (s )
1

X i (s ) b
s 1
k

Examples of First Order

Systems
Cruise Control of vehicle

V (s )
1

U (s ) ms b

First order system

Transient Response Analysis
Rise Time Tr:
The rise-time (symbol Tr units s) is defined as the time taken
for the step response to go from 10% to 90% of the final value.

Tr 2.31 0.11 2.2

Settling Time Ts:
Defined the settling-time (symbol Ts units s) to be the time
taken for the step response to come to within 2% of the final
value of the step response.

Ts 4
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First order

1
system
a

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