SINUSOID & PHASORS

SINUSOID
is a signal that has the form of sine or

cosine function.
A sinusoidal current is usually referred to as
alternating current (ac). Such a current reverses at
regular time intervals and has alternately positive
and negative values.
Sinusoids is important for a number of reasons:
1. Nature itself is characteristically sinusoidal.
Example, the sinusoidal variation in the motion
of a pendulum, the vibration of a string, the
ripples on the ocean surface, the political events
of a nation, the economic fluctuations of the
stock market

2. A sinusoidal signal is easy to generate and

transmit.
It is the form of voltage generated worldwide
and supplied to homes, factories, laboratories,
business establishment and so on. It is the
dominant form of signal in the communications
and electric power industries.
3. Any practical periodic signal can be represented
by a sum of sinusoids. Therefore, play an
important role in the analysis of periodic
signals.
4. Easy to handle mathematically. The derivative
and integral of a sinusoid are themselves
sinusoids.

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SINUSOIDS
v(t ) or i(t )
90

Vm

r
180

90

180

270

Mathematically, a sinusoidal voltage

v(t ) Vm sin and t

v(t ) Vm sin t
where:
Vm the amplitude of the sinusoid

the angular frequency in radians/s

t the argument of the sinusoid

The sinusoid is shown in the figure as a

function of its argument and as a function of
time. It is evident that the sinusoid repeats itself
every T second; T is called the period of the
sinusoid. Note that, = 2
2
=

The fact that the v(t) repeats itself every T

seconds is shown by replacing t by t + T in the
first equation.
2
+ = sin + = sin +

= sin + 2 = sin
+ = ()
v has the same value at t + T as it does at t
and v(t) is said to be periodic.

Periodic function
- one that satisfies f (t) = f (t + nT), for all t
and for all integers n.

PROBLEMS
Values in a Sine Wave

TWO SINUSOIDS WITH DIFFERENT PHASES

A sinusoid can be expressed in either sine or

cosine form. When comparing two sinusoids, it is
expedient to express both as either sine or cosine
with positive amplitudes.
Using the following trigonometric identities:
sin(t 180) = -sin t
cos(t 180) = -cos t
sin(t 90) = cos t
cos(t 90) = sin t

We can use to relate, compare or transform a

sinusoid from sine form to cosine form or vice
versa by:
a.) Trigonometric Identities
b.) Graphical Approach

The graphical technique can also be used to

add two sinusoids of the same frequency when one
is in sine form and the other is in cosine form. To
add Acos t and B sin t, we note that A is the
magnitude of cos t while B is the magnitude of sin
t

v(t )

+
=

)
(

( )=

3/2

3/2

SINUSOID-PHASOR
TRANSFORMATION

Phasor - is a complex number that

represents the amplitude and phase of a
sinusoid.

The notion of solving ac circuits

using phasors was first introduced by
Charles Steinmetz in 1893.

COMPLEX NUMBER
A complex number A can be written in rectangular
form as

A = x + jy
where
= 1
x = the real part of A
y = the imaginary part of A

The variables x and y do not represent a

location as in two-dimensional vector analysis
but rather the real and imaginary parts of A in
the complex plane.

Note that there are some

resemblances between manipulating
complex numbers and manipulating
two-dimensional vectors.

The complex number A can also be written in polar

or exponential form as

= =
Where:
r is the magnitude of A
is the phase of A

Note that A can be represented in three ways:

= +

Rectangular form

=
=

Polar form
Exponential form

Rectangular to Polar form

= +

Polar to Rectangular form

=
y =

Therefore,
= + = ( + )

= =

Phasor representation is based on Eulers identity.

=

sin

Which shows that we may regard cos

as the real and imaginary parts of
cos
sin

= Re( )
= Im( )

Where: Re the real part of

Im the imaginary part of

and

SINUSOID-PHASOR TRANSFORMATION
To get the phasor corresponding to a
sinusoid, express the sinusoid in the cosine form so
that the sinusoid can be written as the real part of
a complex number. Take out the time factor , and
whatever is left is the phasor corresponding to the
sinusoid. Suppressing the time factor, transform
the sinusoid from the time domain to the phasor
domain.

SINUSOID-PHASOR TRANSFORMATION

Time Domain Representation

Phasor Domain Representation

v(t ) Vm cos(t )

V = Vm

v(t ) Vm sin(t )

V = Vm( 90)

i(t ) I m cos(t )

I = I m

i(t ) I m sin(t )

I = I m( 90)

Difference between v(t) and V

1. v(t) is the instantaneous or time-domain
representation, while V is the frequency or
phasor-domain representation.
2. v(t) is time dependent, while V is not. (Often
forgotten)
3. v(t) is always real with no complex term, while
V is generally complex
Bear in mind that phasor analysis applies only when
frequency is constant; it applies in manipulating two or
more sinusoidal signals only if they are of the same
frequency.

PROBLEMS
1.

Determine the frequency, their maximum values

and the phase angle between the two voltages
= 12 sin 1000 + 60
and
= 6 cos 1000 + 30 . Show graphically.

2.

Given

3.

the

voltage

= 120 cos 314 +

determine the frequency of the voltage in Hertz and

the phase angle in degrees.
Three branch currents in a network are known to
be as enumerated below, determine the phase
angles by which (t) leads (t) and (t) leads 3 ().
= 2 sin 377 + 45
= 0.5 cos 377 + 10
3 = 0.25 sin 377 + 60

PROBLEMS
4.

Evaluate the following complex number

a) (3060 +

2020 )2

3030 +(43)
b)
(3+4)(45)

c) [ 5 + 2 1 + 4 560 ]
d)

0+5+340
3+4

+ 1030 + 5

5. Transform the following sinusoids to phasors

a. = 6cos(50 40 ) A

b. = 12cos(377 30 ) V
c. = 4sin(30 50 ) A
d. = 18sin(2513 25 ) A

PROBLEMS
6. Find the sinusoids represented by the following
phasors.
a) =

30
4

45
8

b) =
c) = (4 3)
d) = 30(20 )
e) = (12 + 5)
f) = 40(20 )
7. Given = 6 cos + 40 A and =
8 sin + 20
A, find their sum, their
difference and conjugate of each.

PROBLEMS
8. Given the following sinusoids find their sum,
their difference, their product and their
quotient:
a) = 12 30 and =
5 cos 30
b) = 6 45 and =
8 cos + 60
c) = 15 + 25 and =
8 sin + 50

9. Given = 6 cos 30 A and =

8 cos 30
A, find their sum, their
difference and conjugate of each.

PHASOR RELATIONSHIPS FOR CIRCUIT ELEMENTS

For Resistive circuit, R
If the current through a resistor R, is = cos( + ),
the voltage across it is given by Ohms law as
= = cos +
and the phasor form is =
But the phasor representation of the current is = ,
hence =
Note that voltage and current are in phase.