Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

Investigate Response of the Series RL Network at Different Frequencies

Objective
• Note the effect of frequency on the impedance of a series R-L network
• Plot the voltage and current of a series R-L network versus frequency.
• Calculate and plot the phase angel of the input impedance versus frequency for a series R-L
network.

Equipment Required
Resistors
1- 100 Ω (1/4-W)

Inductors
1-10 mH

Instruments

1- DMM
2- Oscilloscope
3- Audio Oscillator
4- Frequency counter (if available)

RESUME OF THEORY
For the series dc or ac circuit, the voltage drop across a particular element is directly related to its
impedance as compared with the other series elements. Since the impedance of the inductor and
capacitor will change with frequency, the voltage across both elements will be affected by the applied
frequency.
For the series R-L network, the voltage across the coil will increase with frequency sine the inductive
reactance increases directly with frequency and impedance of the resistor is essentially independent of
the applied frequency (in the audio range)
Since the voltage and current of the resistor are related by the fixed resistance value, the shapes of
their curves versus frequency will have the same characteristics.
Keep in mind that the voltages across the elements in an ac circuit are vectorially related. Otherwise
the voltage readings may appear to e totally incorrect and not satisfy KVL.
The phase angle associated with the input impedance is also sensitive to the applied frequency. At very
low frequency the inductive reactance will be small compared to the series resistive element and the
network will be primarily resistive in nature. The result is a phase angle associated with the input
impedance that approaches 0◦. (v and I are in phase) At increasing frequencies, XL will be drown out
the resistive element and the network will be primarily inductive, resulting in an input phase angle
approaching 90◦ (v leads I by 90 ◦)
 Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

Caution: Be sure that the ground connection of the source and scope do not short out an element of the
network, thereby changing its terminal characteristics.

PROCEDURE:
Part 1 VL, VR and I versus Frequency
a) Construct the network of Fig 3.1. Insert the measured value of the resistor R on the diagram.
For the frequency range of interest, we will ignore the effects of the internal resistance of the
coil. That is, we will assume XL >> Rl and ZL = XL angle 90˚.

Fig 3.1 RL series circuit

Maintaining 4 V (p-p) at the input to the circuit, record the voltage VL (p-p) for the frequencies
appearing in Table 3.3. Make sure to check continuity that E = 4 V (p-p) with each frequency
change. Do not measure the voltage VR at this point in the experiment. The common ground of
the supply and scope will short out the effect of the inductive element, which may result in
damage to the equipment.

For each frequency try to read VL to the highest of accuracy possible. The higher the degree of
accuracy, the better the data will verify the theory to be substantiated.
Table 3.1
Frequency VL(p-p) VR(p-p) I (p-p)
0.1K Hz
1 K Hz
2 K Hz
3 K Hz
4 K Hz
5 K Hz
6 K Hz
7 K Hz
8 K Hz
9 K Hz
10 K Hz
 Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

b) Turn off the supply and interchanging the position of R and L in Fig 3.1 and measure VR (p-p)
for the frequencies with E maintained at 4 V (P-P). Insert the measurement in Table 3.3. This
Is very important step. Failure to relocate the resistor R can result in a grounding situation where the
inductive reactance is shorted out.
c) Calculate I(p-p) = VR (p-p) / R measured and complete Table 3.1.
d) Plot the curve of VL(P-P) versus frequency on Graph 3.1 Label the curve and clearly indicate
each plot point.

Graph 3.1

e) Plot the curve of VR(P-P) versus frequency on Graph 3.1 . Again, label the curve and clearly
indicate each plot point.
f) As frequency increase, describe in a few sentences what happened to the voltage across the coil
and resistor. Explain why?
 Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

g) At the point where VL = VR does XL = R? Should they be equal? Why? Record the level of
voltage and the impedance of each element below.

VL = VR = ----------------------------------------
XL = -----------------------------------------------
R = ------------------------------------------------

i) Determine VL (p-p) at some random frequency such as 5.6 KHz from the curves.

VL (p-p) = -------------------------------------, VR (p-p) = ------------------------------------------

Is the magnitude such that VL (P-P) + VR (p-p) = E (p-p)?If not, why not? How are they related?

h) Plot the curve of I (p-p) versus frequency on Graph 3.2. Label the curve and clearly indicate
each plot point.
i) How does the curve of I (P-P) versus frequency compare to the curve of VR (p-p) versus
frequency? Explain why they compare as they do.

l) At a frequency of 8 K Hz, calculate the reactance of the inductor using XL = 2πfL and the nameplate
inductance level. Compare with the value obtained from the data of table 3.3 using
XL = VL (p-p) /I (p-p)
XL (Calculated) = ------------------------------ XL (from data) = ---------------------------------------------
--
Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

Graph 3.2

j) Use the Pythagorean Theorem determines the voltage VL (p-p) at a frequency of 5 KHz and
compare with the measured result of Table 3.2. Use the peak to peak value of VR from the
table 3.2 and E (p-p) = 4 V

VL (p-p) (calculated) = -------------------------------

VL (P-P) measured = --------------------------------

k) At low frequencies the inductor approaches a low impedance short circuit equivalent and at
high frequencies high impedance open circuit equivalent. Do the date of Table 3.3 and Graph
3.1 and 3.2 Verify the above statement? Comment accordingly.
Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

PART 2 ZT versus Frequency

a) Transfer the result of I p-p from table 3.1 for each frequency.

Table 3.2

Frequency E p-p (V) I p-p ZT = Ep-p/I p-p ZT

=√(R^2+XL^2)
0.1 K Hz 4
1 K Hz 4
2 K Hz 4
3 K Hz 4
4 K Hz 4
5 K Hz 4
6 K Hz 4
7 K Hz 4
8 K Hz 4
9 K Hz 4
10 K Hz 4

b) At each frequency, calculate the magnitude of the total impedance using the equation ZT = E
p-p / I p-p in Table 3.2

c) Plot the curve of ZT versus frequency on graph 3.2. Calculate the total impedance at f = 0 Hz
with Rl = 0 Ω. And include the result as a plot for the curve. Label the curve and clearly
indicate each plot point.

ZT (f = 0 Hz) = --------------------------------------

d) For each frequency calculate the total impedance using the equation ZT = [(R^2)+(XL)^2]^1/2
and measured value for R and insert in Table 3.3 .
Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

Graph 3.3

e) How do the magnitude of ZT compare for the last two columns of table 3.3

f) On graph 3.3, plot R versus frequency. Label the curve.

g) On graph 3.3, plot XL = 2πfL versus frequency. Use the space below for the necessary
calculations. Label the curve and clearly indicate each plot point.

h) At which frequency does XL = R? Use both the graph and a calculation (f= R/2πL) . How do
they compare?
Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

f = ----------------------------------------- (graph) . f = ------------------------------------calculation

i) For frequencies less than the frequency calculated in part 3 h, is the network primarily resistive
or inductive? How about for frequencies greater than the frequency calculated in part 3 h.

j) The phase angle by which the applied voltage leads the same current is determined by θ =
Tan⁻¹ (XL/R) (as obtained from the impedance diagram). Calculate the phase angle for each of
the frequencies in Table 3.3.

TABLE 3.3
Frequency R (measured) XL θ = Tan⁻¹
(XL/R)
0.1 K Hz
1 K Hz
2 K Hz
3 K Hz
4 K Hz
5 K Hz
10 K Hz
100 K Hz

k) At frequencies of 0.1 kHz, does the phase angle suggest a primarily resistive or inductive
network? Explain why?

l) At frequencies greater than 5 K Hz, does the phase angle suggest a primarily resistive or
inductive network? Explain why.

m) Plot θ versus frequency for the frequency range 0.1 K Hz to 10 K Hz on Graph 3.4/ AT what
frequency is the phase angle equal to 45˚? At 45˚ what is the relationship between XL and R?
Using this relationship, Calculate the frequency at which θ = 45˚.
 Electrical Network Analysis Lab 3

degrees

Graph 3.4

f(θ=45˚) = --------------------------- XL vs. R = ---------------------------------------------

f(calculated) = ---------------------------------------
How do the two levels of frequency compare)?