Research Training

School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences

Industrial University of Santander
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FORCED OSCILLATIONS AND RESONANCE IN A

SERIES RLC CIRCUIT IN MULTISIMLIVE

Diego Alexander Guevara Manrique – 2185097 Ing. Mechanics.

Luis Alejandro Rodirguez Leon -2185085 Ing. Electrical

Introductión
A damped oscillator by itself will stop oscillating at some point due to friction, but we can
maintain a constant amplitude by applying a force that varies with time in a periodic way at
a defined frequency. An everyday example is a swing, which we can maintain with
constant amplitude just by giving it a few nudges once each cycle. The resulting
movement is called a forced oscillation. If the external excitation is suppressed, the system
will oscillate with its natural frequency. If the driving force is applied with a frequency close
to the natural one, the amplitude of oscillation is maximum. Likewise, if the applied
frequency coincides with the natural one, the speed amplitude becomes maximum. This
phenomenon is called resonance.
In this project the response of a series RlC circuit will be studied.
Abstract
The experience focuses on studying the current response of an RLC circuit
series before a disturbance with variable frequency, around the frequency of
resonance defined by the nominal inductance and capacitance values. TO
Then, following the tutorial for the use of MultisimLive, you should build a
series RLC circuit. The amplitudes of current and voltage will be measured in each of
The elements. The alternating current source will work as the external disturbance,
in which a voltage amplitude and a frequency close to that of
resonance. MultisimLive software allows student to view graph.

In the time domain of current, the voltage (depending on the element in which it is
you are measuring) and the phase shift between the sinusoidal current and voltage
signals.
Finally, the AC voltage source must be adjusted to different
frequencies both below and above the resonant frequency.
Also, it is recommended to repeat the experiments for different values of
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resistors.

Problem Statement
A series RLC circuit is the perfect excuse to study forced oscillations.
As well as being the basis for numerous applications, from line filtration to
high voltage to oscillators for electronic circuits. The circuit is composed
of a resistor, a capacitor and an inductor. Where the last two elements are
mathematically modeled by derivatives with respect to time. In this project
proposes to couple the three elements in series and disturb them with an alternating
voltage,
to build a system analogous to a forced mechanical oscillator. The structure
mathematical differential equation describing the RLC oscillator is similar to
of the mechanical oscillator, except that the parameters R, L and C define the frequency of
system resonance and phase shift between applied voltage and current
measure. Therefore, what is the current response of the circuit according to the frequency
from external disturbance? When is this response maximum?.

Overall objective
To study the forced response and resonance of an RLC circuit excited with a
sinusoidal voltage source.
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Specific objectives
● Measure the voltage amplitude across each element and the current in the circuit as
a function of the frequency of the drive signal around the resonant frequency of the
series RLC circuit.
● Measure the phase shift between the current and the voltage of the circuit as a
function of the frequency of the drive signal around the resonant frequency of the
series RLC circuit.
● Obtain the amplitude of the current, the impedance and the phase as a function of
the frequency of the voltage source.

Materials
● Computer, tablet or cell phone.
● Internet connection.
● HTML5 compatible web browser.
National Instruments MultisimLive account.

Theoretical framework
A series RLC circuit is composed of a resistor (its symbol is and is denoted

with "R"), element that opposes the flow of charge; a capacitor (its symbol is
and is denoted by "C"), an element that stores charge and energy in the form of an electric

field; and an inductor (its symbols are and is denoted by "L"), an element that
also stores energy in the form of a magnetic field. The three elements are in a
configuration known as a series, that is, all the elements are in sequence and do not share
a single pair of nodes. Figure 1 shows a serial RLC circuit built from its symbols.
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Figure 1. Representation of the series RLC circuit.

In its natural or equilibrium state, the series RLC circuit does not serve any function
unless an external power source is connected to it. In physical terms the system would be
in a forced state due to an external disturbance. Then, by feeding the series RLC circuit
with a strong variable voltage V (t), it will respond with an electric current I (t) also variable
in time. This current is known as the forced response and it will be the same for all the
elements of the series RLC circuit.
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Figure 2. RLC circuit powered by a time varying voltage source.

Figure 2 shows a time-varying voltage or alternating current (AC) source. According to
Kirchhoff's voltage analysis in this series circuit, the voltage will be distributed among its
elements. The voltage across the resistor complies with Ohm's law (see equation 1),
where q is the charge, I is the current and R is the electrical resistance.
dq
V R=RI =R (1)
dt
The voltage across the capacitor complies with the relationship between charge and
voltage across a capacitor (see equation 2), where C is the capacitance.
V C =Cq (2)
The voltage across the inductor complies with the Faraday-Lenz law of induction (see
equation 3), where L is the inductance.
dI d2q
V L=L = L 2 (3)
dt dt
Adding the voltages from equations (1), (2) and (3), the physico-mathematical model
that describes the series RLC circuit powered by an AC voltage source is proposed (see
equation 1).
d 2 q (t) R dq(t) 1
+ + q (t)=V (t) (4)
dt2 L dt LC
Equation (4) has the same mathematical structure that describes a damped mechanical
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oscillator with an external disturbance F (t). In the case of the series RLC circuit, the
damping term depends on the resistor and the inductor; the term of the natural frequency
of the oscillator depends on the inductor and the capacitor; and the external disturbance
depends on the power supply V (t) = V_0 sin (ω_f t), where V_0 is the peak voltage and
ω_f the angular frequency.
A possible solution for equation (4) is presented in equation.
¿

A 1 e st + A1¿ e−s t + ⏟
q ( t )= ⏟ B1 sen (ω f t+ϕ)
(5)
Regimentransitorio Regimen estacionario

s=σ + jω=−β+ j √ ω20−β 2 (6)

To obtain the current, the load is derived (I = dq / dt). On the other hand, A_1, A_1 ^ *
and B_1 are constants (they can be complex numbers) with unit charge, ϕ is the phase of
the steady state, ω is the frequency that prevails during the transitory regime and depends
R
on the damping given by β= and the natural frequency of the series RLC circuit
2L
1
ω 0=
√ LC
(see equation 6).

Then, depending on the values that ω_0 and β take, the transient could be:
overdamped ω 0> β , critically damped ω 0< β , underdamped ω 0=β .
Finally, the steady state term in equation (5) prevails over time and is the part of the
response that can be measured with an oscilloscope. Therefore, for short transients, the
answer in terms of the current can be approximated to equation

(7). I ( t )=I 0 sen( ω f t +ϕ) (7)

The phase ϕ and the current amplitude I_0 will depend on the RLC elements and the
frequency of the AC source. In a phasor diagram it is possible to represent the amplitude
and phase of the signal. Figures 3 (a) and 3 (b) show the amplitude V_0 of a voltage signal
V (t) and its phase ϕ at 0º, while in Figure 3 (a) the current of amplitude I_0 meets phase ϕ
at 45º indicating predominance of the capacitive component. In figure 3 (b) the amplitude
current I_0 has phase ϕ at -45º indicating predominance of the inductive component.
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(a) (b)
Figure 3. Phasor representation of current and voltage in an RLC circuit with (a)
predominance of the capacitive component and (b) predominance of the inductive
component.
The phase ϕ can be determined from the resistor V_R, capacitor V_C, and inductor V_L
voltages as shown in equation (8).

V L (ωf )−V C (ω f )
ϕ (ω f )=arctan
( V R (ωf ) ) (8)

And the magnitude of the impedance Z_0 can be determined from the amplitudes of
voltage V_0 and current I_0, as shown in equation (9).

V 0 ( ωf )
Z 0( ω f )= (9)
I 0 (ω f )

Both the phase ϕ and the impedance Z_0 depend on the frequency of the power
supply.

Data Tables
In table 1 3 different resonance frequency measurements should be recorded. This value

can be found by doing a frequency sweep with or by modifying the frequency of

the source so that the current measured in the show maximum amplitude. In
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each measurement, different values of resistance R, Inductance L and Capacitance C will

be used, except for the last two (see note at the foot of table 1).
Table 1. Resonance frequency of a series RLC circuit.
measurements R[Ω] L[mH ] C [µ F] f resonance [ Hz]
1 50 100 15 130.02
2 100 50 10 223.87
3 150 30 20 202.30
4* 20 10 30 291.07
5* 30 10 30 289.73
* Note: for rows 4 and 5 leave the value of L and C fixed, vary only the resistance so that you
see two quality factors, one greater than one and one less than one.
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Research Training
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 Research Training
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Table 2 will record the measured values of amplitudes of voltages in the elements ( V R,
V L ,V C), current I and phase ϕ for different frequencies f. This will be done with fixed R, L,
and C values.
Table 2. Response of the RLC circuit as a function of frequency.
Vf =1[V] R = 30[Ω] L = 10m[H] C =30 µ[F]
measureme f [Hz ] V R [mV ] V C [mV ] V L [mV ] I [mA ] t1[s] t2[s]
nts
1 78.70 98.66 -309.19 24.64 14.47 172.2 172.2
2 96.38 323.08 -189.04 23.70 17.41 34.79 34.79
3 104.71 -432.87 124.82 -18.76 18.8 227.4 227.5
4 114.29 -535.31 -774.75 137.34 20.27 76.13 76.13
5 128.23 927.65 695.86 -169.64 22.32 36.72 36.72
6 134.90 -221.31 374.28 -103.68 23.24 136.1 136.1
7 145.21 -54.94 477.11 -158.50 24.63 28.95 28.96
8 165.20 533.96 -218.64 105.42 27.025 104.4 104.4
9 189.67 -617.83 -454.44 341.18 29.346 66.88 66.87
10 203.24 -509.04 -400.07 388.05 30.51 9.27 9.27
11 289.73 248.69 359.42 589.69 33.32 16.76 16.76
12 373.25 140.90 -268.98 -676.14 31.76 8.58 8.854
13 432.51 990.02 255.22 462.74 29.68 7.02 7.02
14 480.84 -268.69 -513.69 -806.23 28.019 709.8 709.6
12 557.19 -331.34 326.16 446.93 25.331 4.10 4.103
16 608.14 973.13 595.78 770.57 23.69 4.42 4.42
17 691.83 -248.69 -623.09 -755.51 21.321 1.30 1.30
18 801.68 140.90 -364.94 -419.73 18.58 4.31 4.315
19 907.82 -667.18 -173.36 -193.00 16.75 3.14 3.145
20 950.60 331.34 145.17 -16.03 15.607 2.93 2.932
21 968.28 -563.65 -781.74 -858.57 15.6 1.72 1.723
Research Training
School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences
Industrial University of Santander
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 Research Training
School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences
Industrial University of Santander
We Build Future

Voltajes
Research Training
School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences
Industrial University of Santander
We Build Future
 Research Training
School of Physics, Faculty of Sciences
Industrial University of Santander
We Build Future

Este material fue desarrollado por: Ana M. Forero Pinto, Daniel A. Triana Camacho, Karen L. Cristiano
Rodríguez, Melba J. Sánchez Soledad, Yuber A. Galeano; con el apoyo de: David A. Miranda Mercado, Jorge
H. Quintero Orozco, Raúl F. Valdivieso Bohorquez, Rogelio Ospina Ospina; las autoriades académicas: Hernán
Porras Díaz (Rector), Orlando Pardo Martínez (Vicerrector Académico), Jose David Sanabria Gómez (Decano
de la Facultad de Ciencias) y Jorge Humberto Martínez Téllez (Director de la Escuela de Física). Un
agradecimiento especial a la Universidad Industrial de Santander.

Julio 6 de 2020.