NUST COLLEGE OF ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL

ENGINEERING

ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT ANALYSIS

Submitted By: Muzammil Sohail

LAB REPORT # 2

DE-42 EE-A

DEPARTMENT Of Electrical Engineering

 Transient Analysis of RC circuit and determination of Time Constant

OBJECTIVE:
• To study the response of a series RC circuit.
• To differentiate between steady state and transient response.
• To understand & evaluate time constant concept using step input.

THEORY:

For the RC network of Figure 1, voltage VC(t) across the capacitor is given by

where, V is the applied source voltage to the circuit for t ≥ 0. RC = τ is the time constant. The response
curve is increasing and is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 1: RC Series Network

Figure 2: Capacitor Charging

The discharge voltage for the capacitor is given by

where Vo is the initial voltage stored in capacitor at t = 0, and RC = τ is time constant. The response
curve is a decaying exponentials as shown in Figure 3.
 Figure 3: Discharging of Capacitor

APPARATUS:

1. DC Power Supply 2. Jumper Wires 3. Oscilloscope Function

Generator
4. Fixed Resistor kohm 5. Capacitor µF 6. Bread board
7. Digital Multimeter

PART - I
PROCEDURE:
Capacitor Charging

1. Compute the theoretical value of time constant using expression Ʈ=RC

Time Constant (theo) = 1ms

2. Construct the circuit in accordance with figure below and set DC voltage to V.

3. Using Oscilloscope across capacitor monitor the voltage build-up across capacitor and let the
capacitor charge to almost 10 V (equal to Source Voltage).
4. Draw the corresponding graph as below:

5. Using the above graph evaluate the time at which capacitor is 63% charged i.e. 0.63 x Source
Voltage. The resulting time is Time Constant
So, Time Constant (measured) = 1ms

Also mention the co-ordinates on graph sheet corresponding to Time Constant.

 Capacitor Discharging

6. Now, consider the circuit shown in figure below and connect components on breadboard
accordingly.
7. Using oscilloscope obtain the graph of voltage across capacitor. Let the capacitor discharge
completely (approximately to zero voltage)

8. Use graph to extract out the value of time at which capacitor is 63% discharged i.e. voltage
equal to 37% of the source voltage (5V in our case).
So, Time Constant (measured) = 987msec

Mention co-ordinates corresponding to Time Constant in graph.

9. Compare theoretical value of Time Constant with measured values
PART – II

1. Replace DC source by a source capable of generating square waves. Use function generator for
this purpose.
 The output of a square wave generator alternates between two different voltages separated by a
potential difference V. When the output is at higher potential the capacitor is charging up. When the
output switches to lower potential, the capacitor discharges. The capacitor then alternates between

charging and discharging cycles in accordance with output of a square wave generator.

2. Connect the circuit as shown in figure below.

3. Adjust the frequency to such a value such that the capacitor is sufficiently charged and discharged
alternatively. This can simply be done by reducing the frequency using frequency setting knob of\
function generator.

4. Set peak voltage of input square wave to V. Draw this input wave form.

5. Observe the output on oscilloscope and sketch the resulting graph.

6. Using expression below calculate value of voltage across capacitor for t= 1Ƭ
7. For the above calculated voltage across capacitor determine time from graph of
output (charging portion).
Time Constant = 994us

8. Use following expression to calculate voltage across capacitor