AC Circuits

Joshua Main-Smith and Casey Riehle

Lab Section 18

TA: Mr. Bersano, Thomas

We were exploring the properties of RCL circuits by measuring the voltage across the resistor,

capacitor, and inductor then graphing our results onto DataStudio. We then observed the phase

difference between the resistor, capacitor, and inductor and determined what equation best

describes the relationship between RCL.

and inductor then graphing our results onto DataStudio. We then observed the phase

difference between the resistor, capacitor, and inductor and determined what equation

best describes the relationship between RCL.

and inductor t and inductor then graphing our results onto DataStudio. We then

observed the phase difference between the resistor, capacitor, and inductor and

determined what equation best describes the relationship between RCL.and inductor

then graphing our results onto DataStudio. We then observe and and inductor then

graphing our results onto DataStudio. We then observed the phase difference between

the resistor, capacitor, and inductor and determined what equation best describes the
 relationship between RCL.nductor then graphing our results onto DataStudio. We

then observed the phase difference between the resistor, capacitor, and inductor and

determined what equation best describes the relationship between RCL.d the ph and

inductor then graphing our results onto DataStudio. We t and inductor then graphing

our results onto DataStudio. We then observed the phase difference between the

resistor, capacitor, and inductor and determined what equation best describes the

relationship between RCL.en observed the phase difference between the resistor,

capacitor, and inductor and determined what equation best describes the relationship

between RCL.se difference between the resistor, capacitor, and inductor and

determined what equation best describes the relationship between RCL.n graphing

our results onto DataStudio. We then observed the phase difference between the

resistor, capacitor, and inductor and determined what equation best describes the

relationship between RCL.

I. Introduction

In this lab, we were studying the properties of AC circuits and how to properly add

voltages together by taking into account the phase differences between the voltages.

We attempted to understand how to interpret AC voltages and currents by using the

 DataStudio. We then used these graphs in computing the accuracy of our observations

and to add AC voltages or currents with variable phases. The AC circuit board that

we were working with is represented in Figure 1 below. In this AC circuit board,

there was an inductor (L), a resistor (R), and a capacitor (C) and graphed the

measurements for each reading (L, R, and C). Something to note about the AC circuit

board is its relationship to the conservation of energy. At any instant in time on the

circuit board, the sum of the potential differences around the circuit board is equal to

zero. This has been represented in the equation below [Eq. (1)], which is the sum of

all the voltages (n) is equal to zero. This general principle is complicated in the

presence of inductance and capacitance because the current isn’t consistent

throughout the loop (it’s alternating), as opposed to DC circuits, which had a constant

current throughout the loop. Measuring the potential difference in this environment

becomes a little more complicated.

II. Experiment

The equipment contained within the experiment included the Pasco Scientific RLC

Circuit (Model CI-6512), which was configured in a series of a resistor, inductor, and

capacitor. The resistor was set to the 10 Ω, the inductor was set to 8.2 mH, and the

capacitor was set to 100 µF. Also included was an interface unit, and DataStudio

software. Below is a diagram of the AC circuit used, which is represented as Figure 1.

This diagram was taken from the online lab manual. Below Figure 1, there is a hand

drawn version of the AC circuit board, which is represented as Figure 2. Following,

Figure 3 shows what a typical potential difference vs time measurement might look

like (bottom graph).

 Figure 1. A diagram of the circuit used in lab

The AC circuit starts out by feeding a voltage input, which first travels through the

resistor, then the inductor, then through the capacitor and finally back to its origin to

start the cycle back over again. We measured the amplitude of the potential difference

and its phase using the DataStudio software.

Figure 2. Hand-drawn representation of the circuit used in class.

Figure 3. Representation of a typical potential difference vs time difference graph1

The bottom graph of Figure 3 shows the phase diagram for the resistor, the inductor,

the capacitor, and current. As can be seen in the graph, VR, VL, and VC are all phase

shifted from each other. The end of the report is Figure 4, which is data that was

collected during the lab for the RCL circuit. Off to the right of the graph, one will see

the channels measured (A, B, and C) and the current/voltage output. Off to the right

of the channel boxes, I have labeled the resistor (VR), the inductor (VL), and the

capacitor (VC). The graph shows the potential difference vs time measurements and

how each component (R, L, and C) are measured relative to each other. The inductor

lags behind the resistor, which lags behind the capacitor.

(1)

Equation (1) shows that the energy in an AC circuit is conserved at any point in time.
 The sum of all the electrical potential differences across the circuit must add to zero.2

III. Results and Discussion

Below is Table 1, which summarizes the potential differences for each component of

the AC circuit for each of the three experiments, including the 10 Hz, the 100 Hz, and

the 1000 Hz. The power supply was feeding 4 V during all three experiments. The

values obtained for the amplitude of potential difference can be seen in the table

towards the right. The values that we recorded indicate that the highest to lowest

potential difference for the 10 Hz values are (in descending order) the C, R, and L.

For the 100 Hz values, in descending order it’s R, C, and L. For the 1000 Hz values,

in descending order it’s C, L, and R.

Table 1.
Amplitude of Potential Difference and Phase at a Specified Power and Frequency
Power Frequency Phase Sum
Amplitude of Potential Difference (V)
(V) (Hz) (degree)
0.268 VR
10 89.6 0.146 VL 0.021
3.927 VC
3.817 VR
4 100 86.4 2.805 VL 0.434
3.146 VC
0.038 VR
1000 90 0.077 VL 0
0.143 VC

To compute the sum of all the potential differences together, one cannot just add all

of the values together (considering they’re out of phase). Equation (2) is used to
 compute the sum of all the potential differences together after they’ve been converted

to rms values, where δ is the phase angle for each component of the AC circuit. The

sum for each experiment can be seen on the far right of Table 1. Figure 5 below is a

drawing of the phase diagram.

VL cos(δL ) + VR cos(δR) + VC cos(δC) = Voutput cos(δoutput) (2)

Figure 5.

When adjusting the frequency using trial-and-error, we found that the capacitance and

inductance had the same phase shift value when the frequency was adjusted to around

200 Hz.

IV. Conclusion

The results in this lab experiment show that the equation used, Eq. (2), is accurate in

describing the properties of AC circuits in terms of RCL and the phase degrees

between RCL. In order to sum the voltages between RCL, one needs to add the rms

values in consideration of the phase degrees rather than in consideration of only the

rms values. The reason is current is alternating throughout the series, as opposed to it

being constant.
V. References
1
AC circuits, alternating current electricity. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2015, from

http://www.animations.physics.unsw.edu.au//jw/AC.html
2
The Loop Rule - Boundless Open Textbook. (n.d.). Retrieved April 9, 2015, from

https://www.boundless.com/physics/textbooks/boundless-physics-textbook/circuits-

and-direct-currents-20/kirchhoff-s-rules-152/the-loop-rule-540-5636/

Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Casey Riehle for contributing to this experiment.