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1. Sinusoidal EMF and its

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BYJU’S
2. Average value of current
3. Average value and RMS
value of sinusoidal AC
4. AC instruments rating

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5. Phasor diagram

What you will learn

Alternating Current 1. Simple AC circuits

▪ Purely resistive circuit
▪ Purely capacitive
S3: Simple AC circuits circuit
▪ Purely inductive circuit
2. Impedance
3. Series LCR circuit
I. An AC source connected only to:
A Resistor
A Capacitor
An Inductor

II. An AC source connected to more than one element.

RC LR LC LCR
Circuit Circuit Circuit Circuit
 - Purely resistive circuit

The current in the circuit is given by, 𝑅

V0
𝑖= sin 𝜔𝑡 = 𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑅
From the expression given above, we can see that:
𝑉
▪ T h e p e a k c u r r e n t o f t h e A C i s , 𝑖 0 = 𝑅0 V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
▪ The voltage and the current are in phase i.e., the phase
difference between them is zero.
𝑖, 𝑉
V0 sin 𝜔𝑡1
𝑉0

𝑖0
𝜔 𝑡1
𝜔𝑡
0 𝜔 𝑡1 𝜋 2𝜋
𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡1
V0
𝑖= sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑅
 - Purely capacitive circuit

Suppose at any time 𝑡, the charge of the capacitor is 𝑞.

Since the capacitor of capacitance 𝐶 is connected with a 𝐶
b a t t e r y h a v i n g v o l t a g e 𝑉0 sin 𝜔𝑡, t h e v o l t a g e d r o p a c r o s s
the capacitor will be,
𝑞
𝑉 = = 𝑉0 sin 𝜔𝑡 𝑞 = 𝐶𝑉0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝐶
The current in the circuit is given by, V0 sin 𝜔𝑡

V0
𝑖= cos 𝜔𝑡
1ൗ
𝜔𝐶

V0
𝑖= cos 𝜔𝑡
1/𝜔𝐶
 - Purely capacitive circuit

V0 𝜋 Phase difference
𝑖= cos 𝜔𝑡 = 𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 𝐶
1ൗ 2 (between 𝑖 and 𝑉 )
𝜔𝐶
From the expression given above, we can see that:
V0
▪ The peak current of the AC is, 𝑖0 = 1ൗ
𝜔𝐶
▪ The current is ahead of (or, leads) the voltage by a phase angle V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝜋
of . It means that the current is achieving its goal (peak value
2
and mean value) before the voltage and the time difference is,
𝜋 𝑉 = 𝑉0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑡 = 2𝜔.
𝑖, 𝑉 𝜋
𝑖 = 𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡 +
V0 sin 𝜔𝑡1 2
𝑉0
𝑖0
𝜔 𝑡1
𝑡
0 𝜔 𝑡1 𝜋 𝜋 3𝜋 2𝜋
2 2
𝜋
𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡1 +
2
 - Purely capacitive circuit

The instantaneous current in the circuit is given by,

V0 V0 𝜋 𝐶
𝑖= cos 𝜔𝑡 = cos 𝜔𝑡 = 𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡 +
1ൗ 𝑋𝐶 2
𝜔𝐶

Reactance of the capacitor

V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑋𝐶 = 1ൗ𝜔𝐶

The reactance of the capacitor plays similar role to the resistance of the resistor. The reason
behind the current getting opposed by the capacitor is:
▪ As current flows in the circuit, the capacitor gradually gets charged and develops potential
difference across it with a polarity opposite to that of the battery. Thus, the current gets
decreased in the circuit gradually.
 - Purely capacitive circuit
+ − + −
+ − + −
+ − + −
𝐶 𝐶
DC vs AC

A A
E0 V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
When a DC source is connected with the When an AC source is connected with the
capacitor, the capacitor gradually charge capacitor, the capacitor gradually gets
itself and when the capacitor becomes charged and discharged periodically.
𝜋
fully charged, it behaves as open circuit. ▪ 0 → 4 ⇒ Capacitor gets charged
Thus, the current in the circuit becomes 𝜋 𝜋
▪ → ⇒ Capacitor gets discharged
zero. 4
𝜋
2
3𝜋
▪ → ⇒ Capacitor gets charged with
2 4
opposite polarity since current gets reversed
3𝜋
▪ 4 → 𝜋 ⇒ Capacitor gets discharged
A capacitor stops direct current Since the ammeter measures the RMS value of
but allows alternating current AC, it shows a fixed value of current.
 - Purely inductive circuit

If at an instant current flowing in the circuit is 𝑖 ,

then applying KVL in the circuit, we get,
𝐿

V0 sin 𝜔𝑡

Taking time average for one complete cycle on both side of the equation, we get,

𝑉0
𝑖 = − cos 𝜔𝑡 + 𝐶 ……(1)
𝜔𝐿
 - Purely inductive circuit
W e k n o w t h a t t h e t i m e a v e r a g e o f cos 𝜔𝑡 is zero over a
c o m p l e t e c y c l e . T h u s , cos 𝜔𝑡 = 0
𝐿
Since the voltage is a sinusoidal function, the current should
also be a sinusoidal function. Thus, the time average of
current over a complete cycle will also become zero. Thus,
𝑖 = 0
Since the time average of a constant remains a constant
over a complete cycle, 𝐶 = 𝐶. V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
Therefore, equation (1) becomes:

V0
𝑖=− cos 𝜔𝑡
𝜔𝐿
 - Purely inductive circuit

V0 V0 𝜋 𝜋
𝑖=− cos 𝜔𝑡 = sin 𝜔𝑡 − = 𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 𝐿
𝜔𝐿 𝑋𝐿 2 2
Reactance of the Phase difference
inductor
From the expression given above, we can see that:
V0 V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
▪ The peak current of the AC is, 𝑖0 =
𝜔𝐿
𝜋
▪ The current lags behind the voltage by a phase angle of .
2
𝑖, 𝑉

V0 sin 𝜔𝑡1 𝑉0

𝜔 𝑡1
𝑡
0 𝜔 𝑡1 𝜋 𝜋 3𝜋 2𝜋
𝑖0
2 2
𝜋
𝑖0 sin 𝜔𝑡1 −
2
 - Purely inductive circuit

𝐿 𝐿

+ −

DC vs AC

A A
V0 V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
When a DC source is connected with the When an AC source is connected with the
inductor, current gets established in the inductor, the direction of the magnetic field
circuit and EMF is induced in the inductor. and hence the direction of induced EMF alter
After some time, the circuit reaches at the periodically. Since the ammeter measures the
steady state and the inductor behaves as a RMS value of AC, it shows a fixed value of
simple conducting wire. current.

An inductor becomes redundant in a

DC circuit (after some time).
 𝑍
Impedance is the opposition offered by an electric circuit to an alternating current.

The peak current and the peak emf of any series circuit of an AC source can be
related as,
V0
𝑖0 =
𝑍

Where, 𝑍 = 𝑅 for a purely resistive circuit

1
𝑍= for a purely capacitive circuit
𝜔𝐶

𝑍 = 𝜔𝐿 for a purely inductive circuit

V = V0 sin 𝜔𝑡 𝑖 = 𝑖 0 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙
Phase factor

𝜙 = 0 for a purely resistive circuit

𝜋
𝜙= for a purely capacitive circuit
2
𝜋
𝜙= − for a purely inductive circuit
2
 - Analytical solution
Assume that cu rre nt 𝑖 is flowing in t he c ircu it a nd ch a rge 𝑞
is sto red in the capacito r at a ny inst a nt of t ime . App ly ing 𝐿 𝐶 𝑅
K V L in t he c lo c kwise dire c t io n fo r t h e g iv e n c irc u it , we g e t ,
𝑖
𝑑𝑖 𝑞
𝐿 + 𝑅𝑖 + = V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑑𝑡 𝐶

V0 sin 𝜔𝑡

Trial solution for the charge:

Therefore, Substituting the derived terms in the equation written in terms of
𝑞, we get,
 - Analytical solution

[ S i n c e 𝑋 𝐶 = 1Τ𝜔 𝐶
a n d 𝑋𝐿 = 𝜔 𝐿 ]

(1)
Let us define:

Multiplying and dividing equation (1) by 𝑍, we get,

…………..(2)

Let us define some other quantities:

𝐿
 - Analytical solution
Therefore, equation (2) becomes:

Comparing both sides of the equation, we get,

 - Analytical solution
We have assumed: S i n c e 𝑍𝑞0 𝜔 = 𝑉0 , t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e c u r r e n t
can rewritten as:

Therefore, the current will be,

𝑑𝑞
𝑖= = Where,
𝑑𝑡
𝜋
We know that 𝜙 = + 𝜃. Substituting the
2
value of 𝜃 in terms of 𝜙, we get,
 V0
𝑖= sin(𝜔𝑡 + 𝜙 )
𝑍 𝐿 𝐶 𝑅
𝑖
𝑍= 𝑋𝐶 − 𝑋𝐿 2 + 𝑅2
V0 sin 𝜔𝑡
𝑋𝐶 − 𝑋𝐿
𝜙= tan −1
𝑅

[ W h e r e 𝑋 𝐶 = 1Τ𝜔 𝐶 a n d 𝑋 𝐿 = 𝜔 𝐿 ]