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AC Circuits I & II

Terry Jones Austin Harris


Physics 231 07/27/11-08/01/11

Objectives: The objectives of this experiment are: 1) to study the time dependence of current and voltage in resistors, capacitors, and inductors in a simple circuit with an alternating current (AC) source, 2) to measure the maximum current and voltage values in some simple AC circuits and their dependence on the AC frequency, 3) to study and measure the phase relationships between the AC current source and the voltages across resistor, capacitor, and inductor elements, and 4) to study and measure the resonant frequency in a simple resistor-inductor-capacitor (RLC) circuit. Apparatus: The apparatus consists of: 1) a Pasco CI-6512 RLC circuit board containing a selection of resistors and capacitors and a variable inductor, 2) a Pasco Science Workshop 750 Interface computer data acquisition and control system, 3) computer system with Pasco DataStudio software, and 4) voltage probe and leads with banana plugs. Theory: This experiment is concerned with some simple alternating current (AC) circuits containing resistor, capacitors, and inductors and the effect these devices have on the flow of current. The emf source for these circuits varies sinusoidally. This sinusoidally varying voltage can be described by the equation Vs=Vsm cos (omega * time) where Vs is the instantaneous voltage of the AC source at any instant of time t. Similarly, the current supplied by an AC source can be described Is = Ism cos (omega*time) where Is is the instantaneous current at time t and Ism is the amplitude of the current. AC Circuit with Resistor In a simple AC circuit consisting of an AC source and a resistance R, the voltage across the resistance, Vr will be given by Ohms law to be Vr=Is*R since the current is the same in all parts of the circuit. AC Circuit with Capacitor

In a simple AC circuit consisting of an AC source and a capacitor C, the voltage across the capacitor, Vc will vary periodically with time with the same frequency as the AC source, but out of phase with a phase angle difference of phi and Vc=Vcm cos(omega*t + phi). Substituting phi = -pi/2 into the above equation for the voltage and comparing it to earlier equations for the output current, gives the relationships Vc = Vcm cos(omega*t-(pi/2)) and Is=Ism cos(omega*t) that show that the output current, Is, leads the voltage across the capacitor, Vc, by a phase angle of pi/2. AC Circuit with Inductor In a simple AC circuit consisting of an AC source and a inductor L, the voltage across the inductor, VL, will vary periodically with time with the same frequency as the AC source, but out of phase with the source current with a phase angle difference of phi. As in case of capacitance reactance, the inductive reactance, XL, is measured in units of ohms and can be determined by measureing the amplitudes of the inductor voltage and the source output current with XL= omega*L. omega= 1/sqrt(LC).

Data Results:

Error Analysis: In the experiment there is a measure of error that is difficult to avoid given the circumstances and nature of obtaining measurements with faulty equipment. There is also a measure of error with any experiment involving measurements of resistors and capacitors and inductors because of their inherent tendencies to over-heat and fully charge and discharge, respectively. Conclusion: Capacitors affect the flow of current when changes in potential occur by. Inductors affect the flow of current when changes in potential occur by. Resistors also affect the flow of current. It was determined that the value for the time constant was measured correctly by graphical analysis. By using our measurements obtained by the equipment we were able to successfully graph our results with comparable accuracy and precision. Our calculations for the time constant voltages are supported by the data as well. The data collected can also be proven true by the equation relationships determined in the theory above.

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