SERIES CIRCUIT: RESISTANCE AND INDUCTANCE AC MACHINE

MODULE 4 SERIES CIRCUIT: RESISTANCE AND

INDUCTANCE

OBJECTIVES: At the end of the lesson, you will;

1. Explain the current-voltage relationship in an AC series circuit containing resistance

and inductance.
2. Apply vectors to the analysis of an RL AC series circuit.

PROCEDURES: Try to read and understand the following:

INTRODUCTION

All coils, inductors, chokes and transformers create a magnetic field around
themselves consist of an Inductance in series with a Resistance forming an RL Series circuit.

A RL Series circuit consists basically of an inductor of inductance, L connected in

series with a resistor of resistance, R. The resistance “R” is the DC resistive value of the wire
turns or loops that goes into making up the inductors coil. Consider the RL series circuit
below (Figure 1).

FIGURE 1 (R – L circuit)

RESISTANCE AND INDUCTANCE IN SERIES

Resistors, coils and capacitors may be connected in series in several combinations

for specialized purposes. One such purpose is shown in Figure 2 regarding automobile
production.

Resistors and coils offer opposition to alternating current. The voltage and current in
a resistor are in-phase. In a coil, however, the current lags the voltage drop across the coil by
90⁰.

The combined opposition of resistors and coils is called impedance and

measured in ohms.
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FIGURE 2 (Production application)

Circuit A: Series Circuit Containing Two Resistors

As shown in Figure 3, the current in a series circuit is the same throughout. The total
resistance is the sum of all the resistance in the circuit. The total voltage is the sum of the
voltage across each resistor.

FIGURE 3 (Analysis of a series circuit containing two resistors)

OPPOSITION:

RT = R1 + R2

RT = 5Ω + 10Ω

RT = 15Ω

VECTOR SUM:

E1 = 50V E2 = 100V

ET = 150V
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Circuit B: Series Circuit Containing a Resistor and Coil

For the 5-ohms resistor in Figure 4, the current is in-phase with the voltage. The
current in the coil lags the coil voltage by 90⁰. The line current lags the total or line voltage by
less than 90⁰ depending on the values of R and XL.

The resistance and the reactance must, therefore, be added vectorially

obtain the value of impedance.

FIGURE 4 (Analysis of a series circuit containing resistor and coil)

FINDING IMPEDANCE OF AN INDUCTIVE SERIES CIRCUIT

IMPEDANCE FORMULA:

Z = √ R2 + XL2

Where: Z = impedance in ohms

R = resistance in ohms

XL = inductive reactance in ohms

EXAMPLE: Take the given data in Figure 4, R = 5Ω and XL = 10Ω. Find the Z.

Z = √ R2 + XL2

Z = √ (5)2 + (10)2

Z = √ 25 + 100

Z = √ 125

Z = 11.2Ω

FINDING TOTAL VOLTAGE OF AN INDUCTIVE SERIES CIRCUIT

VOLTAGE FORMULA:

ET = √ ER2 + EL2
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EXAMPLE: Take the given data in Figure 4, ER = 50V and EL = 100V. Find the ET.

ET = √ ER2 + EL2

ET = √ (50)2 + (100)2

ET = √ 2500 + 10 000

ET = √ 12 500

ET = 111.8 V

FINDING TOTAL CURRENT OF AN INDUCTIVE SERIES CIRCUIT

By Ohm’s Law: As with all other types of circuits, Ohm’s Law applies to this
circuit as well.

I = ET / Z

EXAMPLE: Find the current in the circuit shown in the Figure and the voltages across R
and L.

First, find XL..

XL = 2πfL

XL = 2(3.14)(60)(0.0796)

XL = 30Ω

Then, use the impedance formula:

Z = √ R2 + XL2

Z = √ (40)2 + (30)2

Z = √ 1600 + 900

Z = √ 2500

Z = 50Ω

Hence, the current is:

I=E/Z

I = 120 / 50

I = 2.4 A

Therefore, the voltages across R and L are: Using Ohm’s Law

For resistor R,

ER = IR
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 SERIES CIRCUIT: RESISTANCE AND INDUCTANCE AC MACHINE

ER = (2.4)(40)

ER = 96 V

For inductor L,

EL = IXL

EL = (2.4)(30)

EL = 72 V

SUMMARY

When a circuit contains resistance and inductance, the combined opposition to

current is called impedance. Using Ohm’s Law, the current in a circuit is equal to the total
voltage divided by the total impedance. The current will lag behind the total voltage. The
amount of lag is greater than zero (0⁰) and less than 90⁰, and depends solely on the amount
of resistance and inductive reactance in the circuit. In a series RL circuits, the total voltage
will be the vector sum of the voltage across the resistance and the voltage across the
inductive reactance.

ADDITIONAL READINGS

Websites: 1. https://bit.ly/2YwF7AF

2. https://bit.ly/30CmrlV

3. https://bit.ly/2YyMl7t

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 SERIES CIRCUIT: RESISTANCE AND INDUCTANCE AC MACHINE

EVALUATION
Name: __________________________________________ Date: _________

Course/Year: _____________________________ Score: ________

In problems 1 through 10, select the best answer to make the statement true.

1. The total opposition, in ohms, of a 3-ohm resistor in series with 4-ohm coil is

a. 3
b. 4
c. 5
d. 7
e. 12
2. In an RL AC circuit, the phase relationship of current through the coil to the voltage
across the coil is that
a. A 90⁰ relationship exist
b. The voltage lags the current
c. There is always a 63.4⁰ relationship
d. A 45⁰ relationship exist
e. The waveform are in-phase
3. An AC series circuit contains a 4-ohm resistor and an inductance coil. The voltage
across the resistor is 80 V and the voltage across the coil is 60 V. The total voltage
applied to the circuit is

a. 20
b. 60
c. 80
d. 100
e. 140
4. For the circuit described in problem 3, the total circuit current, in amperes is
a. 1.5
b. 2
c. 15
d. 20
e. 35

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5. For circuit described in problem 3, state the angle between the voltage across the
resistor and the current without the use of a formula.

a. 0⁰
b. 30⁰
c. 45⁰
d. 63.4⁰
e. 90⁰
6. The total impedance, in ohms, of the circuit shown in the Figure.

a. 15
b. 20
c. 25
d. 29
e. 35
7. A 40-ohm resistor is connected in series with 0.08-henry coil. The combination is
connected to a 150 V, 40 Hz source. The magnitude of total current, in ampere, is
a. 2.14
b. 3.36
c. 3,75
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d. 5.0
e. 30

8. In the circuit shown in the Figure, if ER = 21 V and EL = 28 V, perform the following:

a. Find the value of ET

b. Find the value of R

c. Find the value of XL

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9. Determine the voltage across the inductor shown in the Figure.

10. Using the circuit in Problem 9, change R to 20 ohms and find the voltage across it.

11. Change the inductance in Problem 9 to 0.5 H and find the voltage across 25-ohm
resistor.

12. The impedance for the circuit shown in the Figure is 40 ohms. Find the total voltage if
the voltage across R is 100 volts.

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