Laboratory Activity No.

5
AC RL Circuit Analysis
Objective:

 To analyze the behavior of RL circuits at AC and understand the concepts of

inductive reactance, phase shift, and impedance.
Materials Needed:

 Power supply (AC)

 Multi-meter
 Resistor (R)
 Inductor (L)
 Connecting wires
 Breadboard (optional)

Results and Discussion:

Figure 1. Construction of the Circuit.

 Figure 2. Voltage Measurement Across Resistor.

Figure 3. Measurement of Current flowing through the Circuit.

Calculating the inductive reactance and impedance using the following equation:

𝑋𝐿 = 2𝜋𝑓𝐿
𝑋𝐿 = 2𝜋(50𝐻𝑍 )(100𝑚𝐻)
𝑋𝐿 = 31.416𝛺

𝑍 = √𝑅2 + 𝑋𝐿2

𝑍 = √(100𝛺)2 + (31.416𝛺)2 = 104.82𝛺

Calculating the Impedance using Ohm’s Law;

𝑉
𝑍=
𝐼
5𝑉
𝑍= = 104.85𝛺
47.687𝑚𝐴
Measurements have some degree of error associated with them. The accuracy of a
measurement is limited by the precision of the measuring instrument used and the
variability associated with the measurement process itself. Measured values can be affected
by factors such as environmental conditions, instrument calibration, and human error.
Calculated values are based on mathematical relationships and theoretical models that
often involve simplifying assumptions. These assumptions may not perfectly reflect real-
world conditions and may overlook important factors that affect the accuracy of the
resulting calculation. In some cases, it may be impossible or impractical to measure certain
quantities directly, requiring engineers and scientists to make assumptions or use indirect
methods to estimate these quantities. This can lead to some discrepancies between
calculated and measured values.
 Figure 4. RL Circuit with oscilloscope

Figure 5. Phase difference between the current and voltage

In an ideal inductor, the phase difference between the current and voltage is 90 degrees.
This means that the current lags behind the voltage by 90 degrees. This is because in an
inductor, when current flows through the inductor, it induces a magnetic field around it. The
changing magnetic field then induces a voltage across the inductor, which opposes the flow
of current. This voltage is proportional to the rate of change of current, and since current
changes continuously, the voltage across the inductor is continuously changing.
According to Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction, when there is a change in
magnetic flux through a coil, an EMF is induced in that coil. In an inductor, the flux change is
proportional to the current passing through it, so the voltage induced across the inductor is
proportional to this rate of change. This results in a phase shift of 90 degrees, in which the
voltage across the inductor will be maximum when the current is changing at its maximum
rate, and vice versa. However, in real-world inductors, there may be resistance and
capacitance present in the circuit, which can alter the phase difference between the current
and voltage. In such cases, the phase difference may be less than 90 degrees, and may also
depend on the frequency of the current and voltage.

Frequency Inductive Reactance Impedance Phase Shift

50Hz 31.42 104.82 17.48
60Hz 37.7 106.87 20.71
70Hz 43.98 109.24 23.81
Table 1. Inductive Reactance, Impedance, Phase Shift with varying frequency

Figure 6. Frequency at 50Hz

 Figure 7. Frequency at 10kHz

To Calculate Phase difference, we use the Equation;

Phase angle= ΔT*f*360

As the frequency of the applied AC voltage increases, the phase shift between the current
and voltage also increases. Specifically, the voltage lags behind the current, and this lagging
angle or phase shift, which is measured in degrees, increases with increasing frequency. This
happens because at higher frequencies, the inductor impedance increases, which causes the
voltage across the inductor to increase and lag behind the current, resulting in a larger
phase shift between them.

Results and Discussions:

1.Based on your observations, discuss the behavior of RL circuits at AC.
In an RL circuit, the resistance (R) and inductance (L) are connected in series with an
alternating current (AC) source. The behavior of the circuit in AC depends on the frequency
of the AC source and the values of R and L. When the frequency of the AC source is low, the
inductor behaves like a wire and offers low impedance to the current. The voltage across
the inductor is in phase with the current, and the circuit behaves like a purely resistive
circuit. High Frequency: When the frequency of the AC source is high, the inductor offers
high impedance to the current. The voltage across the inductor leads the current flow by 90
degrees. This means that the circuit behaves like a purely inductive circuit, and the current
lags behind the voltage by 90 degrees. At a certain frequency, called the resonant
frequency, the inductive reactance is equal to the capacitive reactance, and the impedance
of the circuit is at its minimum. At this frequency, the circuit behaves like a purely resistive
circuit. In an RL circuit, the current takes some time to reach its maximum value due to the
time required for the inductor to build up the magnetic field. Once the maximum current is
reached, the inductor starts to store energy in its magnetic field. When the AC source starts
to reverse its polarity, the energy stored in the magnetic field is released, which opposes the
change in the current. This keeps the current flowing in the circuit, even when the voltage
across the source is zero.

2.Explain how the inductive reactance, impedance, and phase shift are influenced by the
frequency, inductance, and resistance in the circuit.
Inductive reactance is a property of an inductor that resists the flow of current in the circuit.
It is directly proportional to the frequency of the current and the inductance of the inductor.
As the frequency increases, so does the inductive reactance. As the inductance of the
inductor increases, so does the inductive reactance. Impedance is the total opposition to the
flow of current in a circuit. It is a combination of resistance and reactance. In addition to
inductive reactance, the impedance of an inductor is also dependent on the resistance of
the circuit. As the resistance increases, the impedance also increases. Phase shift is the time
delay between the voltage and current waves in a circuit. In an inductive circuit, the phase
shift is positive, meaning that the voltage waves lags behind the current wave. The amount
of phase shift is directly proportional to the frequency of the current and the inductance of
the inductor. As the frequency increases, the phase shift also increases. As the inductance of
the inductor increases, the phase shift also increases.

3.Summarize your findings and any patterns you discovered.

In Summary, the RL AC circuit consists of a resistor and an inductor connected to an AC
power source. In this circuit, the inductor's inductive reactance and impedance increase as
the frequency of the AC current increases and are directly proportional to the inductance of
the inductor. The phase shift in an RL AC circuit is positive, with the voltage wave lagging
behind the current wave. The phase shift also increases as the frequency of the current and
the inductance of the inductor increases. These properties make analyzing and designing
efficient and effective inductive AC circuits essential. The behavior of an RL circuit in AC
depends on the frequency of the AC source and the values of R and L. At low frequencies,
the circuit behaves like a purely resistive circuit, at high frequencies, it behaves like a purely
inductive circuit, and at the resonant frequency, it behaves like a purely resistive circuit
again.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, in an RL AC circuit, the inductor's inductive reactance and impedance increase
while the frequency of the AC current increases. The inductive reactance and impedance are
also directly proportional to the inductance of the inductor. The phase shift in an RL AC
circuit is positive, meaning that the voltage waves lags behind the current wave. Similarly,
the phase shift also increases as the frequency of the current and the inductance of the
inductor increases. Considering these factors, it is clear that inductive circuits present
unique challenges when designing and analyzing AC circuits, and understanding these
dynamics is essential for creating efficient and effective circuits.