Lab 9: Impedance and Resonance in AC

Circuits

Name: John Hafele Date:7/24/2023

Lab Partner(s): Alexander Hernandez, Connor Pascual, Dylan Mandel

Laboratory Report

NOTE: Show all your calculations and graphs. If needed, include additional pages, or do your work on a
separate sheet and insert a scanned copy or picture in your lab report. Your grade will drastically be
reduced if no work is shown. Remember to include SI units for all your values.

A. RLC Circuit Resonance

R = 10  C = 100 F (.0001 F)
L = 8.2 mH (.0082 H) V0 = 5.0 V

Calculations
(Show all your work) Computed resonance frequency:

1 1
𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑠 = √ =√ = 176 Hz
4𝜋2 𝐿𝐶 4𝜋2 (.0082)(.0001)

Measured resonance frequency fres = 179 Hz

176𝐻𝑧−179𝐻𝑧
Percent error:| | ∗ 100 = 1.68%
179𝐻𝑧

Io = 0.162 (A)
5.0𝑉
Zres = Vo/Io =0.162 𝐴 = 30.86(Ω)

Determine
RL = Z res − R = 30.86 𝛺 − 10𝛺 =
20.86𝛺(Ω)

Question: Does the resonance frequency depend on the resistance? To see if the resistance
affects the resonance frequency, set the scope to the resonance frequency, and replace the 10 Ω
resistor with the 100 Ω resistor. Does the resonance frequency increase, decrease or stay the
same? Explain

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Lab 9: Impedance and Resonance in AC
Circuits
Changing the value of resistance from 10 to 100 shows that the resonance frequency will stay
the same. The resonance is independent of resistance. Resonance frequency only depends on
inductance of the coil and capacitance of the coil.

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Lab 9: Impedance and Resonance in AC
Circuits
B. Determine inductance of unknown inductor

R 10  Measured f * (resonance frequency): 179Hz

C 100 F Experimental value of L: 86 H

C. Impedance of a series RCL circuit

f I0 𝑉𝑟𝑚𝑠
𝑍𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠 = ⁄𝐼 Computed
𝑟𝑚𝑠
𝑉
= 0⁄𝐼 XC =
1 X L = 2fL Z calc = (R + RL )2 + ( X L
−X )2
0 C
2fC
(Hz) (A) ()
() ()
10 .032 156.25 159.1549 0.515221 161.6134
40 .118 42.37288 39.78874 2.060885 48.74146
80 .207 24.15459 19.89437 4.12177 34.6571
100 .245 20.40816 15.91549 5.152212 32.68314
120 .269 18.58736 13.26291 6.182654 31.6618
150 .292 17.12329 10.61033 7.728318 30.99428
170 .298 16.77852 9.362055 8.75876 30.8659
Fres=179 .304 16.44737 8.891338 9.222459 30.86178
180 .302 16.55629 8.841941 9.273982 30.86302
200 .300 16.66667 7.957747 10.30442 30.9491
300 .265 18.86792 5.305165 15.45664 32.4868
400 .218 22.93578 3.978874 20.60885 35.05561
500 .182 27.47253 3.183099 25.76106 38.23747
800 .121 41.32231 1.989437 41.2177 49.91188
1000 .098 51.02041 1.591549 51.52212 58.69754
(Note: You may use Microsoft Excel to do the calculation in the above table. For example, use
the first row, and fill it down!)
Insert a screenshot of your completed table in Excel.

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Lab 9: Impedance and Resonance in AC
Circuits
Plot Zmeas vs f and Zcalc vs f on the same log – log graph paper and insert your graphs here.
Zmeas vs f
180
160
140
120
Z meas (Ω)

100
80
60
40
20
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
f (Hz)

Zcalc vs f
180
160
140
120
Z calc (Ω)

100
80
60
40
20
0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
f (Hz)

Graphs (Insert here screenshots of each of your graphs, including V and I vs t)

Questions

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Lab 9: Impedance and Resonance in AC
Circuits
1. Use the values of R, L, and C of your RLC circuit to calculate the phase angle 𝜙 for the circuit.
Show all your calculations.

tan−1(𝑋𝐿 − 𝑋𝑐 ) = tan−1 (9.22459 − 8.891338) = 18.4 𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠

2. Research and describe at least two practical applications of RLC. Include references.
Practical App 1: RLC Circuits are often used in tuning circuits of analogue radios. This is made possible
by using a parallel plate variable capacitor. This allows for the value of C to be changed and tune to
different frequencies giving different stations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RLC_circuit

Practical App 2: RLC Circuits are also used in speakers. When you have a set up of something like
surround sound with different types of speakers such as, subs, tweeters, and mid range, a RLC can be used
as a filter with the sound. The RLC circuit is able to filter the different ranges of sounds to the supporting
speak with low and high pass filters.
https://www.subr.edu/assets/subr/ElectricalEngineering/TargetedInfusion/Files/ENGR-120_RLC-
Circuits.pdf

CONCLUSION
In Lab 10 our topic is the impedance and resonance in AC circuits. Our objectives for the lab are to measure
the impedance of a series RCL circuit as a function of the frequency of the voltage source. To understand RLC
series circuit resonance and its effects. Determine the resonance frequency of the given RLC circuit and
determine the inductance of an unknown inductor by measuring resonance frequency. To perform the
experiment in the lab we used the TCC computer with the PASCO Capstone software, The PASCO 850
Universal Interface, the PASCO series box and a couple of patch cables. Following the procedure, we were
able to set up the capstone software easily. As I set up the computer my fellow lab mates set up the circuit
board to the procedure’s directions, setting up the board was the easiest part of the lab. After the board and
computer were set up, we attempted a test run and found that our system was reading no current. Our issue was
found to be human error in a couple factors. The first factor was that our wires into the system were switched.
We fixed that with ease by switching the red and black wires. Our second hiccup was that some of the
software’s settings were set wrong. To receive our data, we had to set the system to auto scale from zero each
time we did a test run. After we found we had to rescale the graphs each time we were able to move through
the lab following the manual easily. We performed all of the data taking and had finished with the lab. After
recording all of our data we cleaned our station and placed all of the equipment back where it goes.

Starting the analysis we started at part A of the calculations and went through each part calculating as we went.
The biggest calculation was that of the entire table C. To make these calculations easy and accurate I utilized
an Excel program to use the same formula and different values in over half the time it would take if I did these
calculations by hand. From these calculated values we were able to create graphs comparing the values. RCL
circuits are found in a lot more common things in the world than we know. A notable usage of RLC circuits it
that of audio equipment. In radio tuning to different frequencies is done through RCL circuits. Another audio
usage is filtering. When you are in the car and a song comes on the RCL circuit is able to filter the range of
sound within each song to send those attributes of the song to their respective speakers. This is to help the
speakers express what they were built for and to not break them since they all have different ranges.

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