Alternating Current

Lect-01
 Today’s Goal
AC & DC Current
AC Generator
Avg & RMS Value
Pure Resistive Circuit
Alternating Current (A.C.):
➢Changes its direction
D.C Source A.C Source
 A.C. Generator
➢A Generator or Dynamo is a device which converts
Mechanical energy into Electrical Energy.

➢An A.C. Generator converts Mechanical Energy to

Alternating current.

➢Alternating Current: A current which changes its

direction regularly after a fixed interval of time.
 Principle:
➢ A closed coil is rotated in a uniform magnetic field. The Magnetic
Flux linked with coil changes & emf is induced.

N w
Sketch the emf and current v/s time graph.
Q) An a.c. generator consists of a coil of 100 turns and cross-
sectional area of 3m2. rotating at a constant angular speed
of 60 radians/sec in a uniform magnetic field of 0.04 T. The
resistance of the coil is 500 ohm. Calculate maximum
current drawn from the generator.

a) 1A
b) 1.24 A
c) 1.44 A
d) 1.67 A
Average value of Current: 𝒊avg or 𝒊 or <𝒊>
Q) If 𝒊=4t3 + 2t, find 𝒊avg in 2 seconds.

a) 20 A
b) 10 A
c) 8A
d) 4A
Q) Find the average current (𝒊)

a) 10 A
b) 5A
c) 7.5 A
d) 2.5 A
Root Mean Square (RMS) Value of Current
(and Voltage)
RMS Value is also known as effective value or virtual value.
a) 2 A
b) 4 A
c) 1 A
d) 0
 Now, we will study about a special type of Alternating
Current which varies sinusoidally
𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕

𝒊 → 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 ′𝒕′

𝒊𝒐 → 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒙𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒕
𝝎 → 𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝝎 = 𝟐𝝅𝒇 𝒇 → 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚
For 𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕, find 𝒊average for complete
cycle
For 𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕, find 𝒊average for half cycle
 For 𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕 Similarly for 𝑽 = 𝑽𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕
𝒊avg =0 𝑽avg =0
full cycle full cycle

𝟐 𝟐
𝒊avg = 𝒊𝒐 𝑽avg = 𝑽𝒐
𝝅 𝝅
half cycle half cycle
For 𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕, find 𝒊rms
𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕 𝑽 = 𝑽𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕
𝒊𝒐 𝑽𝒐
𝒊𝒓𝒎𝒔 = 𝑽𝒓𝒎𝒔 =
𝟐 𝟐
Significance of RMS Current
Q) If a time varying current 𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕 flows through a
Resistance ‘R’. Find the Heat generated in time ‘t’
Q) For 𝒊 = 𝟓𝟎𝒔𝒊𝒏𝟏𝟎𝟎𝝅𝒕. Calculate a)Mean value of a.c. over
positive half-cycle b) RMS Value of Current
Q) The peak value of an alternating voltage applied to a 50Ω
resistance is 10 V. Find rms current.

a) 0.2A
b) 0.311 A
c) 0.141 A
d) 0
Q) For 𝒊 = 𝒊𝒐 + 𝒊𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝛚𝒕 , Find 𝒊𝒓𝒎𝒔
Q) An ac is given by equation For 𝑰 = 𝑰𝟏𝐜𝐨𝐬𝛚𝒕 +𝑰𝟐𝒔𝒊𝒏𝝎𝒕 .
The rms value of current is given by
𝑰𝟏+𝑰𝟐
a) 𝟐
𝟐
𝑰𝟏+𝑰𝟐
b) 𝟐
𝑰𝟏𝟐+𝑰𝟐𝟐
c) 𝟐
𝑰𝟏𝟐+𝑰𝟐𝟐
d) 𝟐