EE1301 Fundamentals of Electricity

Unit 4: Alternative Current (AC) Theory

4.1 Attributes of a Sinusoidal Signal

AC Electricity

Until the late 1800s, all the electrical circuits were operating with Direct Current (DC) sources. Since
AC is more efficient and economical to transmit over a long distance, AC systems became more
popular. Typically, at the generating station, three phase AC is generated. AC voltage (or current)
waveform is a periodic signal and can be represented as a sinusoid.

Instantaneous value: The magnitude of a waveform at any instant of time.

Amplitude (Am) (Peak value, Maximum value): The maximum value measured from its zero.

Peak to peak value (Vpp): The maximum variation between the maximum and minimum.

Frequency (f): The number of cycles per second; Measured in hertz (Hz).
Angular frequency (ω): Angular displacement per second. Measured in radians per second.
Period (T): Time duration of one cycle.

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Average value (Vave) : The average value of a symmetrical alternating quantity is the average value
measured over a half cycle.

Root Mean Square (RMS) value: Value which will produce the same effect as an equivalent DC
value.

Form Factor Peak Factor

Lagging and leading:

Signal B (voltage or current) is said to be lagging Signal A by θ because any point on B occurs θ
later in time than the corresponding point on A. Similarly, A is said to be leading B by θ because
any point on A occurs θ earlier in time than the corresponding point on B.

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Example 4.1

200

150

100
Voltage (V)

50

-50

-100

-150

-200
0 2.5 5 7.5 10 12.5 15 17.5 20 22.5 25
Time (mS)
Figure 4.1

Calculate

1. Amplitude
2. RMS (rms) value
3. Average value
4. Peak to peak value
5. Period
6. Frequency
7. Angular frequency
8. General expression in terms of time
9. Instantaneous value when time is 8 ms for the
voltage waveform shown below.

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