DC Circuits

First Order Circuits

Rachmad Setiawan
The Source Free Circuits

RC Circuit
When a circuit contains a single capacitor and several resistors and
dependent sources, the Thevenin equivalent can be found at the
terminals of the capacitor to form a simple RC circuit. Also, one can use
Thevenin’s theorem when several capacitors can be combined to form a
single equivalent capacitor.
RL Circuit
When a circuit has a single inductor and several resistors and
dependent sources, the Thevenin equivalent can be found at the
terminals of the inductor to form a simple RL circuit. Also, one can
use Thevenin’s theorem when several inductors can be combined to
form a single equivalent inductor.
 Singularity Functions

Unit Step Function

Unit Impulse Function
Unit Ramp Function
 Step Response

RC Circuit
RL Circuit

Complete Response

The complete response of the circuit is the sum of the natural

response and the forced response.
General Solution
Complete Response of RC Circuit
Complete Response of RL Circuit

𝐼𝑜 𝑡<0
𝑖 𝑡 = 𝑉𝑠 𝑉𝑠 −𝑅𝑡
+ 𝐼𝑜 − 𝑒 𝐿 𝑡>0
𝑅 𝑅
 Practice Problems

Find v(t) for t > 0. Assume the switch has been open for a long
time and is closed at t = 0. Calculate v(t) at t = 0.5
Solution

𝑣 0 = 10 V
6 2 60 − 100
𝑣 ∞ = 10 + −50 = = −5 V
6+2 2+6 8
1 12 1 1
𝜏= 2∥6 = =
3 8 3 2
𝑣(𝑡) = 𝑣𝑓 (𝑡) + 𝑣𝑛 (𝑡) 𝑣 𝑡 = −5 + 15𝑒 −2𝑡 V
𝑡
−𝜏
𝑣 𝑡 =𝑣 ∞ + 𝐴𝑒
𝑣 𝑡 = −5 + 𝐴𝑒 −2𝑡 𝑡 = 0.5 : 𝑣 0.5 = −5 + 15𝑒 −2(0.5)
𝑣 0.5 = −5 + 15 × 0.3679
For 𝑡 = 0 : 𝑣 0 = −5 + 𝐴
10 = −5 + 𝐴 ⟹ 𝐴 = 15 𝑣 0.5 = 0.5182 V
𝑣 0 = 10 V
6 2 60 − 100
𝑣 ∞ = 10 + −50 = = −5 V
6+2 2+6 8
1 12 1 1
𝜏= 2∥6 = =
3 8 3 2
𝑡
−𝜏
𝑣 𝑡 = 𝑣 ∞ + [𝑣 0 − 𝑣(∞)]𝑒

𝑣 𝑡 = −5 + [10 − (−5)]𝑒 −2𝑡

𝑣 𝑡 = −5 + 15𝑒 −2𝑡 V

𝑡 = 0.5 : 𝑣 0.5 = −5 + 15𝑒 −2(0.5)

𝑣 0.5 = −5 + 15 × 0.3679

𝑣 0.5 = 0.5182 V
The switch has been closed for a long time. It opens at t = 0. Find
i(t) for t > 0
Solution

𝑖 0 =3A
10
𝑖 ∞ = (3) = 2 A
5 + 10
1.5 1
𝜏= =
15 10
𝑡
−𝜏
𝑖 𝑡 = 𝑖 ∞ + [𝑖 0 − 𝑖(∞)]𝑒

𝑖 𝑡 = 2 + [3 − 2]𝑒 −10𝑡

𝑖 𝑡 = 2 + 𝑒 −10𝑡 A
The switch in has been in position a for a long time. At t = 0, it moves
to position b. Calculate i(t) for all t > 0.
Solution

𝑣
−

3 𝑡
−
𝑡<0 𝑣 𝑡 = 30 = 10 V 𝑣 𝑡 = 𝑣 ∞ + [𝑣 0 − 𝑣(∞)]𝑒 𝜏
3+6
𝑖 𝑡 =0 A 𝑣 𝑡 = 4 + [10 − 4]𝑒 −0.25𝑡
𝑡=0 𝑣 0 = 10 V 𝑣 𝑡 = 4 + 6𝑒 −0.25𝑡 V
3 𝑑𝑣(𝑡)
𝑡>0 𝑣 ∞ = 12 = 4 V
3+6 𝑖 𝑡 =2 = 2(−0.25)6𝑒 −0.25𝑡
𝑑𝑡
𝜏= 6∥3 2=4 𝑖 𝑡 = −3𝑒 −0.25𝑡 A

0 A 𝑡<0
𝑖 𝑡 =
−3𝑒 −0.25𝑡 A 𝑡>0