Forced and Total Response in RL and RC Circuits

DRIVEN RL CIRCUITS

We are now ready to subject a simple network to the sudden application of a dc source. The circuit
consists of a battery whose voltage is V0 in series with a switch, a resistor R, and an inductor L. The
switch is closed at t = 0, as indicated on the circuit diagram of Fig. 1.1a. It is evident that the current
i(t) is zero before t = 0, and we are therefore able to replace the battery and switch by a voltage-step
forcing function V0u(t), which also produces no response prior to t = 0. After t = 0, the two circuits
are clearly identical.
Hence, we seek the current i(t) either in the given circuit of Fig. 1.1a or in the equivalent circuit of
Fig. 1.1b. We will find i(t) at this time by writing the appropriate circuit equation and then solving it
by separation of the variables and integration. After we obtain the answer and investigate the two
parts of which it is composed, we will see that there is physical significance to each of these two
terms. With a more intuitive understanding of how each term originates, we will be able to produce
more rapid and more meaningful solutions to every problem involving the sudden application of
any source.

a b
Applying Kirchhoff’s voltage law to the circuit of Fig. 1.1b, we have

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Example 1: For the circuit shown in Fig. 15, determine 𝑖(𝑡), 𝑡 ≥ 0.

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 For t<0
10𝑉
𝐼𝑜 = = 2𝐴
5Ω

Io

For t>0
Vth:
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24 + 8𝑖𝑥 − 10 = 0 → 𝑖𝑥 = −
8
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𝑉𝑡ℎ = 24 + 𝑖𝑥 × 6 = 24 − × 6 = 13.5𝑉
8 ix
𝑅𝑡ℎ = 3 + (2\\6) = 4.5Ω
𝐿 2
𝜏= = 𝑠𝑒𝑐.
𝑅𝑡ℎ 4.5

𝑉𝑆 𝑉𝑆 𝑡
𝑖(𝑡) = + (𝐼𝑜 − ) 𝑒 −𝜏
𝑅 𝑅
𝑡
13.5 13.5 −2⁄
𝑖(𝑡) = + (2 − ) 𝑒 4.5
4.5 4.5
𝑖(𝑡) = 3 − 𝑒 −2.25𝑡 𝐴, 𝑡 ≥ 0
Or
If= 9/3 = 3 A
𝑡
−2
𝑖(𝑡) = 3 + 𝐾𝑒 ⁄4.5
t=0
2= 3+ K
K= -1
𝑖(𝑡) = 3 − 𝑒 −2.25𝑡 𝐴, 𝑡 ≥ 0

Example

Determine i(t) for all values of time in the circuit of Figure below:

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and recall that

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The complete response is sketched in Fig. 2. Note how the natural response serves to connect the
response for t < 0 with the constant forced response.

DRIVEN RC CIRCUITS

The complete response of any RC circuit may also be obtained as the sum of the natural and the
forced response. Since the procedure is virtually identical to what we have already discussed in
detail for RL circuits, the best approach at this stage is to illustrate it by working a relevant example
completely, where the goal is not just a capacitor-related quantity but the current associated with a
resistor as well.

Example 2: The switch in the circuit shown in Fig. 17 has been in position (a) for a long time.
At t=0 the switch is moved to position (b).

(a) What is the initial value of 𝑣𝑐 ?

(b) What is the final value of 𝑣𝑐 ?
(c) What is the time constant of the circuit when the switch is in position (b)?
(d) What is the expression of 𝑣𝑐 (𝑡)when t0?
(e) What is the expression of 𝑖(𝑡)when t0+?
(f) How long after the switch is in position (b) does the capacitor voltage equal zero?
(g) Plot 𝑣𝑐 (𝑡) and 𝑖(𝑡) versus t.

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 b a
400k 20W
t=0
+
90V vC 0.5 mF 60W 40V
_ i

Sol.

(a) t<0
−40 20W
𝑣𝐶 (𝑡 = 0− ) = 𝑉0 = 60 = −30𝑉 +
20 + 60
vC 60W 40V
_

(b) 𝑣𝐶 (𝑡 = ∞) = 𝑉𝐹 = 90𝑉
(c ) 𝜏 = 𝑅𝐶 = (400 × 103 )(0.5 × 10−6 ) =
0.2𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝒕
(d) 𝒗(𝒕) = 𝑰𝒔 𝑹 + (𝑽𝒐 − 𝑰𝒔 𝑹)𝒆−𝝉

𝑣(𝑡) = 90 + (−30 − 90)𝑒 −5𝑡

𝑣(𝑡) = 90 − 120𝑒 −5𝑡 , t0

//we have used Thevenin’s Norton’s transfer 400k

to replace IsR; However we can always substitute +
IsR; by the final value of the capacitor voltage // 90V vC 0.5 mF
(f) 0 = 90 − 120𝑒 −5𝑡𝑧 _ i

−90
ln ( ) = −5𝑡
−120

𝑡 = 57.54𝑚𝑠
𝑑𝑣𝐶
(e) 𝑖𝐶 = 𝐶 = 0.5 × 10−6 × ((−5)(−120𝑒 −5𝑡 ))
𝑑𝑡

𝑖𝐶 = 0.3𝑒 −5𝑡 (𝑚𝐴), 𝑡 > 0

(f)

-4
x 10
100 3



50 2

X: 0.058
Y: 0.2084
0 i 1

-50 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
t (sec)

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Example:
Find the capacitor voltage VC(t) and the current i(t) in the 200 Ω resistor of Fig. 1 for all time.

FIGURE 1 (a) An RC circuit in which the complete responses VC and i are obtained by adding a
forced response and a natural response. (b) Circuit for t ≤ 0. (c) Circuit for t ≥ 0.

We begin by considering the state of the circuit at t < 0, corresponding to the switch at position a as
represented in Fig. 1b. As usual, we assume no transients are present, so that only a forced response
due to the 120 V source is relevant to finding VC(0−). Simple voltage division then gives us the
initial voltage,

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Since the capacitor voltage cannot change instantaneously, this voltage is equally valid at t = 0− and
t = 0+.
The switch is now thrown to b, and the complete response is

The corresponding circuit has been redrawn in Fig. 1c for convenience. The form of the natural
response is obtained by replacing the 50 V source by a short circuit and evaluating the equivalent
resistance to find the time constant (in other words, we are finding the Thévenin equivalent
resistance “seen’’ by the capacitor):

In order to evaluate the forced response with the switch at b, we wait until all the voltages and
currents have stopped changing, thus treating the capacitor as an open circuit, and use voltage
division once more:

And

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This response is sketched in Fig. 3; again the natural response is seen to form a transition from the
initial to the final response.

Next we attack i (t). This response need not remain constant during
the instant of switching. With the contact at a, it is evident that i = 50/260 = 192.3 milliamperes.
When the switch moves to position b, the forced response for this current becomes

The form of the natural response is the same as that which we already determined for the capacitor
voltage:

Combining the forced and natural responses, we obtain

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This response is sketched in Fig 3 Note that only four numbers are needed to write the functional
form of the response for this single energy- storage-element circuit, or to prepare the sketch: the
constant value prior to switching (0.1923 ampere), the instantaneous value just after switching (0.5
ampere), the constant forced response (0.1 ampere), and the time constant (1.2 s). The appropriate
negative exponential function is then easily written or drawn.

Class work

Q1) For the circuit of Figure below, compute the energy stored in the 10 mH inductor at t = 100 ms.

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Q2) For the circuit shown in Figure below find:

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