Chapter 15:

RC Circuits (Part 1)
Series RC Circuits

1
 Objectives

After completing Part 1 of this chapter, you will be able

to:
• Analyse a series RC circuit
• Determine AC impedance of a series RC circuit
• Understand the phase relationship between voltages
and current in a series RC circuit
• Draw impedance and phasor diagrams of a series RC
circuit

2
 Introduction

The 3 main topics covered in this chapter :

• Analysis of series RC circuits (Part 1)

• Analysis of parallel RC circuits (Part 2)

• Power and power factor in RC circuits (Part 2)

3
 Revision
• In an ac circuit, opposition to current flow is
called impedance. Unit is ohm (Ω)
• Impedance of resistor is R(real).

• Impedance of capacitor is –jXC (imaginary).

o 1
Z C   jX C  X C   90    90o 
2fC
where XC is called the capacitive reactance.

4
 Revision

 Impedances in series, ZT = Z1 +Z2 + …+Zn

1 1 1 1
 Impedances in parallel,    
Z T Z1 Z 2 Zn

Z1 Z 2
 2 impedances in parallel, Z T 
Z1  Z 2
Remember, however, that
we are dealing with
complex Maths here!
5
15-1 Analysis of Series RC Circuits
Impedance of Series RC Circuit
The total impedance of the series RC circuit shown is
the sum of the impedance of the resistor and that of the
capacitor.
I

VR R
VS

1
VC  jX C   j
2fC
6
 Impedance of Series RC Circuit

Z  R  X C   90  R  jX C
In Polar form, this is:

2 2 1 Xc
Z  R  X c  where   tan
R

• Real part of Z is contributed by resistors.

• Imaginary part of Z is contributed by capacitors.

7
 Impedance Diagram
An Impedance Diagram shows all the impedances in
the circuit and can be drawn as follows:

R R
 
-jXC
Z OR
-jXC Z

8
Example 15-1
Find the impedance of a series circuit with
R=100W, C=2mF and a 500Hz AC source
Solution

Z  R  jX C

1 1 1
XC    6
 159
C 2fC 2 500(2 10 )

Z  100  j159 OR Z  187.8  57.83o

9
Voltages and Current in Series RC Circuit

 I is the common electrical quantity in a series

circuit.
 I chosen as reference phasor  I  I0O

 Source voltage: VS  VS  O

  is the phase between I and VS

10
Applying Circuit Laws to Series RC Circuit

Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law: VS  VR  VC

Ohm’s Law:

VS  I Z
VR  I R  I0 o  R0 o  IR0 o
(VR is in phase with I )

VC  I ( jX C )  I0 o  X C   90 o  IX C   90 o
(V C lags I by 90o )
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Phasor Diagram of a Series RC Circuit
I VR VR
I
 

VC
VS
VS
VC

• VS lags I by 
1
I( )
1 VC C   tan 1 ( 1 )
   tan   tan 1
VR IR CR
12
Relationship between Impedance Diagram and
Phasor Diagram

1. Impedance diagram and phasor diagram are similar

and are related by I since the impedance diagram
when multiplied with the circuit current becomes the
phasor diagram.

2. The phase of the circuit impedance and the phase of

the applied voltage is the same:

Z  VS  
13
 Analysis Procedure

1. Calculate circuit impedance : Z  R - jX C

VS
2. Calculate the circuit current : I 
Z

3. Calculate VR  I R VC  I  jX C 

4. Draw phasor & impedance diagrams if necessary

14
EXAMPLE 15-2
A 10 V, 1.5 kHz AC voltage source is connected
to a series RC circuit where R=2.2k & C=0.02
F. Assume VS  Z
a) Draw the phasor domain schematic diagram.
b) Draw the impedance diagram.
c) Draw the phasor diagram.
d) Write down the time domain sinusoidal expression of
the source voltage and the circuit current.

15
Solution:

1 1
(a) X C    5.3 k
2fC 2 1500(0.02  )
I

VR R=2.2 k

VS

VC -j5.3 k

phasor domain schematic diagram

16
 (b) Z  R  jX C  2.2  j 5.3k

2 2 5.3 1
Convert to polar form : Z  2.2  5.3   tan
2.2
Z  5.74 - 67.5o k

Impedance Diagram
R=2.2kΩ

-67.5o

XC= 5.3kΩ Z  5.74k

17
 o
VS 10  67.5 V o
(c ) I  o
 1.740 mA
Z 5.74  67.5 K

VR  I R  1.740 o mA 2.20o k  3.8380o V

VC  I (  jX C )  1.740 o mA 5.3  90 o k

VC  9.222  90 o V

18
 I 3.838V
VR
-67.5o
9.222V
10V

VS
VC
Phasor Diagram

(d ) i (t )  I p sin 2ft  1.74 2 sin 3000t mA

v(t )  V p sin( 2ft   )  10 2 sin( 3000t  67.5o ) V
19
 Summary

• The impedance of a series RC circuit is given by :

Z  R  jX C (rectangul ar form)

1 Xc
Z T  ZT  where    tan (polar form)
R

• In a series RC circuit, the circuit current leads the

source voltage by a phase angle of ϕ

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End of Chapter 15 (Part 1)

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