Experiment 3

By Prof. Dr. El-hadi, Ahmed and Dr. Al-hashmi, Samira

Name______________________ ID_______________ Date_____________

AC Circuits - The RC Series Circuit

Introduction:
The RC circuit is used to determine the input and output relationship of voltage and current for
different frequencies. In the RC series circuit the voltage delays the current by 900.
Aim
To learn the properties of an AC circuit containing a resistance R and a capacitance C.
To draw and study the phasor relationship between Voltage, Current and impedance in a single
phase AC Circuit.
To determine the capacitor capacity and Explain the effect of frequency on the impedance and
voltage phasors for a Capacitive circuit
Apparatus (Tools)
(a) Function generator (AC power supply)
(b) an AC multimeter
(c) a sample containing a capacitor (1 μF) and three
resistors (10Ω, 47 Ω and 100 Ω
Theory
Alternating Current (AC)
In an AC circuit the current
flows in one direction for a short time,
then reverses and flows in the opposite
direction for an equally short time,
before making another reversal, and so
on. The value of the current i
changes in time harmonically.
(Fig. 1).
The instantaneous current i in Fig. 1 is described by:
i = Imax · sin  t = Imax · sin 2π f t (1)
Where Imax = maximum amplitude of the current; f = frequency;  = angular frequency = 2πf .
Both f and  are measured in hertz (= cycles/second (cps) for frequency and radians/sec for
angular frequency).

Phase Relationships
When an AC has given by (1) flows through a resistor, the instantaneous voltage*
between
the terminals of the resistor is:


In this instruction sheet, small case letters for currents and voltages will be used to denote
instantaneous values which are functions of time.

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 Experiment 3

vR = i R = Imax R · sin  t (2)

and is said to be in phase with the current. This means that vR and i are zero at the same instant
of time, and they also reach their maximum values at the same instant of time.
When a capacitor is inserted in the path of an alternating current (1), the current still
flows to and from the power supply, as the capacitor is alternately charged and discharged. The
instantaneous voltage vC across the capacitor is:
· Imax · sin(  t +  )
1 1
vC = - · Imax · cos  t = (3)
c c 2
It takes some time for the voltage to build up in the capacitor when the current flows, so that the
phase of the voltage is different from the phase of the current. The voltage peaks after the
current peaks. We say that the “voltage lags the current by 90º (or  , in radians)”, or that the
2
current “leads the voltage by 90º” (Fig. 2).\

RMS Values
In AC circuits, harmonically-varying quantities like voltages and currents are
characterized by their amplitudes. It is customary to use “effective values” (RMS values) defined
by:
RMS value = peak amplitude (4)
2
e.g.
IRMS = 1 Imax VRMS = 1 Vmax
2 2
Phasor Diagrams (Vector Diagrams)
Harmonically-varying quantities are customarily represented by phasors (often called
vectors in this context) in a PHASOR DIAGRAM (=vector diagram), constructed as follows:
(i) All voltages are plotted using their RMS values, on the chosen scale.
(ii) Voltages in phase with the current are plotted as vectors in the positive
x direction (to the right) - see Fig. 3.
(iii) Voltages lagging the current by 90° are plotted as vectors in the negative
y direction (down) - see Fig. 3.
(iv) All other voltages are plotted as vectors in a similar fashion, according to their
Phase with respect to the current.
The reason for this is that the resultant RMS voltage across two or more circuit elements
(like resistors, capacitors, inductors) connected in series, is the vector sum of individual RMS

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 Experiment 3

voltages. For instance, a resistor in series with a capacitor yields a phasor diagram as in Fig. 3
and formulae (5) apply:

IMPORTANT NOTE: In AC circuits, all phases are given in the range between + 90°
and - 90° . Negative angles are to be used when applicable!
Reactances and Impedances
The quantity appearing in equation (3), 1/ c, is called the reactance of the capacitor
(capacitive reactance) Xc:
Xc = 1 (6)
c
and is measured in ohms (when C is in farads and  is in hertz). The RMS values of the current
and the voltage across the capacitor are related by
VRMS = IRMS XC (7)
If we have a capacitor and a resistor in series, then the voltage across the resistor
alone is:
VR = I R (8)
but for the RC circuit, using the equations (5), this can be rewritten as:
VRC = I  R2 + Xc2 = I · ZRC tan φRC = -Xc (9)
R
Where the quantity ZRC = (R2 + Xc2 ) is the impedance of the RC combination and is measured
in ohms.
Procedure Part I. Constant Frequency and voltage
By used AC power supply and AC multimeter
Z2 = R2 +X2C from the plot and Calculate the Z2 and R2, Z2/R2 = X2C = slope
𝑋𝑐 = √1/2πfc➔ C =
where, R the resistance, Z is the impedance and 𝑋𝐶 is the capacitance
impedance
procedure
1- Connect the circuit as shown in figure 4. .
2- Adjust the voltage suitable value.
3- Change the resistance value and collect the current.
4- Calculate the Z2 and R2.
5- Plot the R2as x-axis and the Z2 as y-axis
6- From the line slop, determine Xc
7- From the equation above, we can determine the capacitor capacity C.
Table 1

8
 1)aim: Experiment 3
2)theory:
3)table: 10^-6 (A) 4)R.S
R (Ω) I (mA) Z=V/I Z2 R2
1 1000 17.96 1.11x10^6 1.23x10^12

2 2000 9.82 2.03x10^6 4.12x10^12

V=20V 3 3000 6.68 2.99x10^6 8.94x10^12

4 4000 5.04 3.98x10^6 15.84x10^12

5 5000 4.04 4.95x10^6 24.5x10^12

6 6000 3.37 5.93x10^6 35.1x10^12

7 7000 2.89 6.92x10^6 4.78x10^12

6) Xc
*^6 ?=Xc^2 .‫من الرسم الجزء املقطوع‬
5)Graph Xc =? root squre

*^6

By using an oscilloscope and function generator 7) Xc=1/2(3.14) (50) (C)

a) With the AC power supply unplugged and its
power switch OFF, set up a circuit as in Fig. 4,
7) 1X10^12=1/2(3.14) (50) (C)
using resistance R1  10 Ω in your sample.
Record its exact value. Your instructor will
explain to you how to use the power supply and
the AC multimeter. You will be using the
1.20 volt AC scale (red scale) on the
multimeter and you are required to read it
within 0.05 volts accuracy:
Make sure that you can do this correctly!
Set the frequency f =200 hertz and record this value. Set the voltage output
knob to the MINIMUM POSITION. Engage your voltmeter (multimeter)
between the terminals of the power supply, using the 1.20 volt AC scale.
CHECK YOUR SET-UP WITH YOUR LAB INSTRUCTOR BEFORE
PROCEEDING FURTHER.
b) Upon your instructor’s approval, plug in your power supply and turn the power ON.
By slowly turning the output knob, increase the output voltage to between 1.20 and
1.25 volts and record it with an accuracy
of 0.05 volts as VOUT .
c) Measure and record the voltages VR and VC across the resistor and the capacitor
Separately. Measure and record the voltage VRC across both of them together.
Always maintain the 0.05 volt accuracy. This completes Run #1.
d) Change the resistance to R2  47 Ω (in your sample) and record its exact value.
Using the same frequency (f = 200 hertz) as before, return the voltage output knob

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 Experiment 3

to MINIMUM POSITION. Engage your voltmeter between the terminals of the power
supply and set the output voltage between 1.20 and 1.25 volts. It need not be the
same as under (b) earlier, but record its value, whatever it is.
Repeat (c) and label caring all values. This completes Run #2.
e) Change the resistance to R3  100 Ω and repeat (d), always starting with the
MINIMUM POSITION of the output knob. This completes Run #3.
Procedure Part II. Different Frequencies
f) Revert to your original resistance R1 as in (a) (about 10 Ω). Set the frequency to
f1 = 20 kilo hertz. Following the procedures of Part I again adjust the output voltage to
be between 1.20 and 1.25 volts. Repeat (c) and record everything (labeling carefully!).
g) Keeping the same resistance , set the frequency to f2 = 2 kilo hertz. Repeat (f) and
record.
h) Repeat (g) with f3 = 200 hertz and record.
Procedure Part III. High Frequency
j) Using R1  330 Ω, set the frequency at 2kilo hertz. Adjust the output as usual.
Measure and record VR , VC , VRC.
Lab Report
1) Using your measured values of VR , and VC , draw a phasor diagram as in Fig. 3,
accurately to a scale (quote what your scale is!), separately for each of the three
runs. Use graph paper.
2) Prepare a table as shown below. Quote all units. To find the deduced values of VRC
and ɸRC use the measured values of VR , and VC , and formulae (5). To find
graphical values of ɸRC, measure the angles carefully, with a protractor, in your
phasor diagrams.

Table 2: (CONSTANT FREQUENCY) f = .............................

GRAPHICAL
RUN R MEASURED VALUES VALUES %
# (ohms) Error In VRC
VR VC VRC VRC φRC
1
2
3

Fill out this table using your calculator. For the % discrepancies use the measured VRC as the
basis.

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 Experiment 3

ii.
3) Draw phasor diagrams as in (1) above.
4) Prepare a table as shown below. Quote all units.

TABLE TWO: (DIFFERENT FREQUENCIES) R=...........

MEASURED VALUES DEDUCED VALUES
f
I = VR XC = VC ZRC = R 2 + XC 2 VRC
(hertz) VR VC VRC
R I ZRC
20 k
2k
200
Fill out this table. To find the deduced values, use the measured values of VR , VC ,
and VRC, using formulae explicitly quoted in Table Two.
5) From the values of f and XC in Table Two, TABLE THREE
construct Table Three, as shown, and f XC C
calculate the capacitance C of your sample.
Quote your results in microfarads.

AVERAGE: