AlternAting current
Important formulas and concepts-
➢ The electric mains supply in our homes and offices is a voltage that varies like a
sine function with time, such a voltage is known as alternating voltage and
current driven by it in a circuit is known as alternating current(ac current).
➢ AC is preferred over DC because
1)ac voltages can be efficiently converted from one voltage to another by means
of transformers.
2)electrical energy can also be transmitted economically over long distances.
❖ AC voltage applied to a resistor-
➢ Instantaneous Voltage, V = Vo sinωt (Vo is peak value of voltage or
Amplitude of oscillating
Potential difference)
➢ Instantaneous Current, I = (Vo / R) sinωt
I = Io sinωt (Io is peak value of current)
Io = Vo/R
➢ “Voltage and currents are in phase with each other”.
➢ Over one complete cycle, the sum of instantaneous current values is zero and
average current is also zero.
➢ Root mean square (rms) current or effective current (Irms or I)
I = Irms = Io /√2
Similarly rms voltage,
V = Vrms = Vo /√2
➢ Average power,
<P> = VI = V2/R
❖ AC voltage applied to an inductor-
➢ Inst. Voltage, V = Vo sinωt
➢ Inst. Current, I = Io sin (ωt – π/2)
Io = Vo/ωL
➢ Inductive reactance,
XL = ωL
Io = Vo/XL
• It is analogous to resistance.
• Dimensions and unit same as resistance.
• It limits the current in a purely inductive circuit as resistance in purely resistive circuit.
• It is directly proportional to frequency.
➢ “ current lags the voltage by π/2”.
➢ Average power over a complete cycle is zero.
❖ AC voltage applied to an capacitor-
➢ Inst. Voltage, V = Vo sinωt = q/C
➢ Inst. Current, I = Io sin(ωt + π/2)
Io = Vo / (1/ωC)
➢ Capacitive reactance,
XC = 1/ωC
Io = Vo / XC
• It plays role of resistance.
• Dimensions and unit same as resistance
• It limits the current in a purely capacitive circuit.
• It is inversely proportional to frequency.
➢ “current is π/2 ahead of voltage”.
➢ The average power over a complete cycle is zero.
❖ AC voltage applied to a series LCR circuit-
➢ Voltage, V = Vo sinωt
➢ VR is parallel to I.
VC and VL are always along the same line and in opposite directions.
➢ Io = Vo / √R2 + (XL– XC)2
Io = Vo / Z
Impedance , Z = √R2 + (XL – XC)2
➢ ϕ is the phase angle b/w V R or I and V.
tan ϕ = VC – VL / VR
tan ϕ = XC – XL / R
• if XC>XL , ϕ is positive and circuit is predominantly capacitive.
The current leads the voltage.
• If XL>XC , ϕ is negative and circuit is predominantly inductive.
The voltage leads the current.
❖ Resonance-
➢ At a particular frequency ωo , XC = XL , and the impedance is minimum (Z = R),
This frequency is known as ‘ resonant frequency’.
➢ XC = XL , 1/ωoC = ωoL
ωo = 1/ √LC
➢ At resonant frequency , current amplitude is maximum,
Io = Vo / R
➢ Application in ‘the tuning mechanism of radio or a TV set’.
In tuning, the resonant frequency of circuit becomes nearly equal to the frequency of
radio signal received.
➢ The resonant frequency is exhibited by a circuit only if both L and C are present
in a circuit . we can’t have resonance in a RL or RC circuit.
o sharpness of resonance-
▪ if we choose a value of ω for which current amplitude is 1/√2 times its
maximum value, power dissipated becomes.
There are two such values of ω, ω1 and ω2 , one smaller and one greater than ωo.
ω1 = ωo + Δω
ω2 = ωo – Δω
▪ the difference ω1 – ω2 = 2Δω is known as ‘ Bandwidth of circuit’.
▪ The quantity (ωo / 2Δω) is regarded as measure of sharpness of resonance.
▪ Δω = R/2L
Sharpness of resonance, ωo / 2Δω = ωoL/R
The ratio ωoL/R is also called ‘quality factor(Q)’
2Δω = ωo / Q
Larger the value of Q, smaller is the value of bandwidth and resonance is
sharper.
▪ Q = ωoL/R = 1/ωoCR
▪ Less sharp the resonance, less is the selectivity of the circuit.
If Q is large, i.e. R is low and L is high, the circuit is more selective.
❖ Power in AC circuit : The Power Factor-
➢ Power factor = cosϕ
1) Resistive circuit: ϕ = 0 , cosϕ = 1
Maximum power dissipation
2) Purely inductive or capacitive circuit: ϕ = π/2 , cosϕ = 0
Power dissipated is zero.
Current is known as ‘wattless current’
3) LCR circuit,: ϕ = tan-1(XC-XL/R)
ϕ may be non zero in RL , RC or LCR circuit
even in such cases , power is dissipated only in resistor.
4) LCR circuit at resonance: XC = XL, ϕ = 0 , cosϕ = 1
Power dissipated is maximum.
❖ Transformers-
➢ It is a device used to transform an ac voltage from one to another of greater and
smaller value.
➢ Based on principle of ‘ Mutual Induction’.
➢ Primary and sec. voltages related to no. of turns as,
VS/VP = NS/NP
➢ Currents are related as,
IS/IP = NP/NS
