Experiment 8 Lab Manual

American International University- Bangladesh

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
COE 2102: Introduction to Electrical Circuits Laboratory

Title: Analysis of RC, RL, RLC series circuits and verification of KVL in RLC series Circuit related
to AC circuit Abstract:
The purpose of this experiment is to develop an understanding of circuits containing R,L and
C components, to be able to analyze the outputs of RC & RL series circuit obtained
practically with simulated or theoretical results along with the determination of phase
relationship between V and I in an RLC series circuit, and finally to draw the complete vector
diagram of and verify KVL for an RLC series circuit.

Introduction:

The RC & RL circuit is used to determine the input and output relationship of voltage and
current for different frequencies. In RC series circuit the voltage lags the current by 90˚and in
RL series circuit the voltage leads the current by 90˚.

An RLC circuit is an electrical circuit consisting of a resistor, an inductor, and a capacitor,

connected in series. The RLC part of the name is due to those letters being the usual electrical
symbols for resistance, inductance and capacitance respectively. Series RLC circuits are
classed as second-order circuits because they contain two energy storage elements, an
inductance and a capacitance.

The primary objectives of the lab experiment are-

• To determine the reactance of the RL and RC circuits and the impedance equation
both practically and theoretically.
• To determine phase relationship between voltage and current in an RLC circuit.
• To draw the complete vector diagram.
• Design an RLC series circuit and verify KVL.

Theory and Methodology:

RC Series Circuit:
A resistor–capacitor circuit(RC circuit), or RC network, is an electric circuit composed of
resistors and capacitor is in series driven by a voltage or current source(See the Figure-1).
A first order RC circuit is composed of one resistor and one capacitor and is the simplest
type of RC circuit.
In Figure 1, Channel 1 of the oscilloscope indicates the input voltage E, and Channel 2 of
the oscilloscope indicates the voltage VRL across the resistor which is proportional to the
current I flowing in the circuit. The phase difference θ between voltage E and current I in
the RC series circuit can thus be found from the phase difference between Channel 1 and 2
waveforms.

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 Experiment 8 Lab Manual

Figure 1: RC Series circuit.

Analysis of a Series RC Circuit:

For doing a complete analysis of a series RC circuit, given the values of R, C, f, and VT.

Step 1. Calculate the value of XC:

XC = 1 / (2πfC)

Step 2. Calculate the total impedance Z:

Step 3. Use Ohm's Law to calculate the total current IT:

IT = VT / Z

Difference between Rectangular & Polar representation of Impedance:

• In Rectangular form:

Z T = R - j XC

• In Polar form:

ZT
θ = tan (-XC/R) = tan-1(-1/ωRC)
-1

RL Series Circuit:
A resistor–inductor circuit (RL circuit), or RL network, is an electric circuit composed of
resistors and inductor is in series driven by a voltage or current source (See the Figure-2).
A first order RL circuit is composed of one resistor and one inductor and is the simplest
type of RL circuit.
In Figure 2, Channel 1 of the oscilloscope indicates the input voltage E, and Channel 2 of
the oscilloscope indicates the voltage VRL across the resistor which is proportional to the
current I flowing in the circuit. The phase difference θ between voltage E and current I in
the RL series circuit can thus be found from the phase difference between Channel 1 and 2
waveforms.

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 2

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual

Figure 2: RL Series circuit.

Analysis of a Series RL Circuit:

For doing a complete analysis of a series RL circuit, given the values of R, L, f, and VT.

Step 1. Calculate the value of XL:

XL = 2πfL

Step 2. Calculate the total impedance Z:

Step 3. Use Ohm's Law to calculate the total current IT:

IT = VT / Z

Difference between Rectangular & Polar representation of Impedance:

• In Rectangular form:

ZT = R+jXL

• In Polar form:

ZT

θ = tan-1(XL /R) = tan-1(ωL/R)

RLC Series Circuit:

Three basic passive components- R, L and C have very different phase relationships to each
other when connected to a sinusoidal AC supply. In case of a resistor, the voltage waveforms
are "in-phase" with the current. In case of pure inductor, the voltage waveform "leads" the
current by 90o whereas in case of pure capacitor, the voltage waveform "lags" the current by
90o. This phase difference depends upon the reactive value of the components being used.
Reactance is zero if the element is resistive, positive if the element is inductive and negative
if the element is capacitive.

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 3

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual

Instead of analyzing each passive element separately, we can combine all three together into a
series RLC circuit. The analysis of the series RLC circuit of Figure 3 is the same as that for
the dual series RL and RC circuits we studied previously, except this time we need to take
account the magnitudes of both inductive reactance and capacitive reactance to find the
overall circuit reactance.

Figure 3: RLC series circuit

Relevant Equations:

Inductive reactance, XL = 2пfL

Capacitive reactance, XC = 1/2πfC

Net reactance, X = XL - XC

Total impedance, Z = √(𝑅2 + 𝑋2)

Current, I = 𝑉/Z

Resistive voltage drop, VR = I*R

Reactive voltage drops = VL – VC, where VL = I*XL and VC = I*XC

Total voltage drop = √𝑉𝑅2 + (𝑉𝐿 − 𝑉𝐶)2

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 4

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual
Vector Diagram:

(a) (b)

Figure 4: RLC series circuit Phasor Diagram when (a) XL > XC , and (b) XC > XL

It can be observed from the phasor diagrams that when X L > XC , θ is positive and overall
circuit is inductive. When XC > XL, θ is negative and overall circuit is capacitive.

Figure 3 represents a RLC series circuit where we can apply KVL to check if applied voltage
E equals to total voltage drop found from the phasor diagram √𝑉R2 + (𝑉𝐿 − 𝑉𝐶)2

Impact of frequency on resonance:

A series circuit containing R, L, and C is in resonance when the resultant reactance is zero.
Since the drop across the inductance leads the current by 90° whereas that across the
capacitor lags the current by 90°, the two drops are opposite. If they are made equal as in Fig.
5 (a), the reactive voltage drops neutralize and the impressed voltage is equal only to the
resistance drop. This condition is called series resonance, and it occurs when X C = XL and θ =
0. Inspection of the vector diagram of Fig. 5 (a) also shows that the applied voltage is in
phase with the current at resonance.
Figure 5 (b) shows the impact of varying the value of frequency on current (I), resistor
voltage (VR=IR), inductor voltage (VL), capacitor voltage (VC) during series resonance.
Since 2πfL = 1/2πfC at the point of series resonance, the series resonant frequency is f m =
1/2π√(LC).

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 5

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual

Figure 5: Series Resonance.

Pre-Lab Homework:

Read about the characteristics of RC, RL and RLC series circuit from “Alternating Current
Circuit” by George F Corcoran and use simulation software to generate the output of the
circuits provided in this lab sheet. Compare the wave shapes given in the text book with your
results. Save the simulation results and bring it to the lab.

Apparatus:

• Oscilloscope
• Function generator
• Resistor: 100  (For RC and RL)
• Inductor: 2.4mH (For RC and RL)
• Capacitor: 1 F/ 10 F (For RC and RL)
• Resistor (200 ) For RLC
• Inductor (6.3 mH) For RLC
• Capacitor (1 uF) For RLC
• Connecting wire
• Bread board

Precautions:

• Oscilloscopes should be properly calibrated using the information provided at the

calibration port before obtaining the wave shapes using the experimental set up.
• Do not short any connections. Short connection can produce heat (due to high
current flow) which is harmful for the components.

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 6

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual
Experimental Procedure:

For RC and RL Series Circuit:

1. Construct the circuit as shown in the Fig. 1. Connect channel 1 of the oscilloscope
across function generator to measure E and channel 2 of the oscilloscope across R to
measure VR.
2. Set the amplitude of the input signal 5V peak and the frequency at 1 kHz. Select
sinusoidal wave shape.
3. Measure peak value of the both wave shapes.
4. Determine phase relationship θ between the waves.
5. Write down the wave equations for I and E.
6. Calculate resistance and reactance from the relevant data.
7. Do the same experiment setting input frequency 5kHz and 10kHz.
8. Complete the following table.
Table~1

Z XC
I=VR/R Z=(E/I) θ (Rectangular) VC=
f E θ R =1/2fC VR
(A) (Polar)  IXC
 
1KHz 10 1.567 6.38° 6.38 1-j1.59 1 1.59 1.567 2.49
5KHz 10 0.3149 107.45 31.75 1-j3.183 1 3.183 0.3149 1.0023
°
10KHz 10 0.3088 266.40 32.383 1-j15.91 1 15.91 0.3088 4.91
°

1. Now construct the circuit as shown in fig.2. Connect channel 1 of the oscilloscope
across function generator and channel 2 of the oscilloscope across R.
2. Do the same procedure stated in 2 to 7. Complete the following table.

Table~2
f E I=VR/R θ Z=(E/I)∠θ Z R XL=2fL VR VL=IXL
(A) (Polar)  (Rectangular) 

1KHz 10 0.0619 0.3598 161.55 1+j6.28×10 -3 1 6.28×10 -3
0.0619 3.88×10 -4

°
5KHz 10 0.31307 1.798° 31.94 1+j31.4×10 -3
1 31.4×10 -3
0.31307 9.83×10 -3

10KHz 10 0.62633 3.59° 15.96 1+j62.8×10 -3

1 62.8×10 -3
0.62633 39.3×10 -3

For RLC Series Circuit:

1. Construct the circuit as shown in the Figure 3. Connect channel 1 of the oscilloscope
across the ac voltage source and channel 2 of the oscilloscope across R.
2. Set the amplitude of the input signal 5V peak.
3. Set the frequency of the signal generator 1 kHz.
4. Determine phase relationship θ between the waves.
5. Measure value of I.

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 7

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual
6. Measure value of VR, VL& VC.
7. Verify KVL using the experimental data and draw the complete vector diagram.
8. Set the frequency of the signal generator 2 kHz. Repeat step 4-7.
9. Set the frequency of the signal generator 4 kHz. Repeat step 4-7.
10. Complete the following table.
Table~3
f E θ= VR I=VR/R XL=2fL VL=IXL (V) XC=1/2fC VC X = XL V*
(V) tan-1 (V) (A) () () (V) - XC (V)
X/R
1kHz 10 0.355° 9.864 9.864 6.28×10 -3 1.57 ×10 -5 1.57 ×10 -6 1.57 6.27× 9.864
×10 -5
10 -3

2kHz 10 0.715° 9.967 9.967 12.5×10 -3

125.24×10 -3
3.13 ×10 -6
3.13 12.4 9.967
×10 -5
×10 -3

4kHz 10 1.43 ° 9.976 9.76 250.1×10 - 250.72×10 -3 6.28 ×10 -6 6.28 250.11× 9.97
3
×10 -5
10 -3

*V = √𝑉𝑅2 + (𝑉𝐿 − 𝑉𝐶)2

Simulation and Results:

Compare the simulation results with your experimental data/ wave shapes and comment on the
differences (if any). Example of how the simulated wave shape should look is provided below.

Result and Calculation:

1. Complete Table~1 and Table~2 and Table~3.

2. Calculate the value of XC, XL, Z, I, θ.
3. Draw the complete vector diagram for the RL and RC and RLC circuit.
4. Comment on the role of frequency to inductive reactance and capacitive reactance.

Questions for report writing:

1. Draw the complete vector diagrams.

2. Verify KVL.

Discussion and Conclusion:

Interpret the data/findings and determine the extent to which the experiment was
successful in complying with the goal that was initially set. Discuss any mistake you
might have made while conducting the investigation and describe ways the study could
have been improved.

Reference:

[1] “Fundamental of Electric Circuit”by AlekzendreSadiku

[2] “Alternating Current Circuit” by George F Corcoran [3]
http://physics.bu.edu/~duffy/py106/ACcircuits.html

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 8

 Experiment 8 Lab Manual

© Dept. of EEE, Faculty of Engineering, American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB 9