Alternating Current
SHORT NOTES
The constant value of dc which produces same heat through a
resistive element, as due to the alternating current, is known In AC C-R circuit, total voltage V = VR2 + VC2 .
as root mean square value of A.C. For a given RLC circuit driven by voltage V = Vo
240 V ac is the rms value of ac voltage. The amplitude of this sinwt, the current is given by, I = I0 sin(wt + f) where
V0 XL − XC
voltage is VM = 240 × 2 = 340 volt. I0 = and f = tan–1 , impedance
2
R + (X L − X C ) 2
R
The power rating in ac circuit is the average power rating.
Z= R 2 + (X L − X C ) 2 .
Power consumed in a circuit is non negative.
The phase difference between voltage across L and voltage
Phase relationships in a.c. circuits is best represented by across capacitor C, is 180º. Thus VLC = VL – VC.
phasor diagram. A phasor is a vector which rotates with the
angular velocity w. The magnitude of phasor is the peak value The voltage in series LCR AC circuit is given by V =
of voltage or current (Vo or Io).
VR2 + ( VL − VC ) .
2
In purely resistive AC circuit, voltage and current are in the
The average power consumed = Vrms × Irms × cosf, where
Vo cosf is the power factor.
same phase V = Vo sinwt and I = Io sinwt, where Io = .
R
In purely resistive circuit, average power loss = I2rms × R, Irms In series LCR circuit, at resonance, XL = XC, the impedance Z
is minimum and equal to R. In this case, the source frequency
Io Vo
= , similarly Vrms = 1
2 2 w= which equals resonant frequency.
LC
The only element which dissipates energy in ac circuit is
resistor (R). L 1 1 L
The quality factor Q = w0 = = is an
R ω0 CR R C
In purely inductive circuit, inductive reactance XL = 2pfL = wL indicator of “sharpness of resonance.”
π
voltage is ahead of current by , V = V0 sinwt, I = I0
2 The power factor in a RLC circuit is a measure of how close
π V o the circuit is to consuming maximum power.
sin ωt − , Io = . In this circuit, average power loss = 0.
2 XL
π A step up transformer converts low AC voltage to high AC
In purely inductive or capacitive circuit, cosf = 0 ⇒ f = .
2 voltage but reduces the current.
Average power loss is zero. Although current is flowing in
A step down transformer converts high ac voltage to a low AC
the circuit. Such a current is known as wattless current.
voltage but increases the currents accordingly.
In AC L-R circuit, total voltage V = VR2 + VL2 . In transformer, the primary and secondary voltage are given
N NP
In purely capacitive AC circuit, capacitive reactance by VS = S VP and the current are given by IS = IP .
1 NP NS
1
XC = = . The current leads the applied voltage In step up transformer, NS > NP and step down transformer
2πfC ωC
Vo NS < NP.
π π
by or 90º. V = V0 sinwt, I = I0 sin ωt + , I0 = =
2 2 X c
A transformer does not violate the law of conservation of
energy. A step up transformer changes low voltage to a high
2pfCV0. The average power loss per cycle is zero. voltage but reduces the current in the same proportion.