NOTES ON ‘ALTERNATING CURRENT’ (Class 12) Page 01

Alternating current (A.C) is the current that changes in magnitude direction continuously with
respect to time.

It can be represented as,

The currents and voltages in a.c circuits can be expressed by the following terms:-

(i) Instantaneous (I or V) :- It is the current or voltage that in the circuit at any instant.
(ii) Peak (Im or Vm):- It is the maximum available voltage or current in the circuit.
(iii) Average (Iav or Vav):- It is the arithmetic mean of the instantaneous values of voltages or
currents in the circuit.
(iv) Room Mean Square (R.M.S) or Effective:- It is the square root of the average of the squares
of the instantaneous values of the voltages or currents in the circuit.

Vrms = √

R.M.S value is the d.c equivalent of a.c

Relation between Peak and R.M.S values

=∫ =∫

=∫ ( ) where  = 2/T

= ∫ ∫ -----------(1)

But ∫ =[ = = =0

Thus equation (1) becomes, = [ T – 0 ] So, =

√

Similarly, it can also be shown that , =

√

Note: the measurement of ac is done by the comparison of the heating effect produced by ac with that
by dc. Hence ac measuring instruments are also called ‘hot-wire instruments’.

Show that the average current in the complete cycle of a.c is zero.

Iav = ∫ = ∫ == ⁄ ∫ ⁄ [ ]


= ⁄ [ ] = ⁄  = 0 (Hence proved)

Note:- But in half a cycle, Iav = ∫ = ∫ == ⁄ ∫ ⁄ [ ]


= ⁄ [ ] = ⁄  = ⁄

This gives Iav = ⁄ Similary, it can be shown that Vav = ⁄

prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School – Boys Wing prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School
 NOTES ON ‘ALTERNATING CURRENT’ (Class 12) Page 02

Phasor diagrams

These are the vector diagrams in which the magnitudes represent the peak values and
directions represent the phase differences between voltages and currents in the a.c circuits.

A.C Circuits

Fundamental components in a.c circuits.

1. Resistor

2. Inductor

3. Capacitor

1. Circuit containing only resistor

Circuit diagram: Let V = Vm sint Current (I) = V/R = (Vm sint)/R

i.e., I = Im sint. Where Im = Vm/R. R = Vm/Im

V Hence the phase difference between voltage and current is,  = 0.

So the phasor diagram can be as shown I V

The graph showing the variation of current and voltage with time can be represented as:

Power associated with the circuit:

∫ = ∫   = ∫ 

 
= ∫ = ∫ -∫ ]


But ∫ =0 Thus we get, PR = (Vm Im) /2 Hence PR = Vrms. Irms

2. Circuit containing only inductor

Circuit diagram: Let V = Vm sint

The induced voltage in the inductor is Vind = - L(dI/dt)

V By loop rule, Vm sint - L(dI/dt) = 0

i.e., Vm sint = L(dI/dt) this gives, dI = (Vm/L) sint dt


On integrating the above equation we get, Current (I) = 
)

I= 
 Hence I = Im sin (t - /2) where Im = ( Vm/L)

Here ‘L’ represents the non-resistive opposition offered by the inductor to the flow of current
in an ac circuit. It is called inductive reactance (XL) i.e., XL = L

Hence the phase difference between voltage and current is,  = /2.

prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School – Boys Wing prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School
 NOTES ON ‘ALTERNATING CURRENT’ (Class 12) Page 03

Here the current lags behind the voltage by /2.

So the phasor diagram can be as shown V

The graph showing the variation of current and voltage with time can be represented as:

Power associated with the circuit:

∫ = ∫    = ∫  

 
= ∫ = .0 as ∫

Thus we get, PL = 0 i.e., an ideal inductor does not consume any power.

(Note: this is why they are used as ‘choke coils’ in ac circuits to reduce current
without power loss, in the place of resistors)

3. Circuit containing only capacitor

Circuit diagram: Let V = Vm sint

We have Q = CV Differentiating we get,


i.e. I = C Vm cost .  I=
⁄ 


Hence I = Imsin(t+/2) where Im =

⁄ 

Thus Xc =  gives the non-resistive opposition to the flow of current called capacitive reactance.

Hence the phase difference between voltage and current is,  = /2.

Here the current leads the voltage by /2. So the phasor diagram I V

Is shown beside:-

The graph showing the variation of current and voltage with time can be represented as:

Power associated with the circuit:

∫ = ∫    = ∫  


= ∫ = .0 as ∫ 

Thus we get, PC = 0 i.e., an ideal capacitor does not consume any power.

3. L-C-R series circuit

Circuit diagram: Let V = Vm sint

Since the components are in series, the current, I is the same

throughout. Let VR, VL and VC be the p.d’s across the resistor, inductor
and capacitor respectively. Assuming VL to be greater than VC, the
phasor diagram can be drawn as,

VL I

The resultant of the above vector diagram is: VR

VC

prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School – Boys Wing prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School
 NOTES ON ‘ALTERNATING CURRENT’ (Class 12) Page 04

By parallelogram law, VL - VC V I

The resultant voltage is given VR

by, V =√ But VR = IR, VL = IXL and VC = IXC

Thus V= √ Hence V/I = √

This gives the total opposition to the flow of current in an a.c circuit, including resistance and
reactances. It is called the impedance (Z) of the circuit.

Thus the impedance is given by Z = √

Also the phase difference between the voltage and current is given by

tan = i.e. tan = or tan =

Hence, current in the circuit can be expressed as I = Imsin(t-), the negative sign
indicates that the inductive reactance dominates capacitive. i.e. current lags behind voltage.

(Refer page 246 of Text book for ‘Analytical solution’)

Power associated with the circuit:

∫ = ∫    = ∫     

= ∫   ∫  

 
=  ∫ ( ) ∫

This gives P = Vrms. [Link]. (Refer above for the integration results)

It shows that power in the circuit depends not only the values of current and voltage, but on the value of
‘cos’ also. Hence it is called the power factor of the circuit.

i.e. power factor, cos = (VR/V) = (IR/IZ) cos =

Thus power can also be expressed as P = Vrms. Irms.

Wattless current:- It is the current in the a.c circuit in which there is a phase difference of ‘/2’ between
current and voltage.

We have P = Vrms. [Link] Here cos = 0

It can be represented as

Irms Thus by resolving the current into the respective components, we get the

 Vrms Wattless current = [Link]

RESONANCE:- It is the condition at which the inductive and capacitive reactances are equal so that the
current in the circuit is maximum.

We know Im = V/Z Current is maximum, when impedance is minimum.

But Z= √ So ‘Z’ is minimum when

Hence Zmin = R L = 1/C or 2 = 1/LC

prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School – Boys Wing prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School
 NOTES ON ‘ALTERNATING CURRENT’ (Class 12) Page 05

Thus (Im)max = Vm/R Resonant frequency r = and

√ √

Frequency response curves with current

The variation of peak current

with different frequencies

can be represented for different values

of resistances as shown beside:

VARIATION OF RESISTANCE, REACTANCE AND IMPEDANCE WITH FREQUENCY

Resistance is independent of the frequency.

Xc =  So, Xc α 

XL = L XL α 

r

POWER AT RESONANCE

We have Power P = Vrms. Irms. But Vrms = , Irms = and Im = Vm / Z

√ √

So P= ------------- (1)

At resonance, Z is minimum. Thus power also is maximum at resonance.

Hence Pmax = Eqn(1) becomes P = Pmax

The frequency response curve with power can be drawn as:

The frequencies at which the power in the circuit is half of

Its maximum value are called ‘half power points’.

The difference between half power points is called

Bandwidth (2)

2 = 2 - 1

[For the derivation of the expression for band width, 2 = R/L, refer the note book]

Q-FACTOR (Quality factor)

It measures the sharpness of the resonance curve. It is defined as the ratio of the resonant
frequency to the band width.

i.e. 
Using the above equations we get,

Q= so, √
√

prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School – Boys Wing prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School
 NOTES ON ‘ALTERNATING CURRENT’ (Class 12) Page 06

Radio Tuner

Tuning is the process of receiving the frequency of a desired radio station. It consists of an
inductor and a variable capacitor.

During tuning, the value of capacitance is changed. At a given position the

value of capacitance is such that it satisfies for a given frequency in the

expression for resonant frequency, .

√

Since the Q-factor of the circuit is adjusted to be very high, the maximum power reception
occurs only at this frequency. Thus tuning is achieved.

L-C OSCILLATIONS

A capacitor, initially charged to Q0 and is disconnected from the battery. Further it is connected
across an inductor. This causes to and fro motion of electrons in the circuit, as illustrated below:

This gives electrical oscillations of frequency = 1/T

Mathematical Treatment

[Qn. Show that electric charges execute S.H.M in an L-C circuit. Hence derive an expression for the
frequency of oscillations. Show that the total energy in the circuit is conserved.]

------ Refer Note book---------------

Advantages of A.C

(i) Cost of production is low.

(ii) It can be transmitted to distant places with minimum power loss, with the help of
transformers.
(iii) It can easily be converted into d.c, wherever needed.
(iv) Current in the circuits can be controlled with the help of choke coils.

Disadvantages of A.C

(i) It is more dangerous.

(ii) It cannot be used in the processes like electroplating, making permanent magnets, etc.
(iii) Energy loss can occur in the case of high frequency a.c due to skin effect. [ It is the effect in
which high frequency a.c confines through the surface of a conductor, when transmitted.]

prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School – Boys Wing prepared by [Link], HOD (Physics) Sharjah Indian School