Chapter 7
First Order Circuits
(Source-Free RL and RC Circuits)
There are two types of first-order circuits (RC and RL), there are
two ways to excite the circuits.
The first way is by initial conditions of the storage elements in the
circuits. In these so-called source-free circuits, we assume that
energy is initially stored in the capacitive or inductive element. The
energy causes current to flow in the circuit and is gradually
dissipated in the resistors.
Although source free circuits are by definition free of independent
sources, they may have dependent sources.
The second way of exciting first-order circuits is by independent
sources.
The two types of first-order circuits and the two ways of exciting
them add up to the four possible situations we will study in this
chapter.
Finally, we consider four typical applications of RC and RL circuits:
delay and relay circuits, a photoflash unit, and an automobile
ignition circuit
A source-free RC circuit occurs when its dc source is suddenly
disconnected. The energy already stored in the capacitor is released
to the resistors.
The natural response of a circuit refers to the behavior (in terms of
voltages and currents) of the circuit itself, with no external sources
of excitation
Recall that in general if there is only one (equivalent) inductor or
capacitor in the circuit one can model the circuit seen by the
inductor or capacitor by its Thevenin equivalent circuit.
In the case of source-free
circuit (no independent
source in the circuit) the
Thevenin equivalent circuit
will be a resistor.
The response is due to the initial energy stored and the
physical characteristics of the circuit and not due to some
external voltage or current source, it is called the natural
response of the circuit.
The time constant of a
circuit is the time required
for the response to decay
to a factor of 1/e or 36.8
percent of its initial value.
Summary
We find the equivalent resistance or the
Thevenin resistance at the capacitor
terminals
This shows that the natural response
of the RL circuit is an exponential
decay of the initial current.
The energy initially stored in the inductor is eventually dissipated in the resistor.
With the two items, we obtain the response as the inductor current
Once we determine the inductor current, other variables (inductor voltage,
resistor current ) can be obtained. Note that in general, R is the Thevenin
resistance at the terminals of the inductor.