UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

BSc. ENGINEERING (HONOURS)

PART I

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES

EE101

TUTORIAL QUESTIONS (2016)

Attempt ALL questions

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CONSTANTS

Permittivity of free space ℇ0 = 8.854 × 10−12 𝐹/𝑚

Permeability of free space µ0 = 4𝜋 × 10−7 𝐻/𝑚

Mass of an electron 𝑚 = 9.11 × 10−31 𝑘𝑔

Electron charge 𝑒 = 1.60 × 10−19 𝐶

1 electron volt = 1.60 × 10−19 𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠

____________________________________________________________________________________

Q1.a. Define electricity and electric circuit. [4 marks]

b. List two passive and two active electric components. [4 marks]

c. State the Superposition theorem. [2 marks]

d. A battery A has an e.m.f of 4 V and an internal resistance of 2 Ω. Battery B has an e.m.f of 2 V and an
internal resistance of 1 Ω. The two batteries are connected in parallel across a 4 Ω resistor R as shown in
figure Q1. Use Superposition Theorem to calculate the current in each branch of the network.

[10 marks]

𝑟1 =2Ω 𝑅 = 4Ω 𝑟2 =1Ω

A B
𝐸𝐴 =4.0V 𝐸𝐵 =2.0V

Figure Q1
[Link] current in an a.c circuit at any time t seconds is given by:𝑖 = 120 sin(100𝜋𝑡 + 0.36) 𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠.
Find:

(a) The peak value, the periodic time, the frequency, and phase angle (in degrees and minutes)
relative to 𝑖 = 120 sin(100𝜋𝑡). [3 marks ]
(b) The value of the current when t=0. [3 marks]
(c) The value of the current when t=8 ms. [3 marks]
(d) The time when the current reaches 60 A. [3 marks]

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 (e) The time when the current is first at maximum. [4 marks]
(f) The power dissipated if the load supplied by the current has an impedance of 50+j20 Ω.
[4 marks]

Q3. A circuit consisting of a resistor in series with a capacitor take 100 watts at a power factor of 0.5
from a 100 V 60Hz supply. Find:

(a) The current flowing. [4 marks]

(b) The phase angle with the aid of a phasor diagram. [4 marks]
(c) The resistance. [4 marks]
(d) The impedance in polar format. [4 marks]
(e) The capacitance. [4 marks]

Q4. A winding of an electromagnet has an inductance of 3 H and a resistance of 5 Ω. When it is

connected to a 120V dc supply, calculate:

(a) The steady state value of the current flowing in the winding [4 marks]
(b) The time constant of the circuit [4 marks]
(c) The value of the induced e.m.f. after 0.5 s [4 marks]
(d) The time of the current to rise to 85% of its final value [4 marks]
(e) The value of the current after 0.3 s [4 marks]

Q5. a. Show that the energy (E) stored in a capacitor is:

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E=2C𝑉 2 Joules. [6 marks]

b. The potential difference between the anode and cathode of a vacuum diode is 150V and the current
through the diode is 15mA. Determine the following:

(i) the maximum velocity acquired by the electron, assuming the initial velocity of zero. [5 marks]

(ii) the number of electrons passing per second from cathode to anode, assuming a current of 1 A in a
circuit corresponds to 6.24× 1018 electrons passing a given point per second. [5 marks]

(iii) the energy absorbed in 5 minutes in joules and in electron volts. [4 marks]

Q6 a. The instantaneous value of a complex waveform is given by:

I (t )  I1m sin  t  I 2 m sin 2 t  I 3 m sin 3 t  ...  I nm sin n t

Deduce an expression for the RMS value of the current. [4 marks]

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 b. A coil is wound on a rectangular former of width 24 mm and length 30 mm. The former is pivoted
about an axis passing through the middle of the two shorter sides and is placed in a uniform magnetic
field of flux density 0.8 T, the axis being perpendicular to the field. If the coil carries a current of 50 mA,
determine the force on each coil side:

(i) for a single-turn coil and, [5 marks]

(ii) for a coil wound with 300 turns. [5 marks]

c. A conductor of length 2 cm is moved in a magnetic field with velocity of 15 m/s at an angle of (a) 90°,
(b) 60°and (c) 30° to a magnetic field produced between two square faced poles of magnets of area
4 × 10−4 𝑚2. If the flux leaving a pole face is 5µWb, find the magnitude of the induced e.m.f in each
case. [6 marks]

Q7.a. Explain the importance of power factor and how it can be improved. [5 marks]

b. A 4-wire cable supplies a star connected load consisting of Red Phase 2-j5Ω, Yellow Phase 5-j6Ω, Blue
Phase 2+j4Ω as shown in figure Q7. If the cable voltage is balanced and equal to 415V;

(i) Calculate the magnitude and phase of the line and neutral currents. [8 marks]

(ii) Draw the voltage and current phasor diagram. [3 marks]

(iii) Calculate the total power supplied to the load. [4 marks]

Red
415 V

Neutral

5-j6 Ω

Blue

Yellow

Figure Q7

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Q8.a. Define a Tesla in relation to a magnetic circuit. [2 marks]
b. A solenoid, 1.5m long, is uniformly wound with 800 turns. A short coil (search coil) wound with 50
turns having a mean diameter of 20 mm, is placed at the centre of the solenoid and connected to a ballistic
galvanometer. The total resistance of the search coil is 1000 Ω. When a current of 5 A through the coil is
reversed, the deflection on the galvanometer is 85 divisions.
(i) Calculate the ballistic constant (coulombs per unit deflection), assuming the damping of the
galvanometer to be negligible and the coils to be coaxial. [4 marks]
(ii) Calculate the mutual inductance of the solenoid and the search coil. [5 marks]
(iii) If the self-inductance of the solenoid is 2mH and that of the search coil is 25µH, find the coupling
coefficient between the two coils. [5 marks]

c. A closed magnetic circuit of cast steel contains a 6 𝑐𝑚 long path of cross-sectional area 1 𝑐𝑚2 and a 2
𝑐𝑚 path of cross-sectional area 0.5 𝑐𝑚2 . A coil of 300 turns is wound around the 6 𝑐𝑚 length of the
circuit and a current of 0.4 𝐴 flows. Determine the flux density 𝐵 and the total flux H in the 2 𝑐𝑚 path if
the relative permeability of the cast steel is 750. [4
marks]

Q9.a. An alternating voltage is given as:

𝑣 = 80sin(200𝜋𝑡 + 0.2) Volts.

Determine the following:
(i) the amplitude, [1 mark]
(ii) the peak-to-peak value, [1 mark]
(iii) the rms value, [2 marks]
(iv) the periodic time, [2 marks]
(v) the frequency, [2 marks]
(vi) the phase angle (in degrees and minutes) relative to 75sin(200𝜋𝑡) [2 marks]

b. A current given by;

𝑖(𝑡) = 4 + 0.5𝑠𝑖𝑛5⍵𝑡, has a frequency of 50 Hz. The current passes through a coil of resistance 20 Ω
and inductance 0.5 mH.
Calculate the applied voltage and the power dissipated in the circuit? [4 marks]
𝜋
c. Two alternating voltages are represented by 𝑣1 = 50 sin 𝜔𝑡 volts and 𝑣2 = 100 sin(𝜔𝑡 + 9 ) volts.
Draw the phasor diagram and find, by calculation, a sinusoidal expression to represent 𝑣1 + 𝑣2 [6 marks].

Q10.a. Define inductance and state the Lenz and Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction. [6 marks]

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b. Derive an expression for energy stored in a capacitor whose capacitance is 𝐶 and potential difference
V.
[4 marks]
c. A coaxial cable has an inner core of radius 1.0 mm and an outer sheath of internal radius 4.0 mm.
Determine the inductance of the cable per metre length. Assume that the relative permeability is unity.
[4 marks]
d. What would be the force on a current carrying conductor of length 1m placed at right angles to a
magnetic field having a density (B) of 0.25T, given that the current in the conductor is 200 A.
[3 marks]
e. The total loop inductance of an isolated twin power line is 2.185 μH/m. The diameter of each
conductor is 10 mm. Determine the distance between their centres. Assume that the relative permeability
is unity.
[3 marks]
Q11.a. Define electricity. [2
marks]
b. How long must a current of 100 mA flow so as to transfer a charge of 80 C? [4 marks]

c. State the Superposition theorem. [2

marks]
d. A.C. sources of 100∠0° V and internal resistance 25𝛀 and 50 ∠ −45° V and internal resistance 10𝛀 ,
are connected in parallel across a 20𝛀 load as shown in figure Q11 below. Determine using the
Superposition theorem, the current in the 20 𝛀 load and the current in each voltage source.
[12 marks]

𝑟1 =25Ω 𝑅 = 20Ω 𝑟2 =10Ω

A B
𝑉𝐴 =100∠0°V 𝑉𝐵 =50 ∠ −45° V

Figure Q11

Q12.a. Define inductance and state the Lenz and Faraday’s laws of electromagnetic induction. [6 marks]

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b. Derive an expression for energy stored in a capacitor whose capacitance is 𝐶 and potential difference
V.
[4 marks]
c. A coaxial cable has an inner core of radius 1.0 mm and an outer sheath of internal radius 4.0 mm.
Determine the inductance of the cable per metre length. Assume that the relative permeability is unity.
[4 marks]
d. What would be the force on a current carrying conductor of length 1m placed at right angles to a
magnetic field having a density (B) of 0.2T, given that the current in the conductor is 300 A. [3
marks]
e. The total loop inductance of an isolated twin power line is 2.185 μH/m. The diameter of each
conductor is 12 mm. Determine the distance between their centres. Assume that the relative permeability
is unity.
[3 marks]

Q13.a. State Coulomb’s law [2 mark]

b. A winding of an electromagnet has an inductance of 3 H and a resistance of 20 Ω. When it is connected
to a 180V dc supply, calculate:
(a) The steady state value of the current flowing in the winding [2 marks]
(b) The time constant of the circuit [2 marks]
(c) The time of the current to rise to 85% of its final value [2 marks]
c. Show that the energy (E) stored in an inductor is:
1
E=2L𝐼 2 Joules. [4 marks]

d. State the Biot Savart Law of the magnetic field due to moving charge. [4 marks]
e. Using the Biot-Savart law, determine the magnetic field density at a perpendicular distance 20 cm from
a stream of electrons flowing at 2 × 108 𝑚/𝑠 velocity if the current is 5A. [4 marks]

Q14.a. State Kirchhoff’s current and voltage laws. [2marks]

b. Explain the importance of power factor and how it can be improved. [3 marks]
c. A 4-wire cable supplies a star connected load consisting of Red Phase 5-j10Ω, Yellow Phase 3-j6Ω,
Blue Phase 2+j4Ω. If the cable voltage is balanced and equal to 415V, and taking the Red phase as a
reference phasor;
(i) Calculate the magnitude and phase of the line and neutral currents. [8 marks]
(ii) Draw the voltage and current phasor diagram. [3 marks]
(iii) Calculate the total true power supplied to the load. [4 marks]

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Q15 .a. Define a Tesla in relation to a magnetic circuit. [2 marks]
b. A solenoid, 1.2m long, is uniformly wound with 800 turns. A short coil (search coil) wound with 50
turns having a mean diameter of 30 mm, is placed at the centre of the solenoid and connected to a ballistic
galvanometer. The total resistance of the search coil is 2000 Ω. When a current of 5 A through the coil is
reversed, the deflection on the galvanometer is 85 divisions.
(i) Calculate the ballistic constant (coulombs per unit deflection), assuming the damping of the
galvanometer to be negligible and the coils to be coaxial. [5 marks]
(ii) Calculate the mutual inductance of the solenoid and the search coil. [4 marks]
(iii) If the self-inductance of the solenoid is 2mH and that of the search coil is 25µH, find the coupling
coefficient between the two coils. [4 marks]

c. A closed magnetic circuit of cast steel contains a 6 𝑐𝑚 long path of cross-sectional area 1 𝑐𝑚2 and a 2
𝑐𝑚 path of cross-sectional area 0.5 𝑐𝑚2 . A coil of 200 turns is wound around the 6 𝑐𝑚 length of the
circuit and a current of 0.4 𝐴 flows. Determine the flux density 𝐵 and the total flux H in the 2 𝑐𝑚 path if
the relative permeability of the cast steel is 750. [5
marks]