2024 – 25

Alternating Current

Recall what did you study in previous class

Alternating Current
• The constant value of dc which produces same heat through a resistive element, as due to the alternating
current, is known as root mean square value of ac.
• 240 V ac is the rms value of ac voltage. The amplitude of this voltage is VM = 240 × 2 ≈ 340 volt
• The power rating in ac circuit is the average power rating.
• Power consumed in a circuit is non negative.
• Phase relationships in a.c. circuits is best represented by phasor diagram. A phasor is a vector which
rotates with the angular velocity . The magnitude of phasor is the peak value of voltage or current (Vo
or Io)
• In purely resistive AC circuit, voltage and current are in the same phase V = V o sint and I = Io sint,
V
where Io = o .
R
I V
• In purely resistive circuit, average power loss = I2rms × R, = o , similarly Vrms = o
2 2
• The only element which dissipates energy in ac circuit is resistor (R).

• In purely inductive circuit, inductive reactance XL = 2pfL = L. Voltage is ahead of current by , V =
2
  V
Vo sint, I = Io sin  t −  , Io = o . In this circuit, average power loss = 0.
 2 XL

• In purely inductive or capacitive circuit, cos = 0 ⇒  = . Average power loss is zero. Although
2
current is flowing in the circuit. Such a current is known as wattless current.
• In AC L-R circuit, total voltage VR2 + VL2
1 1
• n purely capacitive AC circuit, capacitive reactance XC = = . The current leads the applied
2fC C
   V
voltage by or 90º V = V0 sin, I = I0 sin  t +  , Io = o = 2fCV0. The average power loss per
2  2 Xc
cycle is zero.
• n AC C-R circuit, total voltage V = VR2 + VC2
• A circuit containing an inductor L and a capacitor C (initially charged) with no ac source and no resistors,
exhibits free oscillations. The charge of the capacitor is given by the
• When the magnetic needle oscillates in the vertical east-west plane, at right angles to magnetic meridian,
d 2q 1
then only BV acts on it. differential equation 2
+ q = 0. The sum of energy of capacitor and
dt LC
inductor is constant.
• For a given RLC circuit driven by voltage V = Vo sint, the current is given by, I = Io sin (t + ) where
Vm X − XL
and  = tan −1 C , impedance z = R 2 + ( XC − XL )
2
Io =
(
R2 + X − X
C L
2
) R

• The phase difference between voltage across L and voltage across capacitor C, is 180º. Thus V LC = VL –
VC.
VR2 + ( VL − VC )
2
• The voltage in series LCR AC circuit is given by V =
• The average power consumed = Vrms × Irms × cos, where cos, is the power factor.
• In series LCR circuit, at resonance, XL = XC, the impedance Z is minimum and equal to R. In this case,
1
the source frequency  = which equals resonant frequency.
LC
L 1 1 L
• The quality factor Q = w0 = = is an indicator or “sharpness of resonance.”
R 0 CR R C
• The power factor in a RLC circuit is a measure of how close the circuit is to consuming maximum power.
• A step up transformer converts low ac voltage to high ac voltage but reduces the current.
• A step down transformer converts high ac voltage to a low ac voltage but increases the current
accordingly.
N 
• In transformer, the primary and secondary voltage are given by VS =  S  VP and the current are given
 NP 
N 
by IS =  P  Ip .
 NS 
• In step up transformer, NS > NP and step down transformer NS < NP.
• A generator converts mechanical energy into electrical energy, whereas an electric motor converts
electrical energy into mechanical energy.
• A transformer does not violate the law of conservation of energy. A step up transformer changes low
voltage to a high voltage but reduces the current in the same proportion.

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