7

Parallel R, L, C Circuits
Objective
This exercise examines the voltage and current relationships in parallel R, L, C networks. Of particular importance is the phase of the various components and how Kirchhoffs Current Law is extended for C circuits. !oth time domain and phasor plots of the currents are generated. techni"ue to measure current using a current sense resistor will also #e explored.

Theory Overview
Recall that for resistors, the voltage is alwa$s in phase with the current, for capacitors the voltage alwa$s lags the current #$ %& degrees, and for inductors the voltage alwa$s leads the current #$ %& degrees. !ecause each element has a uni"ue phase response #etween '%& and (%& degrees, a parallel com#ination of R, L, and C components will $ield a complex impedance with a phase angle #etween '%& and (%& degrees. )ue to the phase response, Kirchhoffs Current Law must #e computed using vector *phasor+ sums rather than simpl$ rel$ing on the magnitudes. ,ndeed, all computations of this nature, such as a current divider, must #e computed using vectors.

Equipment
*-+ C .unction /enerator *-+ Oscilloscope serial num#er0111111111111111111 serial num#er0111111111111111111

Components
*-+ -& n. *-+ -& m2 *-+ - k *3+ -& actual0111111111111111111 actual0111111111111111111 actual0111111111111111111 actual0111111111111111111 actual0111111111111111111 actual0111111111111111111

4arallel R, L, C Circuits

Schematics

i!ure 7"#

i!ure 7"$

i!ure 7"%

Proce&ure
RC Circuit
-. 5sing .igure 6.- with a -& 7 p(p -& k28 source, R9- k, and C9-& n., determine the theoretical capacitive reactance and circuit impedance, and record the results in Ta#le 6.-. 5sing the current divider rule, compute the resistor and capacitor currents and record them in Ta#le 6.:. :. !uild the circuit of .igure 6.- using R9- k, and C9-& n.. common method to measure current

using the oscilloscope is to place a small current sense resistor in line with the current of interest. ,f the resistor is much smaller than the surrounding reactances it will have a minimal effect on the current. !ecause the voltage and current of the resistor are alwa$s in phase with each other, the relative phase of the current in "uestion must #e the same as that of the sensing resistors voltage. ;ach of the three circuit currents will #e measured separatel$ and with respect to the source in order to determine relative phase. To measure the total current, place a -& resistor #etween ground and the #ottom connection of the parallel components. <et the generator to a -&k 28 sine wave and -& 7p(p. =ake sure that the Bandwidth Limit of the oscilloscope is engaged for #oth channels. This will reduce the signal noise and make for more accurate readings. 3. 4lace pro#e one across the generator and pro#e two across the sense resistor. =easure the voltage across the sense resistor, calculate the corresponding total current via Ohms Law and record in Ta#le
;xercise 6

6.:. long with the magnitude, #e sure to record the time deviation #etween the sense waveform and the input signal *from which the phase ma$ #e determined eventuall$+. >. Remove the sense resistor and place one -& resistor #etween the capacitor and ground to serve as the capacitor current sense. 4lace a second -& resistor #etween the resistor and ground to sense the resistor current. Leave pro#e one at the generator and move pro#e two across the sense resistor in the resistor #ranch. Repeat the process to o#tain its current, recording the magnitude and phase angle in Ta#le 6.:. .inall$, move pro#e two so that it is across the capacitors sense resistor. =easure and record the appropriate values in Ta#le 6.:. ?. =ove pro#e one to the resistors sense resistor and leave pro#e two at the capacitors sense resistor. <ave a picture of the oscilloscope displa$ing the voltage waveforms representing iR, iC and iin *i.e., the Math waveform computed from iR ' iC+. @. Compute the deviations #etween the theoretical and experimental values of Ta#le 6.: and record the results in the final columns of Ta#le 6.:. !ased on the experimental values, determine the experimental A and BC values via Ohms Law *BC9VCCiC, A9VinCiin+ and record #ack in Ta#le 6.- along with the deviations. 6. Create a phasor plot showing iin, iC, and iR. ,nclude #oth the time domain displa$ from step > and the phasor plot with the technical report. RL Circuit D. Replace the capacitor with the -& m2 inductor *i.e. .igure 6.:+, and repeat steps - through 6 in like manner, using Ta#les 6.3 and 6.>. RLC Circuit %. 5sing .igure 6.3 with #oth the -& n. capacitor and -& m2 inductor *and a third sense resistor+, repeat steps - through 6 in like manner, using Ta#les 6.? and 6.@. Eote that it will not #e possi#le to see all four waveforms simultaneousl$ in step ?.

4arallel R, L, C Circuits

'ata Tables
RC Circuit
Theory *C + ,a!nitu&e +Table 7"#
Theory ,a! Theory E(p ,a! E(p 'elay E(p ) 'ev ,a! ) 'ev

E(perimental

) 'eviation

iC iR iin Table 7"$

RL Circuit
Theory *L + ,a!nitu&e +Table 7"%
Theory ,a! Theory E(p ,a! E(p 'elay E(p ) 'ev ,a! ) 'ev

E(perimental

) 'eviation

iL iR iin Table 7".

;xercise 6

RLC Circuit
Theory *C *L + ,a!nitu&e +Table 7"/
Theory ,a! Theory E(p ,a! E(p 'elay E(p ) 'ev ,a! ) 'ev

E(perimental

) 'eviation

iC iL iR iin Table 7"0

1uestions
-. Fhat is the phase relationship #etween R, L, and C components in a parallel C circuitG

:. !ased on measurements, does Kirchhoffs Current Law appl$ to the three tested circuits *show work+G

3. ,n general, how would the phasor diagram of .igure 6.- change if the fre"uenc$ was raisedG

>. ,n general, how would the phasor diagram of .igure 6.: change if the fre"uenc$ was loweredG

4arallel R, L, C Circuits