RESISTOR-CAPACITOR CIRCUIT

A resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit is a type of circuit configuration that is composed of

resistive and capacitive elements. It is sometimes called an RC filter or RC network. An RC
circuit is an electrical circuit that is made up of the passive circuit components of a resistor (R)
and a capacitor (C) and is powered by a voltage or current source. The capacitor stores energy
and the resistor connected to the circuit controls the rate of charging or discharging.

The charging and the discharging of the capacitor is not an instant process but takes some
time. If the resistor and capacitor are connected in series, the capacitor charges gradually through
the resistor, until the voltage across the resistor is equal to the supply voltage.

Charging of Capacitor

Let us consider that a fully discharged capacitor is connected to the circuit and the switch
is open. The initial condition of the circuit is time (t) = 0, charge (q) = 0 and current (i) = 0.
When the switch is closed, the time will start from t = 0, and the current starts flowing through
the capacitor and the resistor. An initially uncharged capacitor can be assumed to be a connecting
wire just after the circuit is completed.
At time t = 0, the potential difference across the capacitor is zero and continues to be
equal to zero just after the time t = 0.
The current flowing at this time is called the charging current and it is calculated using
Ohm’s law. The value of current is
i = i0 = ε/R.
Here, ε is the emf of the cell.
R is the resistance of the resistor.

As time progresses, the capacitor charges up and a potential difference develops across
the capacitor. Let us consider at any time “t”, the charge across the capacitor is “q” and the
current in the circuit is “i”. The potential difference across the capacitor is q/C and the potential
difference across the resistor is iR.
Applying Kirchoff’s voltage law, we get
-q/c -iR + ε = 0
(or) iR = ε – q/C
⇒ i = (cε – q)/RC = dq/dt [ since i = dq/dt]
⇒
Integrating on both sides,
⇒ q = CƐ (1- e-t/RC)
Differentiating the above equation we get the value of current
The current is called transient current and it depends on time.

Series RC Circuit
In an RC series circuit, a pure resistor having resistance R in ohms and a pure capacitor
of capacitance C in Farads are connected in series.

Here I is the Root Mean Square (RMS) value of the current in the circuit.
VR is the voltage across the resistor R.
VC is the voltage across the capacitor C.
V is the RMS value of the supply voltage.
 Power in an RC Series Circuit

The instantaneous value of the power is the product of the instantaneous values of the
voltage and current.

Parallel RC Circuit
In a parallel R-C circuit a pure resistor having resistance R in ohms and a pure capacitor
of capacitance C in Farads are connected in parallel.
 Voltage drops in a parallel RC circuit are the same hence the applied voltage is equal to
the voltage across the resistor and voltage across the capacitor. Current in a parallel R-C circuit is
the sum of the current through the resistor and capacitor
RC CIRCUIT EXAMPLE
Question 1: A capacitor of capacitance 1000 μF is connected to a resistor of resistance 150 kΩ
and a battery of 1.5 V in series. Find the maximum current that flows through the resistor while
charging.
Answer:
I = Ɛ/R = 1.5 V/150 kΩ = 0.01 mA

Question 2: A 50 V AC is applied across an RC series network. The RMS voltage across the
resistance is 40 V, then the potential across the capacitance would be:
Solution:
For the RC circuit,

Answer: 30 V
Question 3: An uncharged capacitor and a resistor are connected in series as shown in the figure
below. The emf of the battery is ε = 12 V, C = 8 μF , R = 500 kΩ.
After the switch is closed, find
(a) The time constant of the RC circuit.
(b) The maximum charge on the capacitor.
(c) The charge on the capacitor 6 s after the switch is closed.
Solution:

(a) The time constant of the RC circuit, τ = (500 x 10-3 Ω) (8 x 10-6) = 4S

(b) Q = Qf (1 – e-t/RC)
Qf = CƐ is the final charge
The maximum charge on the capacitor, Qmax = CƐ
= (8 x 10-6) (12) = 96 μC
(c) The charge on the capacitor 6 s after the switch is closed is given by
Q = Qf (1 – e-t/τ)
= 96 (1 – e -6/4)
= 74.5 μC
RESISTOR-INDUCTOR CIRCUIT
RL Circuits (resistor – inductor circuits), often known as RL networks or RL filters, are a
form of circuit that uses a mix of inductors and resistors and is powered by a source of
electricity. In an RL circuit, the inductor and the resistor are linked in either parallel or series.
They can be powered by a current (parallel) or voltage (series) source. The basic passive linear
circuit parts are the resistor (R), inductor (L), and capacitor (C). They can make an electrical
circuit in four different methods, including the RC, LC, and RLC circuits.

Consider the circuit with the batteries, resistor, and switch shown above. The battery can
be connected in series to the circuit or disconnected from the circuit via the switch. When the
switch is closed, the current reaches its maximum value, and when the switch is opened, the
current instantaneously lowers.
We may see changes in the current when an inductor is connected in series with the
circuit's resistor. The function of an inductor in a circuit is to resist fluctuations in magnetic flux,
i.e. the inductor prevents spontaneous current changes. When we close the circuit's switch, the
current gradually increases until it reaches its maximum value. When we remove the battery and
open the switch, the inductor voltage causes the current to gradually decrease to zero.
A first-order RL circuit is made up mostly of one resistor and one inductor. Because of
the inductive load, such as a 3-phase induction motor, the power factor of this circuit is low.
Lamps, transformers, and welding equipment all have low trailing power factors.

Due to the inductor effect, the current flow in the RL series circuit lags behind the voltage
by an angle ". As a result, the power factor (PF) can be expressed as the cosine of the lagging
angle ‘ϕ’.
The power factor = Cos ϕ = Resistance/Impedance = R/Z

RL Series Circuit
An RL Series Circuit is a circuit that has a resistance R linked in series with a coil with
an inductance L. When a supply voltage (V) is placed across the current element I in the circuit,
the current element I flows. The currents running in the inductor and resistor are IL and IR,
respectively, but the current flowing across both parts is the same because they are connected in
series.
 where VR is the voltage across resistor R
VL is the voltage across inductor L
V(t) is the total voltage across the circuit
The resistor, R, and the inductor, L, are combined in series with the voltage source, V
volts, in the above simple RL Series circuit. The total current flowing through the circuit is I
amps, while the current flowing through the resistor and inductor is IR and IL, respectively.
Because the resistance and the inductor are connected in a series configuration, the current in
both elements of the circuit remains constant.

In this case, IL = IR = I. Consider the voltage dips across the inductor and resistor as VL
and VR. When we apply the Kirchhoff voltage law to this circuit (the sum of the voltage drops
must be the same across the circuit to apply the voltage), we get:

VR + VL = V(t)

As a result, this is the voltage across the RL series circuit equation.

RL Parallel Circuit
In general, the parallel RL circuit is less interesting than the series circuit. It's intriguing
until it's fed by a current source. Because the output voltage Vout is identical to the input voltage
Vin, this is the case with a parallel RL circuit. As a result, this circuit does not function as a
voltage input signal filter.
Impedances that are complex:

The inductor lags the resistor (and source) current by 90°.

Many amplifier circuits have a parallel circuit on their output. Its main purpose is to
protect the amplifier from high-frequency capacitive loading effects.
 RL CIRCUIT EXAMPLES

Question 1: A 5mH-inductor, a 15Ω-resistor are connected across a 12V- battery with negligible
internal resistance in series.
(a) What is the final current in the circuit?
(b) What is the time constant?
(c) What is the current after two times constant has elapsed?
(d) What is the potential drop across the resistance after two times constant?
(e) What is the potential drop across the inductor after two times constant?
Solution: Again, the master formula in the RL circuits when connected to a source of energy
(battery) is