ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Electrical Circuits 2 Manual

ACTIVITY 4B

IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUITS: PARALLEL RLC CIRCUIT

4B.1 Program Outcomes (POs) Addressed by the Activity

b. ability to design and conduct experiments, as well as to analyze and interpret data
d. ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
e. ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
g. ability to communicate effectively

4B.2 Activity’s Intended Learning Outcomes (AILOs)

At the end of this activity, the student shall be able to:
a. measure properly the voltage and current in a parallel RLC circuit.
b. calculate the reactance, total impedance, current component voltage drops, and phase
angle of a parallel RLC circuit by using standard electronic formulas.
c. evaluate results by comparing measured and calculated values.

4B.3 Objectives of the Activity

The objectives of this activity are to:

1. compute the reactances, total current, branch currents, impedance and phase angle in a
parallel RLC circuit at various frequencies by using standard electronic formulas.

2. verify the result with an oscilloscope.

4B.4 Principle of the Activity

In a parallel RLC circuit, the resistance, inductance and capacitance are all connected
directly across the AC supply voltage, as shown in figure 4.2-1.Each component forms
one branch of the circuit, and each branch draws a current from the AC supply based
upon the applied voltage and the resistance or reactances. Using the values in Figure 4.2-
1, you can calculate the reactances as follows.

X L 2  2fL  6.28(50 x103 )(10 x103 )  3141

1 1
XC2    1447
2fC 6.28(50 x10 )(0.0022x10 6 )
3

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

 Figure 4.2-1
In Figure 4.2-1, R1 is there only to prevent loading of the parallel circuit by the output
impedance of 50 𝛺 generator. If you consider VAC’ which is the voltage across C2’ L2’ and
R6’ as the input to the parallel circuit, then R1 can be ignored. VGEN is adjusted so that VAC
equals 5Vpk-pk.
NOTE: VGEN is not adjusted for 5 Vpk-pk.

The branch currents are found by ohm’s law.

IR6 = Vac/R6 IC2 = Vac/XC2 IL2 = Vac/XL2

IR6 = 5/3,900 IC2 = 5/1447 IL2 = 5/2,826
IR6 = 1.28 mA IC2 = 3.45 mA IL2 = 1.59 mA

The sum of the individual branch currents in parallel RLC circuits equal to the total current
drawn from the source (IT). Because of the different phase shifts in the parallel circuit, the
individual branch current cannot be added directly. Instead, they must be added with
phasors by the following equation:

IT  I R2 6  ( IC 2  I L )2  (1.28x103 )2  (1.86x103 )2  2.25 mA

Figure 4.2-2

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

 The phasor diagram for this circuit is illustrated in Figure 4.2-2. The longest horizontal
phasor represents the applied voltage (Vac), which is common to all circuit components.
The current through the resistance is in phase with VAC and therefore coincides with the
voltage phasor. The current through an ideal inductor (IL2) lags the applied voltage by 90˚.
The current through the capacitor leads the applied voltage by 90˚. The lengths of the
phasors are proportional to the current values. The total current phasor and the applied
voltage phasor form phase angle A.

Figure 4.2-3 (a and b) shows the current waveforms in the circuit. Because the currents
through the inductor and capacitor are 180 degrees out of phase with one another, they
naturally oppose and cancel one another. The resulting current (IC) is capacitive because
the capacitor current is higher than the inductor current at this frequency. The way to tell
if a parallel RLC circuit is inductive or capacitive is to examine the reactance or branch
currents. The component with the lowest reactance or with the highest current dominates.

Figure 4.2-3
The equivalent of the parallel RLC circuit is 3.9 K resistor in parallel with a capacitor that
draws IC’ or IC2 – IL2 (3.equivalent capacitor 45 – 1.59 = 1.86 mA). We can compute the
equivalent capacitor by first finding its reactance.

XC = Vac / IC
XC = 5 / 1.86 mA
XC = 2, 688 Ω

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

 The equivalent capacitance is:
C = 1/ 2π
C = 1/2πfXC2
C = 1/(6.28 x 50 kHz x 2, 688)
C = 0.0011 μF

This equivalent circuit is shown in Figure 4.2-4.

Figure 4.2-4

Knowing the total circuit current and the applied voltage, you can compute the total circuit
impedance by using Ohm’s Law.
Z = Vac / IT
Z = 5/2.25 mA
Z = 2,222 Ω
Because the circuit is capacitive, the current leads the applied voltage by some phase angle
between 0 and 90˚. The phase angle can be computed from the current amplitudes in the
phasor diagram of Figure 4.2-2. The phase angle A is:

A = arctan (IC/IR)
A = arctan (1.86 mA/ 1.28 mA)
A = arctan (1.45)
A = 55.50o

The current in this circuit leads the applied voltage (Vac) by 55.50˚.

Varying the frequency will change the reactances, branch currents, total current,
impedance, and phase angles. At the lower frequencies, XL will be lower than XC’ so the
circuit will be inductive. At the higher frequencies, XC will be lower than XC so the circuit
will be capacitive.

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

4B.5 Materials/Equipment

1 – F.A.C.E.T. Base Unit

1 – AC 2 FUNDAMENTALS Circuit Board
2 – 15Vdc Power Supply
1 – Oscilloscope, dual trace
1 – Generator, sine wave

4B.6 Procedure/s
1. Adjust the dc power sources to + 15 Vdc and – 15 Vdc. Turn the power sources off.
Insert the AC 2 FUNDAMENTALS circuit board into the base unit. Turn on the power
sources.

2. Locate the RLC/RESONANCE/POWER circuit block, and connect the circuit shown in
Figure 4.2-5. If your generator does not have 50 Ω output impedance, plug the
GENERATOR BUFFER into the AC 2 FUNDAMENTALS circuit board, and connect the
buffer between your generator and the circuit.

Figure 4.2-5

3. Set the sine wave generator frequency to 50 kHz. Rather than rely on the generator dial,
use you oscilloscope to set the correct period.

4. Adjust the amplitude of the generator signal (VGEN) for a VAC of 5 Vpk-pk directly across
the parallel network of figure 4.2-5.
Note: Shorting R1 = 4.7k Ω V. Adjust VGEN so that Vac is 5 Vpk-pk
5. Measure IT, IR6, IL2, and IC2. Record your measurements in Table 4.2-1.
IT IR6 IL2 IC2
50 kHz
Step 5
Table 4.2-1.

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

 Note: Resistors R3’ R4’ and R5 are provided to simplify current measurements. Remember
that R3 should be sorted out when you are not measuring IT. To find IL2’ measure the voltage
across R5, which is in series with L2’ and divide by 10. To find IL2’ measure the voltage
across R4’ which is in series with C2’ and divide by 10. To find IT’ measure the voltage
across R3 and divide by 10. To find IR6’ divide the circuit voltage (VAC) by 3.90 k, which
is the value of R6.

6. Compute the impedance value of the parallel circuit by using the value of IT that
you measured in step 5 ( Z = Vac / IT ). Z = _________ Ω

7. Measure the phase angle between IT and Vac by using the phase relationship
measurement method.
Note: Connect the probe of channel 1 to the voltage across R6 (Vac) not to the generator
output.
What is the phase angle? Is total current leading or lagging the applied voltage?
Phase angle = _________ degrees , __________

8. Is IL greater or less than IC? Does this cause the circuit to be capacitive or inductive?
________________________________________________________________________

9. Set CM switch 16 in the ON position to change the value of L2 from 10mH to

5mH.Using the oscilloscope, set the generator frequency to 40kHz for a Vac of 5 Vpk-pk.
Measure and record the values of IC2 and IL2.
NOTE: Adjust VGEN so that Vac = 5Vpk-pk’ , still R1 is shorted
IC2 = ________ A, IL2 = ________ A

10. Is IL greater or less than IC? Does this cause circuit to be capacitive on inductive?
________________________________________________________________________

11. Return CM switch 16 to the OFF position.

12. Using the oscilloscope, set the sine wave generator frequency to 20 kHz. Readjust the
amplitude of the voltage across the parallel RLC circuit (Vac) to 5 Vpk-pk

13. Given the following values, compute the remaining circuit values at 20 kHz. Record
your values in Table 4.2-2.
Vac
X 12  2fL  1256 I R6 
R6
1 Vac
XC2   3619 I L2 
2fC X 12
Vac
R6  3900 I C2 
XC2
I T  I R2 6  ( I L  I C 2 ) 2

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

 IT IR6 IL2 IC2
COMPUTED VALUES
STEP 13
MEASURED VALUES
STEP 14
Table 4.2-2.

14. Measure IT’ IR6’ and IC2. Record your results in Table 4.2-2.
15. Is IL greater or less than IC? Does this cause the circuit to be capacitive or inductive?
________________________________________________________________________

16. Compute the impedance of the parallel RLC circuit using the values you measured
in step 14 (Z = Vac/ IT). Z = _________ Ω

17. Measure and record the phase shift between total circuit current and the applied
voltage. Does the current lead or lag the voltage (Vac)?
NOTE: Do not compare the current to VGEN. Compare the current to Vac.
Phase shift = ________ degrees , ________

18. Set CM switch 12 in the ON position to change the value of C2 from 0.0022mF to
0.0044mF. Readjust the voltage (Vac) across the RLC circuit to 5 Vpk-pk.

19. Measure and record the values of IL2’ IC2’ and the phase angle. Does IT lead or lag
the applied voltage (Vac)?
IL2 = ________ A, IC2 = ________ A, Phase angle = ______ degrees

20. Increasing C2 from 0.0022 mF decreased XC from 3,619 to 1,809.50 Ω. Is IL greater or

less than IC? Is the current capacitive or inductive? ___________.

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

4B.7 Activity Report

Section: Date Performed:

Course Code: Date Submitted:
Course Title:
Instructor:
Group No.: Activity No.:

Group Members: Signature:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

4B.7.1 Calculations

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

4B.7.2 Conclusion/s: Write at least three (3) conclusions.

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT

4B.7.3 Rating (See Attached Rubric)

ACTIVITY 4: IMPEDANCE OF RLC CIRCUIT