Experiment #5

Title: Capacitive Circuits

I. Introduction
This experiment demonstrates the characteristics of an Alternating Current (AC) circuit mainly it
tackles about the Capacitive Circuit whereas when two pure elements – resistance and
capacitance for this particular experiment are combined, the current shall lead the supply voltage
owing to the nature of the reactance. This type of circuit combination is termed as capacitive
circuit. In a circuit where resistance and capacitance are combined, the resulting current tends to
lead the voltage supply due to the nature of the circuit element capacitance. However, the phase
difference is no longer exactly 90° due to the presence of the circuit element resistance. (Cimatu,
n.d).

Mainly the National Instrument Multisim was used to conduct the different types of trials and the
data gathered was also from this software, NI Multisim is a software that allows you to create,
design, and simulate circuits for educational/research purposes. This experiment tackles about
the Capacitive Circuits, it’s basic function, on how does it work, and what is the reason behind it.
II. Wiring Circuit

Figure 1.1 – Schematic for RUN 1

Figure 1.2 – Schematic for RUN 2

III. Data and Computation

Table 1.1 ; Measured values for RUN 1

Table 1.2 ; Measured values for RUN 2

Computation :

RUN 1 RUN 2

VR Vs
R= R=
I IR

PT =V R I PT =V s I R

PT IR
P . F= P . F=
VS I IT
Substitute the measured values on the formula above to get the following values on the table.

IV. Answers to Questions and Solution to Problems

Exercises :
Exercise 1: From the results of Run 1 and Run 2 in Table 5.1 and 5.2, calculate for each trial the Power
Factor (P.F.) of the circuit, the value of loading resistance R and the total power in watts and enter them
in the respective table.

Table 1.1 ; Measured values for RUN 1

Table 1.2 ; Measured values for RUN 2

VR
R=
I

PT =V R I

PT
P . F=
VS I
Substitute the measured values on the formula above to get the following values on the table.

Exercise 2: Plot the graph of the Power Factor P.F. vs. resistance of Table 5.1 and Table 5.2
using the axes suggested in Figure 5.8.

Power Factor VS Resistance

0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
Power Factor

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
50 25 16.67 12.5
Resistance (Ω)

Figure 2.1 – Graph of Power Factor (P.F.) vs Resistance (R) in series

 Power Factor VS Resistance
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
Power Factor

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
50 25 16.67 12.5
Resistance (Ω)

Figure 2.2 – Graph of Power Factor (P.F.) vs Resistance (R) in parallel

Questions and Problems ;

1. From data of Table 5.1 in Run 1, for each trial, compute the vector sum of voltages V Rand V C
using Pythagorean equation and compare this with the value of supply voltage. What do the
values indicate?
VR VC +V C 2 √V 2VS
R
39.405 V 25.005 V 46.669 V 46.669 V
28.883 V 36.657 V 46.669 V 46.669 V
21.703 V 41.316 V 46.669 V 46.669 V
17.106 V 43.421 V 46.669 V 46.669 V
It can be observed that the computed value using VR and VC is the same as that voltage supply.

2. From data of Table 5.2 in Run 2, for each trial, compute the vector sum of currents I R and I C
using Pythagorean equation and compare this with the value of the total current I T . What do the
values indicate?
IR IC + I C2 √I IT 2
R
0.933 A 1.471 A 1.742 A 1.742 A
1.867 A 1.471 A 2.377 A 2.377 A
2.8 A 1.471 A 3.163 A 3.163 A
3.734 1.471 A 4.013 A 4.013 A
-The computed values using the Pythagorean equation is approximately the same to that of the
total current.
3. What generalization can be drawn regarding the plot of Power Factor (P.F.) vs. resistance of
Table 5.1 and of Table 5.2 in Figure 5.8?
- Unto table 5.1 where the R-C circuit is in series it can be seen that the relationship between the
two variables are directly proportional, while on the hand the relationship unto table 5.2 where
the R-C circuit is connected in parallel it can be seen that their relationship is inversely
proportional.
4. For each trial of Table 5.2, calculate the power dissipated in the resistance and compare this
with the value of the total power PT. What do the values indicate?
IR R I R2 R PT
0.933 A 50 43.524 43.542 W
1.867 A 25 87.142 87.131 W
2.8 A 16.667 130.669 130.673 W
3.734 A 12.50 174.284 174.262 W
- Based on the table below it can be seen that the computed value using the given formula is
nearly the same to that total power.
5. A series circuit consisting of a 20 ohm resistance and 10 µfarad capacitance is connected to a
220-volt, 60-hertz source. Determine the current, power factor, power and the voltage drop
across the capacitor.
R = 20 Ω C = 10 µF V = 220 V f = 60 Hz

1 1
XC = ; XC = =265.258Ω
2 πfC 2 π (60)(10)
ZT =√ R2 + X c2 ; Z T =√ 202+ 265.262=266.011 Ω
V 220 V
I= = =827.033 mA
Z 266.011
θ = tan-1 (-265.258/20) = 274.31°
P . F=cos 274.31=0.0752
Vm = 220 * √2 = 311.13 V
Im = 0.827033 * √2 = 1.167 A
P = (311.13*1.17)/2 (0.0752)=13.687 W
VC = 1.17 (265.258) sin (-90 +274.31) = -23.324 V (voltage drop)

6. A 100-watt, 220-volt lamp and a capacitance of 300 µfarad are connected in parallel. If a 220-
volt, 60 Hz supply is impressed, find the current in each branch and total line current, the total
impedance, overall power factor of the circuit and the total power.
- PLamp = 100 W VS = 220 V VLamp = 220 V f = 60 Hz CLamp = 300 µF

2202 220
R Lamp= =484 Ω I Lamp = =0.454 A
100 484
 1
XC = =8.842Ω
2 π ( 60 )( 300 )
220
I C= =24.881 A
8.842

ZT =√ R2 + X C 2 =√ 4842 +8.8422=484.08 Ω
I T = √ I lamp2 + I C 2=√ 0.452+ 24.882=24.88 A
P 100
P . F= T = =0.0183
V S I T 220(24.87)
8.842−1
θ=tan −1 ( 484−1 )=88.953 °

P . F .=cos ( 88.953 ° )=0.018

Vm=311.13 V
ℑ=35.188 A

P=(311.13∗35.188)/2(0.0183)=100.175 W

V. Data analysis and interpretation

For this experiment it was conducted by creating a circuit base on the schematic diagram that
was given on this experiment an ammeter was placed to measure the current and voltmeter was
placed to measure the voltage, the following data that was measured was then recorded on the
table.

Table 1.1 ; Measured values for RUN 1

The table above shows the following data that were measured by conducting the different trials
from the experiment where it can be seen that the voltage at the capacitor increases when more
resistor in series is connected while on the other hand the voltage at resistors decreases as you
connect more resistor in series, another one is that the current in an series capacitive circuit the
current increases as more resistor is connected. It can also be seen that as you increase the
number of connected resistor in series the resistance decreases in an capacitive circuit it can be
V
proven by the formula that was given unto this experiment where R= R , the total power also
I
decreases as more resistor is connected in series the same can be said to that of power factor as
VT
can be seen from the table and the given formula where PT =V R I and P . F= by substituting
VS I
the measured values on the formula you can notice the relationship of each variable unto each
one another.

Table 1.2 ; Measured values for RUN 2

The table above show the measured and calculated value from run 2 whereas it is almost the
same to RUN 1 the only difference is that the resistors were connected in parallel, since they
are connected in parallel it can be seen that the current that was measured both for the total
current and current at the resistor is increasing unlike the current at the capacitor which is
constant throughout all the conducted trials, it can also be seen that the resistance is the same
to that of the RUN 1 hence it can be said that as more resistor is connected the resistance
 decreases, moving on the total power it can be seen that the total power increases as more
resistor is connected in parallel this can be proven by the measured data above and the given
formula PT =V S I R since the total power increases as more resistor is connected in parallel the same
can be said unto that of power factor as observed from the table above and can also be proven by the
given formula where P.F = IR/IT.

Power Factor VS Resistance

0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
Power Factor

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
50 25 16.67 12.5
Resistance (Ω)

Figure 2.1 – Graph of Power Factor (P.F.) vs Resistance (R) in series

Looking at the figure above it can be seen that it is the plot between the power factor vs the
resistance in series and as can be observed from above that the direction of the line is going
downwards and that as the resistance decreases the power factor also decreases thus it can be
said that the relationship between the two variables is directly proportional.
 Power Factor VS Resistance
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
Power Factor

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
50 25 16.67 12.5
Resistance (Ω)

Figure 2.2 – Graph of Power Factor (P.F.) vs Resistance (R) in parallel

Upon careful observation and analysis it can be seen from the figure above that the line is
directed upward or going upward where it can be seen that as the resistance decreases the power
factor increases thus it can be said that the relationship between the said variable is inversely
proportional. But as can be seen above the power is lagging to that of the resistance in an
inductive circuit.
VI. Findings and Conclusion

After Conducting the experiment and carefully analysing the data that were recorded I had
learned that in a circuit series R-C Circuit. A series R-C circuit voltage across the resistance R is
in phase with the current while the voltage across the capacitor C lags the current by exactly 90 0
as per individual characteristic of the circuit element and that in an parallel R-C circuit with
voltage supply as reference, the current IR is in phase with the supply voltage as it is in the pure
R branch, while the current IC in the capacitor leads the voltage by 90 0 as it is in a pure C branch.
the resultant current, IT , will lead the supply voltage by an angle θ. (Cimatu, n.d).

Upon carefully observing the following data that were I had found out that the resistance and
power factor for series is directly proportional to each other, while on the other hand the
relationship of the two said variables in a parallel circuit the resistance is inversely proportional
to that of the power factor this can be proven by the following measured data recorded. Another
one is that the Voltage supply can be measured or computed by using the values of the V R and
the VC and utilizing the Pythagorean theorem unto this is also applicable on that of a parallel
circuit on finding the total current the same method can be applied using the current at the
resistor and capacitor which is the IR and IC it shall then yield to the total current. It can also be
observed in this experiment that the VC increases as the number of resistor is connected in series
but not can be said the same to that of the V R where it can be seen that the value decreases as
more resistor is added in series, while on the other hand in a parallel circuit as more resistor is
connected the total current increases while on the other hand the IR decreases and the value of IC
is constant throughout the following trials. In terms of power in an capacitive series as more
resistor is connected the total power decreases, while on the other hand in an capacitive parallel
circuit as more resistor is connected the total power increases.

Working on this experiment made me realize the differences between the inductive and
capacitive where whenever capacitors or inductors are involved in an AC circuit, the current and
voltage do not peak at the same time. The fraction of a period difference between the peaks
expressed in phase difference. The phase difference is < 90 degrees. It is customary to use the
angle by which the voltage leads the current. This leads to a positive phase for inductive circuits
since current lags the voltage in an inductive circuit. The phase is negative for a capacitive
circuit since the current leads the voltage. (Hyper Physics, n.d).
VII. References

Phase Relationships in AC Circuits. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2021, from

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/phase.html

Cimatu, S. (n.d). Capacitive Circuits Experiment No. 5. University of the East-Caloocan

Submitted by: Juan, Neslee Jude R.

Subject and Section: NEE2202 – 1-EC