Alternating current is that current in which magnitude and direction of current changes alternately

𝐼 = 𝐼𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡

Here the sin wave form shows no phase

difference between current and emf

Here in sine wave, we see that both V and I reach zero, minimum and maximum values at the same time
Sum of the instantaneous current values over one
Avrage value of current
RMS value of current

complete cycle is zero, power consumed is not zero,

as we know electric power is given by joules heating
effect i.e. =
Now the average Power over a cycle
Irms Value of current = 0.707
= = = Average value of current= 0.637
There for the Root mean Square value of Current =
 Consider an Inductor of Inductance is connected with AC
source. In this circuit the current lags behind the emf by a
AC Voltage applied to an Inductor

𝜋
phase angle of 2 . This may be represented in three ways

1. By sine wave
2. By phasor diagram
3. by equation (i) The instantons Value of emf is
given by 𝑉 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡
ii. The instantaneous value of
current is given by

Consider an AC circuit containing C only, this circuit the current leads the emf by a phase
angle of this may be represented in three ways

1. By sine wave
2. By phasor Diagram
3. By equation (i) The instantaneous value of current
in the circuit is given by
(ii) The instantaneous value of emf is given by
 Consider an AC circuit containing LC and R, the instantaneous emf applied across the LCR is
given by the equation The individual components with phasor diagrams are
shown in fig
AC Voltage applied to L C and R
The voltage across the source is given
by V =√(𝑉𝐶 − 𝑉𝐿 )2 − 𝑉𝑅2

The impedance is the resistance

offered by the L, C and R in an AC
circuit is given by
𝑉
𝑍= = √(𝑋𝐶 − 𝑋𝐿 )2 − 𝑅2
𝐼
Phase angle is given by the relation
𝑉𝐶 −𝑉𝐿 𝑋𝑐 −𝑋𝐿
𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜙 = = ,the Phase
𝑉𝑅 𝑅
angle is also obtained by the impedance
Triangle as given below

The impedance of LCR circuit depends on frequency of AC source at particular frequency the
Capacitive Reactance becomes equal to the Inductive Reactance, the Z = R due to minimum
value of resistance in the LCR circuit the induced current becomes maximum, this condition
is known as Resonance.
Resonance and Quality factor

We know that impedance is given by 𝑍 = √(𝑋𝐶 − 𝑋𝐿 )2 − 𝑅2

When 𝑋𝐶 − 𝑋𝐿 = 0 then 𝑋𝐶 = 𝑋𝐿
1 1
or 𝜔 = 𝜔0 𝐿 or 𝜔0 =
0𝐶 √𝐿𝐶

𝑉𝑚
At Resonance the current amplitude is maximum 𝑖𝑚 = 𝑅

Applications: Tuning mechanism of Radio, TV and broadcasting of signals We don’t have

resonance phenomenon in LR or CR circuit This phenomenon is exhibited by on L C circuit

Sharpness of Resonance or Quality Factor: The measure of sharpness of resonance is

𝜔0 𝜔0 𝐿 1
regarded as the quantity = =
2 Δ𝜔 𝑅 𝜔0 C R

We see in above graph of resonance that if the resonance is less sharp, not only the
maximum current is less, the circuit close to resonance for a larger range Δ𝜔 of frequencies
and the tuning of the circuit will not be good,

So less sharp the resonance, less is the selectivity of the circuit or vice versa. We also see
that if quality factor is large, i.e., R is low or L is large, the circuit is more selective
 When a AC voltage 𝑉 = 𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 is applied to a series LCR circuit, it derives current
𝐼 =𝐼𝑚 sin(𝜔𝑡 + ϕ) in the circuit which is given by therefore the instantaneous power p
LC Oscillations and Power in AC Circuit
supplied by the source is given in 𝑃 = 𝑉 𝐼 = (𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡) (𝐼𝑚 sin(𝜔𝑡 + ϕ))
𝑉𝑚 𝐼𝑚
𝑃= 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙 where 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙 is called the power factor, so the average power dissipated
√2 √2
depends not only on the voltage and current but also on the cosine of the phase angle
 between them.

LC oscillations are similar to oscillations in mechanical system like oscillations of simple

pendulum in which potential energy of the bob is converted to kinetic energy and hence
follows the law of conservation of energy

In the same way in LC oscillations, Capacitor is charge and

connected to a inductor then it discharges across the inductor and its
2
𝑞𝑚
electrostatic energy 𝑈𝐸 = is converted in to magnetostatic
2𝐶
1 2
energy 𝑈𝐵 = 𝐿𝑖 in this way charge oscillates simple harmonically
2 𝑚
𝑑2 𝑞 1
+ 𝑞 = 0 from one plate of the capacitor to another alternately and follows the law of
𝑑𝑡 2 𝐿𝐶
conservation of energy.

AC generator is a device which converts the Mechanical Energy

into Electrical Energy. To convert mechanical energy into
electrical energy A rectangular coil having N turns rotated
AC Generator and Transformer

mechanically with angular velocity  between concave shaped

strong magnetic pole pieces of Strength B, due to rotation the
magnetic flux 𝜙𝐵 = 𝑁𝐵𝐴 cos 𝜔𝑡 linked with the coil changes and induced emf 𝑉 =
𝑉𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 is produced in the coil. As, the magnitude and direction of induced current
changes alternately therefore it is called alternating current.
Transformer is a device which is used to increase the low AC voltage at low current
to high AC voltage at high current and vice versa. Transformer is based on the
principle of Mutual Induction. For an Ideal Transformer which given 100% output we
𝑖𝑝 𝑣𝑠 𝑁𝑝
have following relation = = There are two types of transformers Step Up
𝑖𝑠 𝑣𝑝 𝑁𝑠
𝑁𝑝 < 𝑁𝑠 and Step Down 𝑁𝑝 > 𝑁𝑠 out put of Transformer is not 100% because of
following reasons

(i) Flux Losses

(ii) Loss of energy in the form of heat
due to Resistance of windings
(iii) Eddy current and Hysteresis losses