Physics Department

Physics 112

Experiment 8

Impendence and Reactance

Student’s name: Mohammad Shtayeh

Student’s No.: 1231028

Partner’s name: Omar Yahya

Partners No.: 1231237

Section: 1

Instructor: Shayma’ Salama

Date: 13th/05/2024
Abstract:
The aim in this experiment is to find the phase shift between the driving voltage
(Vin), which corresponds with the current, and the voltage difference for the
resistance (VR) on different points where the frequency has been altered, to know
how the capacitance and the inductor affect the flowing of the current.

The method is that we connect one channel from the DSO with the signal generator
and the other with the resistor, then by using the cursors we find Δt between any
two summits, and by that we can find the phase shift. Then keep repeating that
while increasing the frequency.

Theory:

In an RLC circuit powered by AC its current can be given by:

With ε being the driving voltage and it is equal to

𝑉𝑖𝑛 = 𝜀(𝑡) = 𝜀0 cos(𝜔𝑡)

And Z being the impedance, which is a measure of the combined effect of the
resistance, capacitance, and inductance in an AC circuit.

ZR (resistive impedance) = R
−j −1
ZC (capacitive impedance) = || XC (capacitive reactance) =
ωC ωC
ZL (inductive impedance) = 𝑗ωL || XL (inductive reactance) = ωL

While ZR makes up the real part of the impedance, which affects the value of the
current flowing in the circuit. ZC and ZL represent the imaginary part, which is the
part that only affects the flowing itself of the current, they either speed it up or
slow it down. Concluding, impedance is a complex number that needs special
mathematical treatment.
So after getting treated properly, we can conclude the following equation for the
current:

With,

And finally,

And when the phase shift is zero, that is when Vin and I correspond, but in this
experiment it is set as the default for the current to have zero phase shift, so then it
is compared with VR, which is the situation of the current after being affected by
the inductor and the capacitance, so the total phase shift can be calculated.

Having no phase shift means that the voltage has a natural angular frequency of:

1
ω=
√LC

The angular frequency at that instance is called the resonance frequency.

The voltage across the resistance (by OHM’s law) is the current multiplied by R
so:

So after plotting the voltage and the current,

it is concluded that the current heads or lags
the voltage by a time interval that is dependent
on the frequency of the cosine function.
In other words, there exists a phase shift
Ф = ω∆t between them.
 Vin and I are corresponding functions.

The voltage across the inductor is its reactance times the derivative of the current.
Conversely, the voltage across a capacitor is the integration of the current over the
reactance of it. Shown by these equations:
 When plotting the graphs of
VR and VC and VL, it is
obvious that every two graphs
have a phase shift between
them. And it is equal to:
𝜋
Φ (VR, VL) = 2
𝜋
Φ (VR, VC) = − 2
Φ (VC, VL) = π

Another way to calculate the phase shift is by plotting

VC vs. VL in the external mode, which then shows a
spherical shape which indicates the phase shift by this
equation:
𝐴
Φ = sin−1
𝐵

Data:
(Data Sheet Attached)

Calculations: Given data:

R = 1 KΩ
The angular frequency when there is no phase shift: C = 100 nF
L = 10 mH
1
ω= = 31.6 ∗ 103
√(10∗10−3 )(100∗10−9 )

ω 31.6∗103
Which is when the frequency = = = 5 𝐾𝐻𝑧
2𝜋 2𝜋

Therefore, the resonance frequency = 5 KHz

Conclusion:
It was concluded that the in the RLC circuit that the inductor and the capacitor
don’t affect the value of the current like the resistor does, instead they affect its
flow through the circuit, hence the phase shift.

So when the reactances of the inductor and the capacitor are equal, the phase shift
goes to zero, therefore the current flows smoothly corresponding with the potential
difference of the resistance. And that’s when the frequency is equal to 5 KHz,
which is the result got both experimentally and theoretically, which proves the
accuracy of the experimental value.

In the external mode, it was attempted to calculate the phase shift when the
frequency is at 10 KHz, and the phase shift got was equal to 27.8 rad, which was
got by plugging the values of A and B got into the sin equation:

7
Φ = sin−1 = 27.8 𝑟𝑎𝑑
15

And when A and B were equal, it was when the frequency hit 57 KHz, with a
phase shift of 1.57 rad. The sphere turned to a circle in this case.

Lastly when A is equal to zero, in this case the phase shift must be zero due to,

Φ = sin−1 0 = 0 𝑟𝑎𝑑

Then it was observed that at this instant the frequency is equal to 4.8 KHz which is
very close to the result got in the first part of the experiment, meaning that the
work done was accurate. The graph that appeared on the DSO was a straight line.

The errors most likely are due to false use of the DCO, by not putting the right
amount of frequency on the signal generator, or not placing the cursors on the right
lines to get the best readings, etc…
Other than that there could be some small flaws in calculating the values by theory,
or in constructing the circuit.