1

3.8.4 Series Circuit Analogue

LRC-Series Circuits
If i(t) denotes current in the LRC-series electrical circuit shown in FIGURE 3.8.17, then the voltage drops across
the inductor, resistor, and capacitor are as shown in Figure 1.3.5. By Kirchhoff’s second law, the sum of
these voltages equals the voltage E(t) impressed on the circuit; that is,

di 1
L  Ri  q  E(t). (1)
dt C
L
E R

But the charge q(t) on the capacitor is related to the current i(t) by i  dq/dt, and so (1)
C becomes the linear second-order differential equation
FIGURE 3.8.17 d 2q dq 1
L 2
R  q  E(t). (2)
LRC-series circuit dt dt C

Note : If we differentiate equation (1) we have

1
L i"(t) + R i'(t) + q'(t) E'(t).
C
1
L i"(t) + R i'(t) + i(t) E'(t). (3)
C

EXAMPLE 1
Find the charge q(t) on the capacitor in an LRC-series circuit when L  0.25 henry (h),R  10 ohms (V),
C  0.001 farad (f ), E(t)  0 volts (V), q(0)  9 coulombs (C), and i(0)  0 amperes (A).
SOLUTION Since 1/C  1000, equation (2) becomes
1
q  10q  1000q  0 or q  40q  4000q  0.
4
Solving this homogeneous equation in the usual manner, q(t)  e20t (c1 cos 60t  c2 sin 60t).
Applying the initial conditions, we find c1  9 and c2  3 . Thus q(t)  e20t( 9 cos 60t  3 sin 60t).

The complementary function qc(t) of (2) is called a transient solution. If E(t) is periodic or a
constant, then the particular solution qp(t) of (2) is a steady-state solution.

EXAMPLE 2 Steady-State Current

Find the current I(t) in an RLC-circuit with R  11 (ohms),L  0.1 H (henry), C  10ⴚ2 F (farad), which is
connected to a source of EMF E(t)  100 sin (2t) Assume that current and capacitor charge are 0 when t  0.

SOLUTION
Step 1. General solution of the homogeneous ODE. Substituting R, L, C and E'(t) the derivative into (3), we
obtain
di 1
L  Ri  q  E(t). → 0.1i'  11i  100q  100 sin 2t.
dt C
i'  110i  1000q  1000 sin 2t.
is  110ir  1000i  2000 cos 2t.
Hence the homogeneous ODE is is  110ir  1000i  0. Its characteristic equation is

m2  110m  1000 0.

FARHAN ANTARI
 2

The roots are m1 = _10 and m2 = _100 the corresponding general solution of the homogeneous ODE
is ic(t)  c1eⴚ10t  c2eⴚ100t.

Step 2. Particular solution ip of (3). steady-state current

ip(t)  a cos 2t  b sin 2t
i'p(t) = -2a sin 2t + 2b cos 2t
i"p(t) = -4a cos 2t - 4b sin 2t
ips  110ipr  1000ip  2000 cos 2t .

ips  110ipr  1000ip  (996a + 220b) cos 2t + (-220a+996b) sin 2t

996a+220b=2000
-220a+996b=0 a=1.915, b=0.423

Hence in our present case, a general solution of the nonhomogeneous ODE is

i(t) c1eⴚ10t  c2eⴚ100t + 1.915 cos 2t  0.423 sin 2t.
Step 3. Particular solution satisfying the initial conditions. How to use Q(0)  0? We finally determine
c1 and c2 from the in initial conditions i(0) = 0 and q(0)  0. From first condition we have
i(0)  c1  c2 + 1.915  0, hence c1 + c2 = -1.915

i'(0)  110i(0) 1000q(0)  1000 sin 0.

i'(0)  0  0  0. → i'(0)  0.
ⴚ10t ⴚ100t
i'(t) -10c1e  -100c2e - 3.83 sin 2t  0.846 cos 2t.

i'(0) -10c1  -100c2  0.846 =0. → 10c1  100c2 = 0.846

10c1  100c2 = 0.846

c1=-2.1372 , c2=0.2222
c1 + c2 = -1.915

i(t) -0.21372eⴚ10t  0.2222eⴚ100t + 1.915 cos 2t  0.423 sin 2t.

y 0
EXAMPLE 3 LR-Series Circuit
y 0
A 12-volt battery is connected to an LR-series circuit in which the inductance is 12 henry and
the resistance is 10 ohms. Determine the current i if the initial current is zero.

SOLUTION From (8) we see that we must solve the equation

1 di
 10i  12
2 dt
subject to i(0)  0. First, we multiply the differential equation by 2 and read off the integrating
factor e20t. We then obtain
d 20t
fe ig  24e 20t.
dt
Integrating each side of the last equation and solving for i gives i(t)  65  ce–20t. Now i(0)  0
implies 0  65  c or c   65 . Therefore the response is i(t)  65 2 65e 20t.

FARHAN ANTARI
 3
EXAMPLE 3 Series Circuit

Find the charge q(t) on the capacitor in an LRC-series circuit when L  0.25 henry (h),
R  10 ohms (), C  0.001 farad (f), E(t)  0, q(0)  q0 coulombs (C), and i(0)  0.

SOLUTION Since 1兾C  1000, equation (2) becomes

1
q  10q  1000q  0 or q  40q  4000q  0.
4

Solving this homogeneous equation in the usual manner, we find that the circuit is
and q(t)  e20t(c1 cos 60t  c2 sin 60t). Applying the initial conditions
we find c1  q0 and c2  13 q0.Thus

冢
q(t)  q0e20t cos 60t 1 sin 60t .
3 冣
Using (2), we can write the foregoing solution as

q0 110 20t
q(t)  e sin(60t  1.249).
3
When there is an impressed voltage E(t) on the circuit, the electrical vibrations
are said to be forced. In the case when R 0, the complementary function qc(t) of
(2) is calle transient solution. If E(t) is periodic or a constant, then the particu-lar
solution qp(t) of (2) is a steady-state solution.

FARHAN ANTARI
 CHAPTER 4 IN REVIEW 4

Chapter 4 In Review Answers to selected odd-numbered problems

Answer Problems 1 – 10 without referring back to the text. Fill in the 13. Suppose m1 = 3, m 2 = −5, and m 3 = 1 are roots of multiplicity
blank or answer true or false. one, two, and three, respectively, of an auxiliary equation. Write
down the general solution of the corresponding homogeneous
1. The only solution of the initial-value problem
linear DE if it is
y0 + x2y = 0, y(0) = 0, y9(0) = 0 is .
(a) an equation with constant coefficients,
2. For the method of undetermined coefficients, the assumed form
of the particular solution yp for y0 − y = 1 + ex is . (b) a Cauchy-Euler equation.
3. A constant multiple of a solution of a linear differential 14. Consider the differential equation ay0 + by9 + cy = g(x( ), where
(x
equation is also a solution. a, b, and c are constants. Choose the input functions g(x
( ) for
(x
which the method of undetermined coefficients is applicable
4. If the set consisting of two functions f1 and f2 is linearly
and the input functions for which the method of variation of
independent on an interval I, then the Wronskian
parameters is applicable.
W(f
W( (f1, f2) Þ 0 for all x in I.
(a) g(x) = e x ln x (b) g(x) = x 3 cos x
5. If y 5 sin 5x is a solution of a homogeneous linear
sin x
second-order differential with constant coefficients, then the (c) g(x) 5 x (d) g(x) = 2x−2e x
e ex
general solution of the DE is .
(e) g(x) = sin2 x (f) g(x) 5
sin x
6. If y 5 1 2 x 1 6x2 1 3ex is a solution of a homoge-
neous fourth-order linear differential equation with constant In Problems 15 and 16 find a homogeneous second-order Cauchy-
coefficients, then the roots of the auxiliary equation are Euler equation with real coefficients if the given numbers are roots
. of its auxiliary equation.
7. If y 5 c1x 2 1 c2 x 2 ln x, x . 0, is the general solution of a 15. m1 5 4, m2 5 21 16. m1 5 i
homogeneous second-order Cauchy-Euler equation, then the
DE is . In Problems 17– 32 use the procedures developed in this chapter to
2
8. yp 5 Ax is particular solution of y- 1 y0 5 1 for A 5 find the general solution of each differential equation.
. 17. y0 − 2y9 − 2y = 0
2
9. If yp1 5 x is a particular solution of y0 1 y 5 x and yp2 5 x 2 2 18. 2y0 + 2y9 + 3y = 0
is a particular solution of y0 1 y 5 x2, then a particular solution
of y0 1 y 5 x2 1 x is . 19. y- + 10y0 + 25y9 = 0

10. If y1 5 ex and y2 5 e2xx are solutions of homogeneous linear 20. 2y- + 9y0 + 12y9 + 5y = 0
differential equation, then necessarily y 5 25e2x 1 10e x is also
21. 3y- + 10y0 + 15y9 + 4y = 0
a solution of the DE.
22. 2y (4) + 3y- + 2y0 + 6y9 − 4y = 0
11. Give an interval over which the set of two functions f1 (x) = x 2
and f 2 (x) = xu x u is linearly independent. Then give an 23. y0 − 3y9 + 5y = 4x 3 − 2x
interval over which the set consisting of f1 and f 2 is linearly
24. y0 − 2y9 + y = x 2e x
dependent.
12. Without the aid of the Wronskian, determine whether the given 25. y- − 5y0 + 6y9 = 8 + 2 sin x
set of functions is linearly independent or linearly dependent on 26. y- − y0 = 6
the indicated interval.
27. y0 − 2y9 + 2y = e x tan x
(a) f1(x) = ln x, f 2 (x) = ln x 2, (0, `) 2ex
28. y0 2 y 5 x
(b) f1(x) = x n, f 2(x) = x n+1, n = 1, 2, . . . , (−`, `) e 1 e2x
29. 6x 2 y0 + 5xy9 − y = 0
(c) f1(x) = x, f 2(x) = x + 1, (−`, `)
30. 2x 3 y- + 19x 2 y0 + 39xy9 + 9y = 0
(d) f1(x) 5 cos x 11 
2 2
, f2 (x) 5 sin x, (2`, `)
31. x 2 y0 − 4xy9 + 6y = 2x 4 + x 2
(e) f1(x) = 0, f 2(x) = x, (−5, 5) 32. x 2 y0 − xy9 + y = x 3
(f) f1(x) = 2, f 2(x) = 2x, (−`, `) 35. Given that y = sin x is a solution of
2 2 2
(g) f1(x) = x , f 2 (x) = 1 − x , f3 (x) = 2 + x , (−`, `) y (4) + 2y- + 11y0 + 2y9 + 10y = 0,
x+1 x
(h) f1(x) = xe , f 2(x) = (4x − 5)e , find the general solution of the DE without the aid of a
f 3(x) = xe x, (−`, `) calculator or a computer.

FARHAN ANTARI