NOTES Chapter 1 AC Fundamentals
NOTES Chapter 1 AC Fundamentals
COEA NOTES
CHAPTER 1 AC FUNDAMENTALS
NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
CHAPTER 1
AC FUNDAMENTALS
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this chapter you should be able to:
appreciate why a.c. is used in preference to d.c.
describe the principle of operation of an a.c. generator
distinguish between unidirectional and alternating waveforms
define cycle, period or periodic time T and frequency f of a waveform
define instantaneous, peak, mean and rms values, and form and peak factors for
a sine wave
calculate mean and rms values and form and peak factors for given waveforms
understand and perform calculations on the general sinusoidal equation 𝑣 =
𝑉𝑚 sin(𝜔𝑡 ± ∅)
understand lagging and leading angles
A.C. means alternating current —The current or voltage which alternates its direction and
magnitude every time. Now a days, A. C. supply is the most common electrical energy to be
produced, transmitted and distributed.
Some of the reasons are the following:
1. AC can be generated at comparatively high voltages and this voltages can be raised or
lowered readily by means of static transformers.
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An e.m.f. is generated in the coil (from Faraday’s Laws) which varies in magnitude and
reverses its direction at regular intervals. The reason for this is shown in the figure below.
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In positions,
(a), (e) and (i) the conductors of the loop are effectively moving along the magnetic
field, no flux is cut and hence no e.m.f. is induced.
(c) the maximum flux is cut and hence maximum e.m.f. is induced.
(g), the maximum flux is cut and hence maximum e.m.f. is again induced. However,
using Fleming’s right-hand rule, the induced e.m.f. is in the opposite direction to that
in position (c) and is thus shown as -E.
(b), (d), (f) and (h) some flux is cut and hence some e.m.f. is induced. If all such
positions of the coil are considered, in one revolution of the coil, one cycle of
alternating e.m.f. is produced as shown. This is the principle of operation of the ac
generator (i.e. the alternator).
1.3 WAVEFORM
If values of quantities which vary with time t are plotted to a base of time, the resulting graph
is called a waveform (see figure below).
Waveforms,
(a) and (b) are unidirectional waveforms, for, although they vary considerably with
time, they flow in one direction only (i.e. they do not cross the time axis and become
negative).
(c) to (g) are called alternating waveforms since their quantities are continually
changing in direction (i.e. alternately positive and negative).
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FREQUENCY
The number of complete cycles of alternating current or voltage completed each
second is called FREQUENCY.
It is always measured in hertz.
The relationship between time (T) and frequency (f) is indicated by the formulas
1 1
𝑇= 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓=
𝑓 𝑇
Where:
𝑡 − period in seconds
𝑓 − frequency in hertz
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WAVELENGTH
The period of the waveform is the time it takes for a sine wave to complete one cycle.
The distance travelled by the sine wave during this period is called the
WAVELENGTH.
It is indicated by the symbol 𝜆 (read as lamda)
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Example 3. 12 cycles of an AC waveform occur in 0.48 sec. What is the period of the
waveform?
Solution:
Since frequency has a unit of cycle/sec, we obtain
12 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒𝑠
𝑓= = 25 𝐻𝑧
0.48 𝑠𝑒𝑐
Example 4. An AC waveform has a frequency of 16 kHz. How much time is required for 200
cycles to occur?
Solution:
Using unit analysis,
𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒
= 𝑐𝑦𝑐𝑙𝑒 = 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑓 ⁄𝑠𝑒𝑐
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RADIAN
Radians is the angle subtended by an arc whose length is equal to its radius
It is the SI unit for angle
It is related to degrees by:
2𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 360𝑜
360𝑜
1 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 2𝜋
1 𝑟𝑎𝑑 ≈ 57.2957𝑜
1 Radian
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𝜃 𝑟𝑎𝑑⁄
𝜔= 𝑠𝑒𝑐
𝑡
𝜃 = 𝜔𝑡
The sine wave can be expressed as a function of time by
sin 𝜃 = sin 𝜔𝑡
Note that one cycle is the same as 2𝜋 radians. Since frequency is the no. of cycles produced
in 1.0 sec, the no. of radians also produced in 1 sec is 2𝜋 times frequency. Unit conversion
shows,
Thus,
𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓 𝑟𝑎𝑑 ⁄
𝑠𝑒𝑐
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Example 1. Given the equation of a waveform as: y(t)=sin 3141.6t, find the following:
a. Angular velocity
b. The Frequency
c. Period of the waveform
d. Sketch y(t) vs. time
Solution:
a. From 𝑦(𝑡) = sin 𝜔𝑡, we can see that the angular velocity is 3141.6 rad/sec.
b. From the formula 𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓, we can equate the equation to,
𝜔 3141.6
𝑓 = 2𝜋 = = 500 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋
1
c. From the formula 𝑇 = 𝑓, we obtain
1 1
𝑇 = 𝑓 = 500 = 2 𝑚𝑠𝑒𝑐
d.
y(t)
0.5 1 1.5 2
Example 2. What is the period of the sine wave 𝑦(𝑡) = sin(2𝜋 𝑥 106 )𝑡 ?
Solution:
We can observe that the angular velocity is 𝜔 = 2𝜋 × 106 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
i(t)
T(𝜇𝑠)
50 150 200
100
Solution:
We can inspect that the graph has a period of 𝑇 = 200 𝜇𝑠
Then we can solve for the frequency
1 1
𝑓 = 𝑡 = 200 𝜇𝑠 = 5 𝑘𝐻𝑧
Example 4. If the angular frequency of a sine wave is 1.2 × 105 rad/sec, at what point in
time does the first cycle reach its maximum positive value?
Solution:
Given:
𝜔 = 1.2 × 105 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
First, we solve for the frequency from the formula 𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓
𝜔 1.2 ×105
𝑓 = 2𝜋 = = 19098.59 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋
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PEAK-TO-PEAK (𝑽𝑷−𝑷 )
The difference between the (+) Peak and the (-) peak
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Example 1. Find the instantaneous value of 𝑣(𝑡) = 5 sin(2𝜋 × 104 𝑡) volts at the following:
a. 0 𝑠𝑒𝑐
b. 25 𝜇𝑠
c. 65 𝜇𝑠
Solution:
a. Given:
𝑡 = 0 𝑠𝑒𝑐
Substituting the time to the equation, we obtain
𝑣(𝑡) = 5 sin(2𝜋 × 104 𝑡) = 5 sin(2𝜋 × 104 (0)) = 0 𝑉
b. Given
𝑡 = 25 𝜇𝑠
c. Given
𝑡 = 65 𝜇𝑠
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
Example 2. Find the value of 𝑡 at which the instantaneous value of 𝑖(𝑡) = 0.6 sin(400𝑡) 𝑚𝐴
equals its peak value.
Solution:
Given,
Instantaneous current 𝑖(𝑡) = 0.6 sin(400𝑡) 𝑚𝐴
𝜔 = 400 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
Solving for the frequency,
𝜔 400
𝑓 = 2𝜋 = = 63.33 𝐻𝑧
2𝜋
Hence, to obtain for the peak value, we divide the period into four (see figure below)
0.6
i(t) 3.9275 11.7825
7.855 15.71
0.6
𝑇 15.71 𝑚𝑠
𝑡=4= = 3.9275 𝑚𝑠
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Example 3. Write the mathematical expression for a 50 Hz sinusoidal voltage having value of
80V. Sketch the waveform vs. 𝑡.
Solution:
Given,
𝑓 = 50 𝐻𝑧
𝑉𝑃 = 80 𝑉
First we solve for 𝜔,
𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓 = 2𝜋(50) = 100𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑/𝑠𝑒𝑐
Thus, we can write the expression to
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
80
5 5 5 5
-80
2 2
𝑖 +𝑖 +...+𝑖𝑛 2
𝐼=√1 2
𝑛
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
The values of form and peak factors give an indication of the shape of waveforms.
𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 =
𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 =
𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
Example 1. For the periodic waveforms shown in the figure below, determine for each: (i)
frequency (ii) average value over half a cycle (iii) rms value (iv) form factor and (v) peak
factor
Solution:
(a) Triangular waveform (Figure (a))
Hence frequency f,
1 1 1000
𝑓 = 𝑇 = 20×10−3 = = 50 𝐻𝑧
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(ii) Area under the triangular waveform (𝐴𝑇𝑊 ) for a half cycle
1 1
(𝐴𝑇𝑊 ) = × 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 × ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = × (10 × 10−3 ) × 200 = 1 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑡 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑
2 2
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
(iii) In Figure (a), the first 1/4 cycle is divided into 4 intervals.
(Note that the greater the number of intervals chosen, the greater the accuracy of the
result. For example, if twice the number of ordinates as that chosen above are used, the rms
value is found to be 115.6 V)
1 1 1000
𝑓 = 𝑇 = 16×10−3 = = 62.5 𝐻𝑧
16
2 2 2
𝑖 +𝑖 +...+𝑖𝑛
(iii) 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 = √ 1 2 𝑛 = 10𝐴
however many intervals are chosen, since the waveform is rectangular.
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 10
(iv) 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑚 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = 𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 = 10 = 1
𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 10
(v) 𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝐹𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 = = 10 = 1
𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
A positive phase shift causes the waveform to shift left along the horizontal axis
A negative phase shift causes the waveform to shift right along the horizontal
axis
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
Note that when two waveforms have different phase angles, the one shifted furthest to the
left is said to lead the other.
Figure 1 below shows current and voltage waveform in-phase.
And Figure 2 shows voltage waveform leading the current waveform by 45 degrees.
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
𝑣 = 𝑉𝑚 sin(𝜔𝑡 ± ∅)
where:
𝑉𝑚 = 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒 𝑜𝑟 𝑚𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑢𝑚 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
2𝑉𝑚 = 𝑃𝑒𝑎𝑘 − 𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒
𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝜔 = 𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝑠
2𝜋
𝑇= 𝑠𝑒𝑐 = 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑜𝑑𝑖𝑐 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝜔
Solution:
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
2𝜋 2𝜋 1
Hence periodic time, 𝑇 = = 200𝜋 = 100 = 0.01 𝑠 𝑜𝑟 10𝑚𝑠
𝜔
1 1
(e) Frequency, 𝑓 = 𝑇 = 0.01 = 100 𝐻𝑧
180𝑜
0.25 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑠 = (0.25 × ) = 14.32𝑜
𝜋
Hence phase angle = 14.32𝑜 lagging
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NOTES: CIRCUITS 2
Reference:
[1] Jackson, Ray. “Module 2: Introduction to Alternating Current and Transformers.” United
States – Navy. September 1998.
[2] T. F. Bogart Jr, Electric Circuit 2nd Edition, 1988
[3] J. Bird. Electrical Circuit Theory and Technology (Revised 2nd Edition). 2003
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