Laboratory Experiment No.

1
Series RC and RL Circuits
I. DISCUSSION
Ohms’ Law applies to all types of circuit, but in the case of AC
circuits, all currents, voltages, reactance, resistance and impedance must
be expressed in phasor. All phasor diagrams should be accompanied by a
circuit diagram. If this is not done the such a circuit diagram must be
obvious or assumed in order to interpret the phasor diagram. The phasor
diagram shows only the location, direction and confusion generally result
when not recognized or when the two diagrams are combined.

II. OBJECTIVES
The activity aims to:
1. Familiarize with the series RC and RL circuits.
2. Describe the relationship between current and voltage in a series
RC and RL circuit.
3. Determine the impedance of a series RC and RL circuit.
4. Measure properly the impedance of series and RC Circuit using
measuring instrument to compare the computed values to
measure values.

III. MATERIALS
 100 w Lamp  AC ammeter
 5 uf Capacitor  AC supply
 1.389 H Inductor  Multisim
 AC voltmeter
IV. PROCEDURE
A. RC Circuit
a. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1
b. Measure the total current and the current across the lamp and
across the 5 uf capacitor. To measure the total current of the AC
voltage (refer to Figure 2A). Turn on the run button to simulate
the circuit. Record the current reading for the AC voltage source.
Repeat the step for to record the lamp and 5 uf capacitor as shown
in Figure 2B and 2C.

Figure 2A

Figure 2B
 Figure 2C
c. Measure the voltage of the source (eT), lamp (eR) and the
capacitor (eC). To measure the voltage across the source, refer to
Figure 3A. Turn on the simulation to enable the reading. Record
the reading foe the voltage across the source. Repeat the step to
measure the voltage of the lamp and capacitor shown in Figure
3B and 3C.

Figure 3A

Figure 3B

Figure 3C
 d. Using Ohm’s Law, compute the voltage and current for each
component. Record it at Table 1 and 2. Use the formula
𝑒𝑅 𝑒𝐿 𝑒𝑐
𝑅 = ; 𝑋𝐿 = ; 𝑋𝐶 =
𝑖𝑅 𝑖𝐿 𝑖𝑐

𝑉𝑡
𝑍= = √𝑅2 + 𝑋𝑐2
𝐼𝑡
e. Compute the magnitude and phase angle of the impedance
using the equation Z = R – jXc, where Xc = 1/2πfC. Use the 5
uF for the value of C.
f. Compute the percent difference between the measure and the
computed value of the impedance.
B. RL Circuit
a. Connect the circuit shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4

b. Measure the total current and the current across the lamp and
across the 1.389 H inductor. To measure the total current of the
AC voltage (refer to Figure 5A). Turn on the run button to
simulate the circuit. Record the current reading for the AC
voltage source. Repeat the step for to record the lamp and 1.389
H inductor as shown in Figure 5B and 5C.
 Figure 5A

Figure 5B

Figure 5C

c. Measure the voltage of the source (eT), lamp (eR) and the
inductor (eL). To measure the voltage across the source, refer to
Figure 6A. Turn on the simulation to enable the reading. Record
the reading for the voltage across the source. Repeat the step to
measure the voltage of the lamp and inductor shown in Figure
6B and 6C.

Figure 6A
 Figure 6B

Figure 6C

d. Using Ohm’s Law, compute the voltage and current for each
component. Record it at Table 1 and 2. Use the formula
𝑒𝑅 𝑒𝐿 𝑒𝑐
𝑅 = ; 𝑋𝐿 = ; 𝑋𝐶 =
𝑖𝑅 𝑖𝐿 𝑖𝑐

𝑉𝑡
𝑍= = √𝑅2 + 𝑋𝑐2
𝐼𝑡
e. Compute the magnitude and phase angle of the impedance
using the equation Z = R + jXl, where Xl = 2πfL. Use the 1.389
H inductor for the value of L.
f. Compute the percent difference between the measure and the
computed value of the impedance.
Table 1: Simulation and Computation Result of Voltage of the
Series RC Circuit
Voltage (V) R C Total
Workbench
Computation
% Difference

Table 2: Simulation and Computation Result Current of the

Series RC Circuit
Current (A) R C Total
Workbench
Computation
% Difference

Table 3: Simulation and Computation Result of Voltage of the

Series RL Circuit
Voltage (V) R L Total
Workbench
Computation
% Difference
 Table 4: Simulation and Computation Result Current of the
Series RL Circuit
Current (A) R L Total
Workbench
Computation
% Difference

V. ANALYSIS
A. Questions
a. Do the workbench and computational values of voltages and
currents agree?
b. Give possible reasons for any discrepancies.

VI. CONCLUSION
VII. APPLICATION

A. Circuit Design
a. Draw a series RC circuit design that has 100 W lamp and
connected to 220 V, 60 cycle and consist of capacitor C. The
capacitive reactance is 884.1941 ohms and total impedance is
1007.9956 ohms. Calculate the value of R and C.
b. Design a RL circuit which has a total impedance of 685.0844
ohms and series with a 100 W, when the circuit is connected to
220 V, 60 cycles. Find the inductance of an inductor.

B. Problems
a. What value of resistance should be placed in parallel with a 50
uF capacitor in order to have a current of 5 A with a 220 V, 60
Hz source.
b. A pure capacitor and a pure resistor are connected in series in an
AC circuit. A voltmeter reads 30 V when connected across the
capacitor and 40 V when connected across the resistor. What will
it read when connected across both?
c. A current of 2.5A is observed in 120 V 60 Hz circuit which
consists of pure resistor and pure inductor in series. The voltage
across the resistor and inductor are found to be identical.
Calculate the value of the resistance and inductance.