ELL101 – AC Circuits

Lecture 13
Phasors, Impedance Function (II)

Dhiman Mallick
Impedance
 The voltage-current relations for the three passive elements are
𝐈
V = RI, V = j𝜔LI, V=
jωC
 These equations may be written in terms of the ratio of the phasor voltage to the phasor current as
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V/I = R, V/I = j𝜔L, V/I =
jωC
 Ohm’s law in phasor form for any type of element
V/I = Z or V = ZI
where Z is a frequency-dependent quantity known as impedance, measured in ohms.

 The impedance Z of a circuit is the ratio of the phasor voltage V to the phasor current I, measured in
ohms (Ω).

 The impedance represents the opposition that the circuit exhibits to the flow of sinusoidal current.

 Although the impedance is the ratio of two phasors, it is not a phasor, because it does not correspond
to a sinusoidally varying quantity.

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Impedance Impedances and admittances of passive elements
Element Impedance Admittance
R Z=R 1
Y=
R
L Z = j𝜔L 1
Y=
jωL
C 1 Y = j𝜔C
Z=
jωC

Consider two extreme cases of angular frequency.

When ω = 0 (i.e., for dc sources), ZL = 0 and ZC → ∞

The inductor acts like a short circuit, while the capacitor acts like an
open circuit.

When ω → ∞ (i.e., for high frequencies), ZL → ∞ and ZC = 0

The inductor is an open circuit to high frequencies, while the capacitor

is a short circuit
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Impedance
 As a complex quantity, the impedence may be expressed in rectangular form as
𝑍 = 𝑅 ± 𝑗𝑋
where R = Re Z is the resistance and X = Im Z is the reactance.

 The reactance, X, is just a magnitude, a positive value.

 When used as a vector, a j is associated with inductance and a −j is associated with capacitance

 Z = R + jX is said to be inductive or lagging since current lags voltage.

 Z = R − jX is capacitive or leading because current leads voltage.

 The impedance, resistance, and reactance are all measured in ohms.

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Admittance
 The impedance may also be expressed in polar form as 𝐙 = 𝑍 ∠𝜃
So, we can write, 𝐙 = 𝑅 ± 𝑗𝑋 = 𝑍 ∠𝜃
where
±𝑋
𝑍 = 𝑅2 + 𝑋 2 and 𝜃 = tan−1 And R = ∣Z∣cosθ, X = ∣Z∣sinθ
𝑅

 The admittance Y is the reciprocal of impedance, measured in siemens (S).

 The admittance Y of an element (or a circuit) is the ratio of the phasor current through it to the phasor
voltage across it.
1 𝑰
𝒀= =
𝒁 𝑽

 As a complex quantity, we may write Y as

𝐘 = 𝐺 + 𝑗𝐵

where G = Re(Y) is called the conductance and B = Im(Y) is called the susceptance.

 Admittance, conductance, and susceptance are all expressed in the unit of siemens (or mhos).
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Admittance

It is clear that,
1
𝐺 + 𝑗𝐵 =
𝑅 + 𝑗𝑋

By rationalization,
1 𝑅 − 𝑗𝑋 𝑅 − 𝑗𝑋
𝐺 + 𝑗𝐵 = . =
𝑅 + 𝑗𝑋 𝑅 − 𝑗𝑋 𝑅2 − 𝑋 2

Equating the real and imaginary parts gives,

𝑅 𝑋
𝐺= 2 2 , 𝐵=−
𝑅 +𝑋 𝑅 2 +𝑋 2

1 1
Showing that 𝐺 ≠ as it is in resistive circuits. Of course, if X = 0, then 𝐺 = .
𝑅 𝑅

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Steady State AC Response of an Inductor

 Voltage and current waveforms for a purely  Inductive reactance is proportional to the
inductive circuit frequency

 Voltage leads the current by 90°  Current produced by a given voltage is inversely
proportional to the frequency

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Steady State AC Response of a Capacitor

 Voltage and current waveforms for a purely  Capacitive reactance is inversely proportional to
capacitive circuit the frequency

 Voltage lags the current by 90°  Current produced by a given voltage is

proportional to the frequency

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Steady State AC Response of a Series RL Circuit
(a) Circuit diagram; (b) Phasor diagram; (c) Instantaneous phasor
diagram; (d) Wave diagram

𝑉𝑅 = 𝐼𝑅 𝑉𝐿 = 𝐼𝑍𝐿 = 𝑗𝜔𝐼𝐿
𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅 2 + 𝑉𝐿 2 = 𝐼 2 𝑅2 + 𝐼 2 𝑋𝐿 2
𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅 + 𝑉𝐿 = 𝐼𝑅 + 𝑗𝜔𝐼𝐿 = 𝐼 𝑅 + 𝑗𝜔𝐿 = 𝐼𝑍𝑅𝐿 = 𝐼 𝑅2 + (𝜔𝐿)2 = 𝐼 𝑍𝑅𝐿
𝑍𝑅𝐿 = 𝑅 + 𝑗𝜔𝐿 9
Steady State AC Response of a Series RL Circuit

By the geometry of the diagram:

𝑉𝐿 𝐼𝑋𝐿
𝜙= tan−1 = tan−1
𝑉𝑅 𝐼𝑅

𝑋𝐿 𝜔𝐿
= tan−1 = tan−1
𝑅 𝑅
Voltage and impedance triangles. (a) Voltage
diagram; (b) impedance diagram

The phase angle may also be computed as follows:

𝑉𝑅 𝑅 𝑅
𝜙= cos −1 = cos −1 = cos −1
𝑉 𝑍𝑅𝐿 𝑅2 + 𝜔 2 𝐿2

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Steady State AC Response of a Series RC Circuit
(a) Circuit diagram; (b) Phasor diagram; (c) Instantaneous phasor
diagram; (d) Wave diagram

𝐼
𝑉𝑅 = 𝐼𝑅 𝑉𝐶 = 𝐼𝑍𝐶 = −𝑗
𝜔𝐶 𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅 2 + 𝑉𝐶 2 = 𝐼 2 𝑅2 + 𝐼 2 𝑋𝐶 2
𝐼 1
𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅 + 𝑉𝐶 = 𝐼𝑅 − 𝑗 =𝐼 𝑅−𝑗 = 𝐼𝑍𝑅𝐶
𝜔𝐶 𝜔𝐶 1
1 = 𝐼 𝑅2 + ( )2 = 𝐼 𝑍𝑅𝐶
𝑍𝑅𝐶 = 𝑅−𝑗 𝜔𝐶 11
𝜔𝐶
Steady State AC Response of a Series RC Circuit

By the geometry of the diagram:

𝑉𝐶 𝐼𝑋𝐶
𝜙= tan−1 = tan−1
𝑉𝑅 𝐼𝑅

𝑋𝐶 1
= tan−1 = tan−1
𝑅 𝜔𝐶𝑅
Voltage and impedance triangles. (a) Voltage
diagram; (b) impedance diagram

The phase angle may also be computed as follows:

𝑉𝑅 𝑅 𝑅
𝜙= cos −1 = cos −1 = cos −1
𝑉 𝑍𝑅𝐶 1
𝑅2 +
𝜔2𝐶 2

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Steady State AC Response of a Series RLC Circuit

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Steady State AC Response of a Series RLC Circuit
𝐼
𝑉𝑅 = 𝐼𝑅 𝑉𝐿 = 𝑗𝜔𝐼𝐿 𝑉𝐶 = −𝑗
𝜔𝐶

𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅 + 𝑉𝐿 + 𝑉𝐶
1
= 𝐼[𝑅 + 𝑗 𝜔𝐿 − ] = 𝐼𝑍𝑅𝐿𝐶
𝜔𝐶

𝑉 = 𝑉𝑅 2 + 𝑉𝐿 2 + 𝑉𝐶 2 = 𝐼 2 𝑅2 + 𝐼 2 𝑋𝐿 2 + 𝐼 2 𝑋𝐶 2

1 2
= 𝐼 𝑅2 + (𝜔𝐿 − ) = 𝐼 𝑍𝑅𝐿𝐶
𝜔𝐶

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Steady State AC Response of a Series RLC Circuit

𝑉𝐿 + 𝑉𝐶 𝐼(𝑋𝐿 − 𝑋𝐶 )
𝜙= tan−1 = tan−1
𝑉𝑅 𝐼𝑅

1
𝑋𝐿 − 𝑋𝐶 𝜔𝐿 −
= tan −1
= tan−1 𝜔𝐶
𝑅 𝑅

𝑉𝑅 𝑅
𝜙= cos −1 = cos −1
𝑉 𝑍𝑅𝐿𝐶
𝑅
= cos −1
1
𝑅2 + (𝜔𝐿 − 𝜔𝐶 )2

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Steady State AC Response of a Series RLC Circuit
 If XL > XC i.e. ω > 1/(LC)1/2, φ > 0 (voltage leads
current)

 If XL < XC i.e. ω < 1/(LC)1/2, φ < 0 (voltage lags

current)

 If XL = XC i.e. ω = 1/(LC)1/2, φ = 0 (voltage in-phase

with current, behaves like a purely resistive circuit
=> “resonance”)

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References

 Charles K Alexander, Matthew N O Sadiku, Fundamentals of electric circuits

(McGraw-Hill Education) - Chapter 9

 Edward Hughes, John Hiley, Keith Brown, Ian McKenzie Smith, Electrical and
Electronic Technology, 10th edition, Pearson Education Limited – Chapter 10

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