Alternating Current (AC) - Comprehensive Notes

1. AC Voltage and Current

An alternating voltage or current varies sinusoidally with time.
General form of AC voltage:

v(t) = V0 sin(ωt) ​

V0 : Peak voltage (amplitude).

​

ω : Angular frequency ω = 2πf , where f is the frequency.

t: Time.
Similarly, alternating current is given by:

i(t) = I0 sin(ωt + ϕ)
​

I0 : Peak current.
​

ϕ: Phase difference between voltage and current.

Root Mean Square (RMS) Values

RMS Voltage/Current:
RMS is the effective value of an AC voltage or current:

V0 I0
Vrms = , Irms =
​ ​

2 2
​ ​ ​ ​

​ ​

These are the DC equivalents of the AC values for the same power dissipation.

2. AC through Circuit Elements

1. Resistor (R):
Voltage and current are in phase (ϕ = 0∘ ):

v(t) = V0 sin(ωt),
​ i(t) = I0 sin(ωt)
​

Power dissipated:
P = I 2 R = V 2 /R
2. Inductor (L):
Current lags voltage by 90∘ (ϕ = +90∘ ):
 π
v(t) = V0 sin(ωt), i(t) = I0 sin (ωt − )
2
​ ​ ​

Inductive reactance:
XL = ωL ​

3. Capacitor (C):
Current leads voltage by 90∘ (ϕ = −90∘ ):
π
v(t) = V0 sin(ωt), i(t) = I0 sin (ωt + )
2
​ ​ ​

Capacitive reactance:
1
XC =
ωC
​ ​

3. Series LCR Circuit

In a series circuit with resistance R, inductance L, and capacitance C :

Z= R2 + (XL − XC )2 ​ ​ ​

Z : Impedance of the circuit (in ohms).

XL = ωL: Inductive reactance.
​

1
XC = ​

ωC
: Capacitive reactance.
​

Phase angle (ϕ) between voltage and current:

XL − XC
tan ϕ =
​ ​

R
​

4. Resonance in LCR Circuit

At resonance:
1
XL = XC ⇒ ω0 L =
ω0 C
​ ​ ​ ​

Resonant frequency:
1
f0 =
2π LC
​ ​

Impedance is purely resistive (Z = R).

Current is maximum:
 V0
Imax =
​

R
​ ​

5. Power in AC Circuits
1. Instantaneous Power:

P (t) = v(t) ⋅ i(t)

2. Average Power over a cycle:

Pavg = Vrms Irms cos ϕ

​ ​ ​

cos ϕ: Power factor, where ϕ is the phase difference.

3. Power in Pure Resistor: ϕ = 0∘ , cos ϕ = 1.
4. Power in Pure Inductor/Capacitor: ϕ = ±90∘ , cos ϕ = 0, so Pavg = 0. ​

6. Transformers
Working Principle: Mutual induction.
Ideal Transformer Equations:

Vs Ns Ip Ns
= , =
​ ​ ​ ​

Vp N p Is Np
​ ​ ​ ​

​ ​ ​ ​

V : Voltage, I : Current, N : Number of turns.

7. Quality Factor (Q)

Quality factor of a resonant LCR circuit:
ω0 L 1
Q= =
​

R ω0 RC
​ ​

​
Formula Sheet for Alternating Current
Concept Formula
V0
RMS Voltage/Current Vrms = ​

2
​

Reactance of Inductor XL = ωL ​

1
Reactance of Capacitor XC = ​

ωC
​

Impedance in LCR Circuit Z= R2 + (XL − XC )2 ​ ​ ​

1
Resonant Frequency f0 =
​

2π LC ​
​

Average Power Pavg = Vrms Irms cos ϕ

​ ​ ​

Vs Ns
Transformer Voltage Ratio Vp
​

= Np
​

​
​

ω0 L 1
Quality Factor Q= R
​

​ = ω0 RC
​
​