ELECTRICAL SCIENCE-2

(15B11EC211)
Lecture-4

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 Topics to be discussed
• Problems based on the response of first order (RC/RL)
circuits for constant sources
– Problem 1
– Problem 2
– Problem 3

• Sequential Switching
– Concept of Sequential Switching
– Examples of Sequential Switching

• References

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 Complete Solution by the Differential Equation
Approach [1]
Major steps to find the complete solution are:
1. Determine the capacitor’s initial steady state voltage V C(0−) or
inductor’s initial steady state current IL (0-) before the switch is
thrown.
2. After the switch is thrown, determine the equivalent resistance (R eq),
capacitance (Ceq) , Inductance (Leq)and the timeLeqconstant (τ).
Time Constant ,  ReqCeq or
Req
3. Find final values of VC or IL at time t = ∞ i.e v(∞) and i(∞).
4. Put the voltage or current into the equation and interpret the
solution: v(t ) v()  [v(0  )  v()]e  t / V
i (t ) i ()  [i (0 )  i ()]e  t / A
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 Problem 1
The circuit is in steady state before the switch closes at t
= 0 s. Determine the capacitor voltage vC(t) for t > 0 s.

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STEP 1: Determine vC(0−) = vC(0+)
– To determine the initial voltage vC(0−) before the
switch is thrown, we replace the capacitor with its
steady state equivalent to get vC(0−).

– Since the circuit is completely open, the voltage across

the capacitor is the same as the 3V source: v (0−)= 3V
C

since v3Ω = v6Ω = 0.

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STEP 2: To determine Req and the time constant (τ )
– To determine Req: Since there are only independent
sources, we can short the voltage source and solve for Req

Req 6  (6 // 3) 8 
– Determine the time constant (τ)

 ReqC 8 0.05 0.4 s

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Step 3: To determine the value of VC at time t = ∞ i.e v(∞).

– From the above Fig., we see that v6Ω= v(∞) and applying
voltage division rule to solve it.
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v()  3 2V
63

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Step 4: Put the voltages v(∞) and v(0+) into the following
equation and interpret the solution

vt  v()  v(0)  v()e V  t



vt  2  3  2e  t
0.4
V

vt  2  e  2.5 t
V

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 Problem 2
The circuit is in steady state before the switch closes at t
= 0s. Determine the inductor current iL(t) and Vx(t) for
t>0s.

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STEP 1: Determine iL (0−) = iL (0+)
– At the initial steady state, the inductor behaves as short
circuit and both the resistors are on the left. Therefore,
current of the inductor and the current source are the same:

iL (0 ) iL (0) 0.5A

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STEP 2: To determine Req and the time constant (τ )
– To determine Req, since there are only independent
sources, we can short the voltage source and open the
current source.

Req 400  (600 // 400) 640 

– Determine the time constant (τ)
L 0 .1
  156.25 10 6 s
Req 640

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Step 3: To determine the value of iL at time t = ∞ i.e
i(∞). Replacing the inductor with a short circuit, the current
through the i400Ω = iL

 100 
iTotal   156.25mA
 600 // 400  400 

Using current division rule, the current through the i400Ω = iL

 600 
iL i400 i ()   0.15625 93.8mA
 600  400 

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Step 4: Put the currents i (∞) and i (0+) into the following
equation and interpret the solution

i t  i ()  i (0)  i ()e A  t



iL t  93.8  500  93.8e

 t
156.2510 6
mA

iL t  93.8  406.2e  6400t

mA

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• Now solving the circuit for v600Ω or Vx(t) for t>0s

1 diL
V600  V400   VL (t ) 400iL (t ) 
10 dt

 
V600 400 93.8  406.2e  6400t 10  3 
1
10
[406.2 ( 6400)e  6400t ] 10  3

V600  VX (t ) [37.5  (162.5  260)e  6400t ]V

VX (t ) [37.5  97.5e  6400t ]V

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 Problem 3 [2]
Q. Find v0(t) and i0(t) for t≥0s.

Sol:
For t<0, the switch is connected to terminal 1 for long,
the capacitor acts as open circuit.

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• At t ≥0+, the equivalent circuit will be as follows:

• From the above Fig., we see that V160kΩ = V(∞) and applying
voltage division rule to solve it.

160
v()  ( 75)  60V
160  40

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• To determine Req and the time constant (τ )
– To determine Req, since there are only independent
sources, we can short the voltage source and solve for Req

Req 8  (160 // 40) 40k 

– Determine the time constant (τ)

 ReqC 40 103 0.25 10  6 10ms

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• Putting the voltages v(∞) and v(0+) into the
following equation and interpret the solution.

vt  v()  v(0)  v()e V  t



v0 t   60  30  ( 60)e 
t
0.001
V

v0 t   60  90e  100t V

To find the value of io t 

dv0 t 
i0 t  C 0.25 10  6 ( 100) 90e  100t A
dt
dv0 t 
 
i0 t C  2.25e  100t mA
dt
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 Sequential Switching [1]
• Sequential switching means switching occurs n (≥2) times.
• Sequential switching occurs when a circuit contains one or more
switches that change state at different instants.
• Whenever switching occurs more than once in a circuit we call it
sequential switching.
• It is analyzed by dividing the process into n+1 time intervals.
Each of them corresponds to a specific circuit.
• The key to solve sequential switching circuits is to find out the
initial value at the times of switching for the capacitors and
inductors in the circuit.
• Inductive currents and capacitive voltages are particularly
important as they cannot change abruptly.
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 Concept of Sequential Switching [1]
•When a series of sequential switches are thrown at various times, as
series of sequential charge-ups or discharges will occur with the
capacitor.
•Every time a new circuit is created with the throwing of a switch, it
creates new time constants and new complete responses.

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• Mathematically what do we expect?
– Circuit 1: The switch is closed at t=0- and steady state is
established. The complete response of circuit 1 is

vC1 0  t  t1  vOC1  v (0 )  vOC1 e 
  t
1

– Circuit 2: When the switch is thrown at t = t1, a second RC

circuit is created that requires its own complete response and
new time constant τ2. However , there are two new things that
have to be accounted for.
• The discharging of the capacitor starts at t = t 1 and therefore,
its complete response is time shifted: ‘t’ is replaced by (t- t 1).
• The capacitor’s initial voltage is the final steady state value
of the previous circuit-1 at time t = t1.

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• With these modifications, the discharging behavior of the
capacitor then looks like  t t  1 
 
vC 1 t1  t  t2  vOC 2  vC 1 (t1 )  vOC 2 e

 2 

• Circuit 3: Similarly, as done in case of circuit 2. We write the

complete response as follows:  t t  t  1 2
  
vC1 t 2  t   vOC 3  vC1 (t 2 )  vOC 3 e  3 

• Calculating the value of vOC 3 at t  will be 0, so

 t  t1  t 2 
  
vC1 t 2  t   vC1 (t 2 )e  3 

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 Examples of sequential circuit [2]
Example 1: Calculate the voltage across the capacitor, if initial charge
VC = V(0±) = 0 V.

Sol: In the circuit

-∞ < t < 0 switch will be in position a
0<t < 15 ms switch will be in position b
15 ms<t< ∞ switch will be in position c

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• For 0<t <15 ms, the 400 V source charges the capacitor via the
100 kΩ resistor.
vC1 0  t  t1  vOC1  v(0 )  vOC1 e
  t
1

• So calculating the value of vOC1 (capacitor acts as open circuit)

and the time constant (τ 1 )
vOC1 400V, 1 RC 100 103 0.110  6 0.01s
t

vC1 0  t  15ms  400  [0  400]e


0.01

vC1 0  t  15ms  400  400e  100 t

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 • For 15 ms <t <∞, the capacitor is disconnected from the 400 V
source and is discharged via the 50 kΩ resistor.
t  t1

vC1 t1  t   vC1 (t1 )e 2

• So calculating the value of vC1(at t1=15ms) and the time

constant (τ 2 )
 RC 50 10 0.110 5ms
2
3 6

 1001510  3
vC1 (t1 15ms ) 400  400e 310.75V
t  (1510  3 )

vC1 15ms  t   vC1 (15ms )e 510  3

vC1 15ms  t   310.75e  200 ( t  0.015)

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Output voltage waveform across
the capacitor vs time [1]

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Example 2: The circuit shown in Fig. is at steady state before the
switch closes at time t=0. The switch remains closed for 1.5s and then
opens. Determine the capacitor voltage for t>0. [3]

Sol.
Replace the part of the circuit connected to the capacitor by its
Thevenin equivalent circuit to get

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Finally,

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 References
[1] R. C. Dorf and J. A. Svoboda, “Introduction to Electric
Circuits”, 9th ed, John Wiley & Sons, 2013.

[2] W. H. Hayt, J. E. Kemmerly and S. M. Durbin, “Engineering

Circuit Analysis,” New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006.

[3] C. K. Alexander, M. N. O. Sadiku, “Fundamentals of Electric

Circuits”, 6th ed, Tata Mc Graw Hill, 2019.

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