CHAPTER 9: DRIVEN RL AND RC CIRCUITS
Driven RL and RC circuits are linear time-invariant first-order circuits that consist of
a resistor (R) and either an inductor (L) or capacitor (C) in series or parallel, along with an
external input source. These circuits are fundamental in understanding how systems
respond to time-varying excitations such as step, impulse, or sinusoidal sources. In
contrast to source-free circuits, where energy storage elements discharge without an
external source, driven circuits involve continuous energy input and reveal how systems
transition to steady states.
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Specific Learning Outcomes
Understand the time-domain and frequency-domain behavior of driven RC and
RL circuits.
Apply phasor and impedance analysis to evaluate circuit response.
Predict voltage and current responses in both RC and RL driven circuits.
Interpret and analyze circuit behavior using sinusoidal sources.
Motivation
Figure 9.1 George Westinghouse Jr.
Definition
Driven cicuits is a circuit that has an external source(voltage or current) acting on it.
This differs from a natural response, which is the behavior of the circuit without any
external source (initial energy).
Driven RC Circuit: A first-order circuit composed of a resistor and capacitor in series
with an input voltage source. The response of the capacitor voltage vC(t) to a step input is
given by:
(-t/RC)
vC(t) = Vs(1 - e
Driven RL Circuit: A first-order circuit consisting of a resistor and inductor in series
with an input source. The current through the inductor iL(t) in response to a step input is
expressed as:
(-Rt/L)
iL(t) = (Vs/R)(1 - e )
The exponential form of both responses illustrates how energy is gradually absorbed
by the storage element until reaching a final steady state. The speed of response is
dictated by the time constant:
• τ = RC for RC circuits
• τ = L/R for RL circuits
Examples
RC Circuit Example:
A resistor R = 1 kΩ and a capacitor C = 0.1 μF are connected in series and driven by a
sinusoidal voltage source: v(t) = 10 cos(1000t) V. Find the steady-state current i(t).
Solution:
Step 1: Calculate Capacitive Reactance:
XC = 1 / (ωC) = 1 / (1000 × 0.1 × 10⁻⁶) = 10⁴ Ω
4
XC=10 Ω
Step 2: Total Impedance:
Z = R - jXC = 1000 - j10000 Ω
Z=1000 - j10000 Ω
Step 3: Phasor Voltage:
V = 10∠0°
Step 4: Find Phasor Current:
V 10∠0°
I= =
Z (1000 - j10000)
|Z| = √(1000² + 10000²) = 10049.9 Ω
∠Z = arctan(-10000/1000) = -84.29°
I = 0.000995∠84.29° A
Step 5: Convert to Time Domain:
i(t) = 0.995 mA cos(1000t + 84.29°)
i(t) = 0.995 mA cos(1000t + 84.29°)
RL Circuit Example:
An inductor L = 200 mH and resistor R = 100 Ω are connected in series with a
sinusoidal voltage source v(t) = 50 cos(200t) V. Find the steady-state current.
Solution:
Step 1: Inductive Reactance:
XL = ωL = 200 × 0.2 = 40 Ω
XL=40 Ω
Step 2: Total Impedance:
Z = R + jX_L = 100 + j40 Ω
|Z| = √(100² + 40²) = 107.7 Ω
40
∠Z = arctan( )= 21.8°
100
∠Z = 21.8°
Step 3: Phasor Voltage:
V = 50∠0°
Step 4: Phasor Current:
V 50
I= = = 0.464∠-21.8° A
Z 107.7∠-21.8°
I= 0.464∠-21.8° A
Step 5: Time Domain:
i(t) = 0.464 cos(200t - 21.8°)
i(t) = 0.464 cos(200t - 21.8°)
Assesment Task
1. A 1 kΩ resistor and 10 µF capacitor are connected in series to a 5 V, 1 kHz sinusoidal
source. Calculate the magnitude and phase of the voltage across the capacitor.
o
[Ans. 0.079V,
0.079 V, 0.91 ]
2. A resistor R=1kΩ and a capacitor C=0.1µF are connected in series across a
sinusoidal voltage source V(t)=10 sine(2000t) volts.
Find:
1. The capacitive reactance,XC
2. The total impedance, Z
[ Ans. 5000Ω, 5099Ω, 1.96 mA ]
3. The current amplitude, i(t)
3. A voltage source V(t)= 20 cos(100π(t)), V is applied to a series RL circuit with
R=200Ω and inductor 0.5H.
Find:
1. The inductive reactance
2. The total impedance o
[ Ans. 157.08Ω, 254.3Ω,78.6 cos(100πt-36.66 ) mA ]
3. The steady-state current
4. A series RC circuit has 10kΩ resistor, a capacitor of 1µF, and is connected to a step
voltage source of 5V at t=0. Find the voltage across the capacitor Vc(t).
-t/0.001
[ Ans.5 (1- e )V ]
5. A series RL circuit has a 100 ohms resistor, a 0.2H indicator(L), and is connected to
a 10V DC source at t = 0. Find the current i(t).
-500t
[ Ans. 0.1(1- e )A]
6. A resistor R = 100 Ω and an inductor L = 50 mH are connected in series to a voltage
source v(t) = 20 cos(500t) V. Find the steady-state current i(t).
[ Ans. 0.194 cos(500t - 14.04°) A ]
7. An inductor L = 0.2 H and a resistor R = 100 Ω are connected in series to a 5 V DC
source at t = 0. Find i(t) for t ≥ 0.
(-500t))
[ Ans. 0.05(1 - e A]
8. Find the input impedance of the circuit in Fig. 9.23. Assume that circuit operates at
ω = 50 rad/s.
[ Ans. 3.22 − j11.07 Ω ]
9. Determine vo(t) in the circuit of Fig. 9.25.
[ Ans. 17.15 cos(4t + 15.96°) V ]
10. An RC circuit has R = 500 Ω and C = 2 μF, connected to v(t) = 100 cos(2000t) V. Find
the steady-state current.
[ Ans. 0.179 cos(2000t + 26.57°) A ]
References
Agarwal, A., & Lang, J. (2005). Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic Circuits.
Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.
th
Alexander, C.K., & Sadiku, M. N. O. (2017). Fundamentals of Electric Circuits (6 ed.).
McGraw- Hill Education.
MIT TEAL. (2018). Chapter 12: Driven RLC Circuits. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. .
https://srayyan.github.io/TEALMITSPRING2018/textbook_802/Chapter12_Driven_RLC_Cir
cuits_revised_jwb.pdf
