ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-1

Lab 7 : Transient Response of RLC Circuits

Prelab 7:
1. Read the purpose, principles and procedures sections of Lab 7.
2. For the series RLC circuit of procedure 3a, calculate and

and use these

numbers to predict the response of the circuit as underdamped, overdamped or
critically damped. Use a value of 140 for the internal resistance of the inductor.
Predict the exponential time constant and, if appropriate, the damped frequency
d
.
3. For the series RLC circuit of procedure 3d, calculate the value of potentiometer
resistance required for critical damping. Use a value of 140 for the internal resistance
of the inductor.
4. For the parallel RLC circuit of procedure 4, calculate and
o
and use these numbers
to predict the response of the circuit as underdamped, overdamped or critically
damped. Use a value of 0 for the internal resistance of the inductor. (Although the
inductors resistance cannot really be neglected, the formulas for and
o
only apply
to the parallel circuit if the inductor is ideal.) Predict the exponential time constant
and, if appropriate, the damped frequency
d
.
5. Your T.A. will collect your written prelab at the start of the lab period. Keep a copy for
your use during the lab period. Remember to include the internal resistance of the
function generator.
ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-2
Lab 7: Transient Response of RLC Circuits
Equipment and parts needed for this lab:
Standard lab equipment set consisting of : 1 Personal Computer
1 HP 54600A oscilloscope
1 HP 33120A Sweep/Function Generator
1 HP 34401A Digital Multimeters
1 Triple Output Power Supply
1 Digibridge
1 Breadboard
22 A.W.G. wire (uncut)
Additional parts needed:

1 100 resistor
1 - 1 kpotentiometer
1 - pot adjuster
1 - 1 F capacitor
1 - 120 mH inductor

Purpose
In this lab you will investigate the transient response of both series and parallel RLC circuits.
The oscilloscope will be used in dual trace mode to simultaneously display two waveforms.
Principles
1. The transient response of an RLC circuit is determined by the relative magnitudes of the decay
constant and the resonance frequency
o
.
For the series-connected circuit:
For the parallel-connected circuit:
o
LC

1

R
L 2
o
LC

1

1
2RC
ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-3
The three possible responses are:
a) overdamped, when
2
>

2
b) critically damped, when
2
=

2
c) underdamped, when
2
<

2
2. The voltage or current for the passive elements in the underdamped circuits can all be
ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-4
described by:
where x represents either voltage or current, and the
coefficients A and B are determined by the particular conditions of the circuit. The response
x (t) for the underdamped case will be a damped sinusoidal waveform as shown in the last
figure:
NOTE: The exponential envelope can be described as e
- t /

where = 1/ is the time constant

for the decay. Also, the damped frequency
d
is just 2 times the inverse of the period T.
The time constant of the exponential decaying function will be obtained by using:
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ]
( )
( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( )
X t e A t B t
A
e B t
Let X t V V
e B
e B
V t B
V t B
V V t t
V V
t t
t
V
V
t
d d
t
d
A B
t
t
A
B
A B
A B
A
B
+

_
,

1
]
1

cos sin
@
sin
ln ln
ln ln
ln ln
ln ln
ln
t = 0, X 0
X t
, X t
V
V
Solving fo r

- = + -
Since =
1
& t = t - t

2
A
B
2 1
0
1
1
2
2 1
2 1
1
1
2

} { X t e A
t
d d ( ) cos

t + Bsin t
d o
2 2
ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-5
Procedures
1. Use the multimeter to measure the resistances of the resistors provided for this lab. Use the
Digibridge to measure the values of the capacitors and inductors provided. Compare with
the nominal values. IMPORTANT: The inductors have a significant resistance due to the
large number of wire windings on their coils. Use the multimeter to measure the
inductors resistance.
2. For the series RLC circuit in this procedure, set the signal generator to High Z, and input a
100 Hz square wave with peak-to-peak amplitude of 12 V. Display this voltage waveform
on Ch1.
a. Build the circuit shown. Measure the time constant of the indicated output. Display
resistor voltage on Ch2 and source voltage on Ch1. Save the dual traces to a floppy disk.
b. Compute the time constant and damped frequency
d
. Record the values in Table 7.1
c. Display capacitor voltage on Ch1 and inductor voltage on Ch2. Connect the ground

d d
d
d
d
f
f
T
T t

2
1

ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-6

node between the two components. Sketch the dual traces. Note any phase relationship
between the two traces. (You will need to invert one of the traces for an accurate display.
Why?)
d. Replace the 100 resistor with a 1 kpotentiometer as shown in Fig. 7.2.
Observe the voltage across the potentiometer as the pot is varied from maximum to minimum
values. You should see a transition from overdamped to underdamped (or vice versa).
Now adjust the pot value so that critical damping is achieved, and record the pots
resistance at that setting. Note down the value in table 7.1
3. For the parallel RLC circuit in this procedure, set the signal generator for a 100 Hz square
wave with peak-to-peak amplitude of 12 V. Display this voltage waveform on Ch1.
a. Build the circuit shown.. Measure the time constant of the indicated output. Display the
output voltage on Ch2 and source voltage on Ch1. Save the dual traces.
b. Compute the time constant and damped frequency
d
. Record these values in Table
7.2
ELEN 214 Lab Manual 7-7
Table 7.1
Procedure 2.b & d.
Parameter Measured Calculated % Error
, time constant
d
R,potentiometer
Table 7.2
Procedure 3
Parameter Measured Calculated % Error
, time constant
d