A.

C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

SERIES RESONANCE
A Circuit containing reactance is said to be in resonance if
the voltage across the circuit is in phase with the current through
it. At resonance, the circuit thus behaves as a pure resistance
and the net reactance is zero.
Consider the series R-L-C circuit as shown in Fig. 3.76.
The impedance of the circuit is

= R + jXL jXC
= R + jL
= R+j

i)

1
C

1
C

At resonance, Z must be resistive. Therefore the condition

for resonance is
L

1
C

=0

= 0 =
f = f0 =

1
LC
1
2 LC

where f0 is called the resonant frequency of the circuit.

1

A.C CIRCUITS

ii)

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

Power factor

Power factor = cos =

But at resonance
Power factor =

R 2 + L C

L
1
C

1
C

=0

=1

iii) Current: Since impedance is minimum, the current is

maximum at resonance. Thus, the circuit accepts more current
and as such, an R-L-C circuit under resonance is called an
acceptor circuit.
I0 =

iv) Voltage: At resonance,

0 L =
0 L I0 =
VL 0 =

1
0 C
1
0 C

I0

VC 0

Thus, potential difference across inductance equal to

potential difference across capacitance being equal and opposite

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

cancel each other. Also, since I0 is maximum VL 0 and VL 0 will also

be maximum. Thus, voltage magnification takes place during
resonance. Hence, it is also referened to as voltage magnification
circuit.
v) Behaviour of R, L and C with change in frequency Resistance
remains constant with the change in frequencies. Inductive
reactance XL is directly proportional to frequency f. It can be
drawn as a straight line passing through the origin. Capacitive
reactance Xc is inversely proportional to the frequency f. It can
be drawn as a rectangular hyperbola in the fourth quadrant.

Total impedance
Z = R + j (XL - XC)

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

a) When f < f0 impedance is capacitive and decreases up to fo.

The power factor is leading in nature.
b) At f = f0, impedance is resistive. Power factor is unity.
c) When f > f0, impedance is inductive and goes on increasing
beyond f0. Power factor is lagging in nature.
vi) Bandwidth: For the series R-L-C circuit, bandwidth is defined
as the range of frequencies for which the power delivered to R
is greater than or equal to

0
2

where 0 is the power delivered to

R at resonance. From the shape of the resonance curve, it is

clear that there are two frequencies for which the power
derived to R is half the power at resonance. For this reason,
these frequencies are referred as those corresponding to the
half-power points. The magnitude of the current at each halfpower point is the same.

Hence,

I12 R =

1
2

I12 R = I12 R

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

Where the subscript 1 denotes the lower half point and the
subscript 2, the higher half point. If follows then that
I1 = I2 =

I0
2

= 0.707 I0

Accordingly, the bandwidth may be identified on the resonance

curve as the range of frequencies over which the magnitude of
the current ids equal to or greater than 0.707 of the current at
r e s o n a n c e . I n f i g t h e b a n d w i d t h i s 2 1.

Expression For Bandwidth

Generally, at any frequency ,
I=

V
Z

V
R 2 +(X L X C )2

R 2 + L C

At half-power points,
I=
But

I0
2
V

I0 =
I=

R
V
2R

From Eqs (3.1) and (3.2) we get

1
1

R 2 + L C

V
2R

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

1
1 2
C

2R

R 2 + L

squaring both sides we get,

R2 + L

R=0

= 2R2

= R2

LC

2L

R2

4L

LC

2 +

R2

For low values of R, the term

comparison with the term

=0

4L 2

can be neglected in

1
LC

Then is given by.

2L

LC

2L

1
LC

The resonant freqency for this circuit is given by

f0 =

1
2 LC

0 =
=

1
LC

2L

1 = 0

+ 0

2L
6

THEORY

A.C CIRCUITS

and

RESONANCE IN A.C

2 = 0

2L

Bandwidth = 2 = 1
or

THEORY

Bandwidth = f2 f1 =

rad/s

c/s

2L

viii)
Quality factor Q0 of the R-L-C circuit It is the ratio of the
resonant frequency to the bandwidth. It is measure of the
selectivity or sharpness of tuning of the series R-L-C circuit.
Q0

Q0

Q0

0
Bandwidth

0
R/L

1/ LC
R/L

L0
R

X 0L
R

1
u 0 RC

Where VL 0 and VC 0 are both measured at resonance. Hence is

also called voltage magnification factor.

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

PARALLEL RESONANCE
Consider a parallel circuit consisting of a coil and a capacitor
as shown in Fig. 3.82. The impedance of two branches are

= R + jXL

= - jXC

=
=

1
Z1

1
R+jX L

R jX L
R 2 + X 2L
1
Z2

1
jX C

Admittance of the circuit

=
=

R jX L
R 2 + X 2L
R
R 2 + X 2L

+j
+j

XC

1 + 2

=
1
XC

XL
2
R + X 2L

1
XC

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

At resonance, the circuit is purely resistive. Therefore the

condition for resonance is
XL
R 2 + X 2L

XL
2
R + X 2L

XL . XC
0 L .

1
0 L

=0

XC
1

XC

= R2 + X L2
= R2 + 20 L2

20 L2

20

f0

L
C

R2

1
LC

LC

R2 =

1
LC

R2
L2

R2
L2

R2
L2

where f0 is called the resonant frequency of the circuit.

If R is very small as compared to L, then
f0

L
2 LC

A.C CIRCUITS

RESONANCE IN A.C

THEORY

Dynamic impedance of parallel circuit At resonance, the circuit

is purely resistive. The real part of admittance is

R
R 2 X 2L

.Hence

the dynamic impedance at resonance is given by

Z

R 2 X 2L

At resonance,
R2 X L2
Z

= XL.XC =

L
C

CR

Comparison of Series and Parallel Resonant Circuits:

Parameter

Series Circuit

Parallel Circuit

Current at resonance I = V and is maximum

I=
R

Impedance at resonance
z = R and is maximum
Z=
Power factor at

Unity

V
(L/CR )
L
CR

and is minimum

and is maximum

Unity

resonance
Resonant frequency 0

V
2 LC

10

0 =

LC

R2
L2

A.C CIRCUITS

It magnifies

RESONANCE IN A.C

Voltage

across

and C

11

THEORY

LCurrent through L and C