XEV-180

THE RCL CIRCUIT AND AC SERIES RESONANCE

In this experiment, a resistor, capacitor, and inductor are connected in series, and driven by a
sinusoidal voltage. Transient behavior of the type studied in previous experiments is not considered,
only the steady state behavior.

The driving voltage is swept in frequency, and the resulting circuit current is monitored on the
scope. For the values of R, L, and C that are used, series resonance is observed.

The phase between the current and the voltage is examined at enough points to establish the
change in phase relationships above and below resonance. It is also interesting to measure the voltages
across the reactive elements, particularly at resonance. This establishes that there are large voltages
present that are canceling each other out because of the phase differences between them.

The analysis note MGM44, “Analyzing AC Circuits with Complex Numbers,” contains not only
the basic mathematical tools that help to describe AC circuits, but also uses the series-resonant AC cir-
cuit as an example. Therefore that handout will be referred to for many of the expressions used in this
write up, which contains little theory.

The resonance phenomenon also occurs in mechanical systems, and a damped, driven spring
apparatus will be in the laboratory that can be made to resonate, with control and full readout at any
frequency. The individual components that compare to the electrical circuit properties can be readily
identified.
Observing Series Resonance – The Driving Force

The BK signal generator can be used as the variable frequency source, so we sweep through the
resonant frequency and to others well below and above it. In order to understand amplitude relations
among the circuit components, we want the driving voltage to be constant as a function of frequency.
However, the large voltages that appear across the reactive components (the inductor and capacitor) can
“feed back” through the signal generator unless we prevent this, making the driving amplitude itself a
function of frequency.

Signal Lead

Fig.1

To prevent this, the signal generator output is not fed directly to the R-L-C circuit. Instead, it is fed into
the Thornton APS-101 amplifier, and the amplifier output is used as the driving voltage for the circuit.
The amplifier follows the input signal frequency, but provides a much larger amount of power to the
circuit, so the signal voltage will not be affected by frequency.

Note that the marked ground terminals of the BK 3050 and the APS-101 are connected together.
There are two dials on the APS-101. The “Gain” dial should be set at about midrange (50) and the “DC
Offset” at zero.

Circuit for Tracking a Resonance.

In further descriptions of the circuit, the signal generator and amplifier will be treated as a unit.
Because the scope is constructed so that its input signals must be relative to ground, the R-L-C circuit
should be assembled with its components in the order shown in Fig. 2.
The connections shown to the scope are to the un-tabbed banana plug. (The tabbed plug
is grounded internally in the scope.) Notice that with this connection the A-channel will
be reading the driving voltage applied to the entire circuit, which is of course equal to the
voltage dropped across L, C, and R in series. The B-channel, on the other hand, reads the
voltage dropped only the resistor. Since the resistor voltage is always in phase with the
current in the resistor, the B-channel signal monitors the current in the circuit at any time.

A Typical Resonant Circuit.

The circuit in Fig. 3 is a typical series resonant circuit with a resonance frequency
of about 1 k Ω (take the given values of inductance and capacitance and convince

yourself that this is true).

It is not necessary to construct a circuit with the particular values shown. They
are simply chosen as an example, and you may choose to make scope observations at
some other resonance point.

By sweeping from below to above the resonance, you should be able to observe
two important features of resonance:

(1) The current is smaller at any frequency that it is at the resonant frequency,
and

(2) The phase between the voltage across the entire circuit and the current
through the circuits only zero at the resonance itself (in fact, this can be a
sensitive way of finding the resonant frequency). Below resonance, the
phase becomes “capacitive” and above it becomes “inductive.” Explain
what is meant by these remarks.

The sharpness of the resonance depends on the resistance in the circuit, and is
expressed by the quantity Q:
Eq. (1)
Q = ωoL/R

Calculate Q for the circuit you have constructed, and sketch a curve vs. frequency. Then,
for the same values of L and C, look at the current at maximum, and the two half
maximum points of values of Q (a) at 1/5 the original frequency and 5 times the original
frequency. Do not plot the entire curves (unless you want to). The point is simply to
show how the “sharpness” of a resonance is characterized, and how it depends, in the
present case, on the circuit resonance.