CHAPTER 7

RESPONSE OF
FIRST-ORDER RL
AND RC CIRCUITS
 CONTENTS

7.1 The Natural Response of an RL Circuit

7.2 The Natural Response of an RC Circuit
7.3 The Step Response of RL and RC Circuits
7.1 The Natural Response of
an RL Circuit

RL circuit RC Circuit
 7.1 The Natural Response of
an RL Circuit

A first-ordercircuit may be reduced to a

Thvenin (or Norton) equivalent connected to
either a single equivalent inductor or
capacitor.
7.1 The Natural Response
of an RL Circuit

An inductor connected to
a Thvenin equivalent

An inductor connected to
a Norton equivalent
7.1 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit

An capacitor connected to
a Thvenin equivalent

An capacitor connected to
a Norton equivalent
 7.1 The Natural Response
of an RL Circuit

The natural response is the currents and

voltages that exist when stored energy is
released to a circuit that contains no
independent sources.
R
( )t
L
i(t ) i0e , t0
Natural response of an RL circuit
 7.1 The Natural Response
of an RL Circuit

Thetime constant of an RL circuit equals the

equivalent inductance divided by the Thvenin
resistance as viewed from the terminals of the
equivalent inductor.

L

R
Time constant for RL circuit
7.1 The Natural Response
of an RL Circuit

t

Value of e for t equal
to integral multiples of
7.1 The Natural Response
of an RL Circuit

A graphic interpretation of the

time constant of the RL circuit
 7.1 The Natural Response of
an RL Circuit

Calculating the natural response of an RL

circuit can be summarized as follows:
1. Find the initial current, i0, through the
inductor.
2. Find the time constant of the circuit, = L / R.
3. Use i(t) = i0 e-t/ , t 0, to generate i(t) from i0
and .
 Example 7.1
The switch has been closed for a long time before it is opened at t=0. Find
a) iL (t) for t 0,
b) i0 (t) for t 0+,
c) v0 (t) for t 0,
d) The percentage of the total energy stored in the 2H inductor that is
dissipated in the 10 resistor
 Problem 7.4

7.4 The switch has been closed for along time before opening at t=0
a) Find i1 (0-) and i2 (0-)
b) Find i1 (0+) and i2 (0+)
c) Find i1(t) and i2(t) for t> 0
 7.2 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit

An RC circuit

After
Switching
 7.2 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit

v(0 ) v(0) v(0 ) vg v0
Initial capacitor voltage
 7.2 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit
The time constant of an RC circuit equals
the equivalent capacitance times the
Thvenin resistance as viewed from the terminals
of the equivalent capacitor.

RC
Time constant for RC circuit
7.2 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit

v(t) = V0 e -t/ , t 0
Natural response of an RC circuit
7.2 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit

The natural response of an RC circuit

 7.2 The Natural Response
of an RC Circuit
Calculating the natural response of an RC
circuit can be summarized as follows:
1. Find the initial voltage, V0, across the
capacitor.
2. Find the time constant of the circuit, = RC.
3. Use, v(t) = V0e-t/, t 0 to generate v(t) from V0
and .
 Example 7.3

The switch has been in position x for a long time, at t=0 the switch
moves instantenously to position y, Find
a) Vc(t) for t> 0
b) Vo(t) for t>0
c) I0(t) for t>0
 7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits

The step response is the currents and

voltages that result from abrupt changes in
dc sources connected to a circuit.

Stored energy may or may not be present

at the time the abrupt changes take place.
7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits

A circuit used to illustrate the step

response of a first-order RL circuit
7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits

Step response of RL circuit

 7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits

The step response of the RL circuit when I0 = 0.

7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits

Inductor voltage versus time

7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits

A circuit used to illustrate the step

response of a first-order RC circuit
 7.3 The Step Response of
RL and RC Circuits
t

vc I S R (V0 I s R)e RC
, t 0
Step response of an RC circuit
 Example 7.6
The switch in the cct has been in position 1 for a long time. At t=0,
the switch moves to position 2. Find
a) vo(t)
b) Io(t)
 Example 7.7
The switch in the cct has been in position a for a long time. At t=0, the switch
moves to position b. Find
a) Initial value of Vc
b) Final value of Vc
c) Time constant in position b
d) Vc(t) for t>0
e) Find i(t)
 Example 7.9
The switch in the cct has been open for a long tine. At t=0 the switch is closed. Find the
expression for
a) v(t) when t>0
b) i(t) when t>0
 Example 7.12
The uncharged capacitor in the circuit is initially switched to terminal a. At t=0,
the switch is moved to position b, where it remains for 15 ms. After 15 ms
delay, the switch is moved to position c where it remains indefinitely.
a) Derive the expression for v(t).
b) Plot v(t) versus t.
c) When will the voltage on the capacitor equal to 200 V?
 Problem 7.23
The switch in the circuit has been in position a for a long time and v2 = 0 V. At t = 0,
the switch is thrown to position b. Calculate
a) i, v1 and v2 for t 0+.
b) The energy stored in the capacitor at t = 0.
c) The energy trapped in the circuit and the total energy dissipated in the 5 k
resistor if the switch remains in position b indefinitely.
Problem 7.83

The voltage signal source in

the figure is generating the
signal shown in b). There is
no stored energy at t=0.
a) Derive the expression for
vo(t) that apply for
intervals t<0, 0<t<4ms,
ms<t<8ms and 8ms<t<
b) Sketch v0 and vs in
same coordinate axis.
END OF CHAPTER 7