DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION &

TRAINING ANDHRA PRADESH

Name : M.Suneel, k.Sarada, & K.Chaitanya
Reddy
Designation : Lecturer
College : Bapatla Polytechnic College, Bapatla
Department : Electronics and Communication Engg.
Subject : Circuit Theory
Subject Code : EC 303
Major Topic : Behavior of Passive Components
Sub Topic : V-I characteristics and power
calculation of a pure capacitorcircuit
with
AC source
Duration : 50 minutes
Teaching Aids : PPT, Figures
EC 303.4 1
objectives

On completion of this period , you would be able

to know

• V-I relation of capacitor

• Phasor diagram of a pure capacitor

• Concept of Capacitive reactance

• Power consumed across the capacitor

EC 303.4 2
RECAP

Capacitance:

• Capacitance is a measure of the ability of a

component to store energy.

Capacitor:

• Capacitor is a device specially designed to have a

specific value of capacitance.

EC 303.4 3
Capacitor under DC excitation

Fig 1

EC 303.4 4
• Let VC be the voltage developed across the capacitor as a

result, the charge stored on its plates

therefore q = VC

or q = CVC
• capacitance is defined to the ratio of the charge stored by a

capacitor to the voltage (VC) across it

q
C=
VC
The units of capacitor are Farads (F)

EC 303.4 5
V-I Relations of capacitor:
We have
dq
q
i= or dt
t
We know that q = CVc

d (CVC)
i=
dt
By integrating we have

Vc=
1
C ∫ i dt
EC 303.4 6
AC through Pure Capacitance

• Consider a simple circuit consisting of a pure capacitor

of C farads across an ac voltage

v(f) = VM sin ωt

EC 303.4 7
AC through Pure Capacitance

Ic
Ic

~ V
+ V

Fig 2 Circuit and vector diagram

EC 303.4 8
 The v-I relation for capacitance
i = C ( dVC / dt )
but v(t) = Vm sin ωt = VC
i = C ( d / dt ) Vm sin ωt
i = C Vm ω cos ωt
i = Im sin (ωt + 900 )
Where Im = Vm / XC
Where XC = Reactance of the capacitance
= 1/ ωC
XC = 1/ ωC Ω

EC 303.4 9
The current leads the voltage by 900 .
The current wave form starts earlier by 900 in comparison with
voltage waveform

Current
Voltage

900

Fig2 Voltage and current waveforms

EC 303.4 10
Concept of capacitive reactance

Im = Vm / ( 1 / ωC )

Therefore I = V / ( 1/ ωC )

Where I = Im / √2

V = Vm / √2

I = V / XC

XC opposes the flow of current through the capacitance.

EC 303.4 11
Power
P = v(t)

= VmIm sin (ωt) cos (ωt)

P = (VmIm / 2 ) sin 2θ

Total power
2π
Vm Im
P= ∫ 0 2 Sin 2θ dθ

=0

hence the Power consumed in a capacitor is zero

EC 303.4 12
Power

Fig 3 Voltage , Current and power wave forms

EC 303.4 13
Summary

In this session we have learnt the VI relations of

capacitor under AC excitation and noted that

In a purely capacitive circuit

• Current leads the voltage by 900

• The current is given by I = V / XC and

• The power consumed is zero

EC 303.4 14
Quiz

1.In a pure capacitive circuit

(a) Current leads the voltage by 900

(b) Current lags the voltage by 900

(c) Current and voltage are in phase

EC 303.4 15
2.The power consumed in purely capacitive
circuit is

(a) 0

(b) ∞

(c) Constant

(d) None

EC 303.4 16
3.The AC voltage across a 0.5 micro Farad
capacitor is v(t) =16 sin(2x103t)v then capacitive
reactance of capacitor is

(a) 1k Ohms

(b) 1 Ohms

(c) 1M Ohms

(d) 100 Ohms

EC 303.4 17
Questions

• Define capacitance?

• Explain V-I characteristics of capacitor under AC

excitation

EC 303.4 18