AC2 Fundamentals Unit 1 – RLC Circuits
At some frequencies, the RLC circuits act capacitively. The current (IT) leads the applied voltage
(VGEN). At other frequencies, the RLC circuits act inductively, and IT lags VGEN.
In a series circuit, the same current flows in all three components. Given the current (IT), you use
Ohm's law to calculate the voltage drops across the individual circuit components.
In a parallel circuit, VGEN appears across each of the components. Given VGEN, you use Ohm's
law to calculate the current through each of the three circuit branches.
NEW TERMS AND WORDS
RLC circuits - networks created by resistors (R), inductors (L), and capacitors (C) connected in
various ways to perform some useful function such as filtering, phase shifting, or impedance
matching; also called LCR circuits.
EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
F.A.C.E.T. base unit
AC 2 FUNDAMENTALS circuit board
Oscilloscope, dual trace
Generator, sine wave