CBSE Class-12 Physics Quick Revision Notes

Chapter-07: Alternating Current

• Alternating Current:
The current whose magnitude changes with time and direction reverses periodically is
called alternating current. a) Alternating emf E and current I at any time am given by:
E = E0 sin ωt

Where E0 = NBAω
I = I 0 sin(ωt − φ )
NBAω
Where I 0 =
R
2π
ω = 2π n =
T
Where T is the time period.
• Values of Alternating Current and Voltage
a) Instantaneous value:
It is the value of alternating current and voltage at an instant t.
b) Peak value:
Maximum values of voltage E0 and current I0 in a cycle are called peak values.
c) Mean value:
For complete cycle,
T
1
T ∫0
< E >= Edt = 0

T
1
< I >= ∫ Idt = 0
T 0
2 E0
Mean value for half cycle: Emean =
π
d) Root – mean- square (rms) value:
E
Erms = (< E 2 >)1/2 = 0 = 0.707 E0 = 70.7% E0
2
I
I rms = (< I 2 >)1/2 = 0 = 0.707 I 0 = 70.7% I 0
2
RMS values are also called apparent or effective values.
• Phase difference Between the EMF (Voltage) and the Current in an AC Circuit
a) For pure resistance:
The voltage and the current are in same phase i.e. phase difference φ = 0
b) For pure inductance:

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 π π
The voltage is ahead of current by i.e. phase differenceφ = + .
2 2
c) For pure capacitance:
π π
The voltage lags behind the current by i.e. phase difference φ = −
2 2
• Reactance:
Reactance
a) E E E
X = = 0 = rms ± π / 2
I I0 I rms
Inductive reactance
b)
X L = ω L=2π nL
Capacitive reactance
c) 1 1
XC = =
ωC 2π nC
• Impedance:
Impedance is defined as,
E E0 Erms
Z= = = φ
I I0 I rms
Where φ is the phase difference of the voltage E relative to the current I.
a) For L – R series circuit:
Z RL = R 2 + X L2 = R 2 + ω L2
 ωL  −1  ω L 
tan φ =   orφ = tan  
 R   R 
b) For R – C series circuit:
2
 1 
Z RC = R 2 + X C2 = R 2 +  
 ωC 
1  1 
tan φ = Or φ = tan −1  
ωCR  ωCR 
c) For L – C series circuit:
Z LCR = R 2 + ( X L − X C ) 2
2
 1 
= R2 + ω L −
 ωC 
 1   1 
ωL −   ωL − 
ωC  ωC
tan φ =  Or φ = tan −1  
R  R 
 
• Conductance:
Reciprocal of resistance is called conductance.

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 1
G= mho
R
• Power in and AC Circuit:
a) Electric power = (current in circuit) x (voltage in circuit)
P = IE
b) Instantaneous power:
Pinst = Einst x Iinst
c) Average power:
1
Pav = E0 I 0 cos φ = Erms I rms cos φ
2
d) Virtual power (apparent power):
1
= E0 I 0 = Erms I rms
2
• Power Factor:
a) Power factor
P R
cos φ = av =
Pv Z
b) For pure inductance
Power factor, cosφ =1
c) For pure capacitance
Power factor, cosφ =0
d) For LCR circuit

R
Power factor, cosφ =
2
 1 
R + ωL −
2

 ωC 
 1 
X = ωL −
 ωC 
• Wattless Current:
π
The component of current differing in phase by relative to the voltage, is called
2
wattles current.
• The rms value of wattless current:
I
= 0 sin φ
2
I0  X 
= I rms sin φ =  
2Z 

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• Choke Coil:
a) An inductive coil used for controlling alternating current whose self- inductance is
high and resistance in negligible, is called choke coil.
b) The power factor of this coil is approximately zero.
• Series Resonant Circuit
a) When the inductive reactance (XL) becomes equal to the capacitive reactance (XC) in
the circuit, the total impedance becomes purely resistive (Z=R).
b) In this state, the voltage and current are in same phase ( φ = 0), the current and
power are maximum and impedance is minimum. This state is called resonance.
c) At resonance,
1
ωr L =
ωr C
Hence, resonance frequency is,
1
fr =
2π LC
d) In resonance, the power factor of the circuit is one.
• Half – Power Frequencies:
Those frequencies f1 and f2 at which the power is half of the maximum power (power at
resonance), i.e., f1 and f2 are called half – power frequencies.

1
P= Pmax
2
I
I = max
2
P
∴ P = max
2
• Band – Width:
a) The frequency interval between half – power frequencies is called band – width.
∴ Bandwidth ∆f = f 2 − f1
b) For a series LCR resonant circuit,
1 R
∆f =
2π L
• Quality Factor (Q):
Maximum energy stored
Q = 2π ×
Energy dissipated per cycle
2π Maximum energy stored
= ×
T Mean power dissipated
Or
ωL 1 fr f
Q= r = = = r
R ωr CR ( f 2 − f1 ) ∆f

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