TIME DEPENDENT CURRENT IN VARIOUS CIRCUITS
1. Time dependent current in RC circuit.
The RC circuit consists of the capacitor C, the resistor R, the
battery E and the switch S.
When the switch S is closed in RC circuit, capacitor is charged.
Application of the Kirchoff loop equation for time moment t to
RC circuit leads to differential equation. The solution of the
equation reads as follows:
(1.1) q(t )  EC (1  et / RC )
is the charge on the capacitor as a function of time. Current in the RC circuit:
(1.2) i (t ) 
dq E  t / RC E  t /  C
 e
 e
dt R
R
where time constant  C  RC shows characteristic time of the charging process.
Voltage across the capacitor can be found
(1.3) V (t ) 
q( t )
 E (1  e  t / RC )
C
In reverse situation, when the switch is opened, the capacitor with charge q0 gets
discharged. These functions are the following:
(1.4) q(t )  q0e  t / RC
(1.5) i (t ) 
dq
q
  0 e  t / RC
dt
RC
(1.6) V (t ) 
q(t ) q0  t / RC
 e
C
C
2. Time dependent current in RL circuit
The RL circuit consists of the inductor L, resistor R, battery
E and the switch S.
When the switch is closed in RL circuit, the current does not
jump to its value E/R instantaneously, but increases smoothly
from zero. The reason for that is that the inductor L responds
on the current change (zero -> non-zero) by maintaining selfinduced EMF.
Application of the Kirchoff loop equation for time moment t to RC circuit leads to
differential equation. The solution of the equation reads as follows:
(2.1) i (t ) 
E
E
(1  e  tR / L )  (1  e  t /  L )
R
R
where constant  L  L / R shows characteristic time of the process.
The induced EMF across the inductor can be found:
(2.2) EL (t )   L
di
  Ee  tR / L
dt
which when t=0 is just –E meaning that at time t=0 the EMF of the battery will be
cancelled completely by the self-induced EMF of the inductor. That is why at t=0 there is
still no current in the RL circuit.
In reverse situation, when the switch is opened, the current does not drop to zero
instantaneously, but will decrease smoothly. Current behaves as
(2.3) i (t ) 
E  tR / L
e
R
and the self-induced EMF across the inductor behaves as
(2.4) EL (t )   L
di
 Ee  tR / L
dt
3. Time dependent current in LC circuit
The LC circuit consists of the capacitor C and the inductor L. The capacitor first should
be charged. Suppose we connect the charged capacitor with charge Q to the inductor.
Then, there will be charge oscillations in the LC circuit. If resistances of all the elements
can be neglected, these charge oscillations can continue infinitely long.
Application of the Kirchoff loop equation for time moment t to LC circuit leads to
differential equation. The solution of the equation reads as follows:
(3.1) q(t )  Q cos  t
1
is the
LC
frequency of the charge oscillations. Current can be found in the LC circuit
dq
 Q sin  t
(3.2) i (t ) 
dt
is the charge on the capacitor as a function of time. Frequency  
Self-induced EMF across the inductor is
di Q
(3.3) EL (t )   L  cos  t
dt C
Voltage across the capacitor is
q(t ) Q
 cos  t
(3.4) V (t ) 
C
C
It is easy to see that at each time moment t voltage across the capacitor is minus EMF
self-induced across the inductor.
4. Time dependent current in RLC circuit
The RLC circuit consists of the capacitor, the inductor, and the
resistor. The capacitor first should be charged. Suppose we connect
the charged capacitor with charge Q to the inductor. Then, there will
be charge oscillations in the RLC circuit. Since the resistor is
present, the charge oscillations will NOT continue infinitely long but
will decay with time.
Application of the Kirchoff loop equation for time moment t to LC circuit leads to
differential equation. The solution of the equation reads as follows:
(4.1) q(t )  Qe Rt / 2 L cos  ' t
where frequency of decaying oscillations is given by
(4.2)  '  1/ LC  ( R / 2 L) 2   2  ( R / 2 L) 2
It is easy to see that this frequency is different from the frequency   1/ LC of
oscillations in simple LC circuit.
The exponent e  Rt / 2 L shows that the charge oscillations will decay with time. The
characteristic time is given by the parameter   2L / R since
e 2 Rt / L  e  t / 
Current in the RLC circuit
dq(t )
R  Rt / 2 L
 Q ' e  Rt / 2 L sin  ' t  Q
e
cos  ' t
(4.3) i (t ) 
dt
2L
Self-induced EMF across the inductor can be also found as the derivative:
di
dt
Voltage across the capacitor is
q(t ) Q  Rt / 2 L
 e
cos  ' t
(4.5) V (t ) 
C
C
(4.4) E L (t )   L
5. Time dependent current in RE(t) circuit: resistive load
Consider the situation when resistor is connected to the AC source
with time dependent EMF of the following form: E (t )  Em sin d t
where Em is the maximum amplitude of the EMF and d is the
frequency of the EMF oscillations. Note that this is not the
1
frequency  
discussed before! The current in such circuit
LC
can be found by applying Kirchoff loop equation. It is given by
E (t ) Em

sin  d t
(5.1) i (t ) 
R
R
It is clear that the current oscillates in the same way as the external EMF; they both
behave as sin  d t
6. Time dependent current in CE(t) circuit: capacitive load
Consider the situation when capacitor is connected to the AC
source with time dependent EMF of the following form:
E (t )  Em sin d t where Em is the maximum amplitude of the
EMF and d is the frequency of the EMF oscillations. Note that
1
this is not the frequency  
discussed before! The
LC
current in such circuit can be found by applying the Kirchoff loop equation. It is given by
(6.1) i(t )  EmCd cos d t
and the charge on the capacitor is the function of time
(6.2) q(t )   i (t )dt  EmC sin d t
Voltage across the capacitor at any time moment t
q( t )
 Em sin  d t
(6.3) V (t ) 
C
The expression for the current is usually rewritten in the form
Em
cos  d t
XC
where constant X C  1/ d C has a dimension of the resistance and it is called capacitive
resistance. Note that current oscillates out-of-phase with external EMF.
(6.4) i (t )  EmC d cos  d t 
7. Time dependent current in LE(t) circuit: inductive load
Consider the situation when inductor is connected to the AC
source with time dependent EMF of the following form:
E (t )  Em sin d t where Em is the maximum amplitude of the
EMF and d is the frequency of the EMF oscillations. Note that
1
this is not the frequency  
discussed before! The current
LC
in such circuit can be found by applying the Kirchoff loop equation. It is given by
Em
cos  d t
d L
Self-induced EMF across the inductor can be found:
di
(7.2) E L (t )   L   Em sin  d t
dt
(7.1) i (t )  
The expression for the current is usually rewritten in the form
(7.3) i (t )  
Em
E
cos  d t   m cos  d t
d L
XL
where constant X L  d L has a dimension of the resistance and it is called inductive
resistance. Note that current oscillates out-of-phase with external EMF.
8. Time dependent current in RLCE(t) circuit
Consider the situation when resistor, capacitor and
inductor are connected to the AC source with time
dependent EMF of the following form: E (t )  Em sin d t
where Em is the maximum amplitude of the EMF and d
is the frequency of the EMF oscillations. Note that this is
1
not the frequency  
discussed before! The
LC
current in such circuit can be found by applying the Kirchoff loop equation. It is given by
(8.1) i(t )  I sin(d t   )
which shows oscillating behavior with the same frequency as the frequency of external
EMF.
The amplitude of the current oscillations is given by
Em
(8.2) I 
2
R  ( X L  X C )2
where X L  d L and X C  1/ d C . This expression is sometimes rewritten in the form
E
(8.3) I  m
Z
where
(8.4) Z  R 2  ( X L  X C )2
is called impedance.
Phase constant  is determined as follows
X  XC
(8.5) tan   L
R
Self-induced EMF across the inductor at any time moment t can be found:
di
(8.6) EL (t )   L   LI  d cos( d t   )
dt
Charge across the capacitor at any time moment t
(8.7) q(t )   i (t )dt  
I
d
cos( d t   )
Voltage across the capacitor at any time moment t
(8.8) V (t ) 
q( t )
I

cos( d t   )  IX C cos( d t   )
C
d C
9. Resonance in RLCE(t) circuit.
What happens if we tune the external frequency d of the EMF oscillations to the
frequency   1/ LC of the LC oscillations? In this case, X L  X C and impedance
Z  R 2  ( X L  X C ) 2  R . The amplitude of the current oscillations
(9.1) I 
Em

Em
R
R 2  ( X L  X C )2
and it reaches maximum possible value for given R,L,C. This phenomenon is called
resonance. The condition for the resonance is thus the external frequency applied to the
circuit is equal to the internal frequency of the LC oscillations, i.e  d  
10. Root-mean-square current
Root-mean-square (rms) current is defined as the square root of the average square of the
current in RLC circuit:
_____
___________________
(10.1) I rms  i 2 (t )  I 2 sin 2 (d t   ) I 2 / 2 
I
2
Therefore rms value for the time dependent current is its maximum value divided by
square root of 2:
(10.2) I rms 
I

2
Em
2 R 2  ( X L  X C )2
Analogously, for any function of the form f (t )  F sin  t we can consider its rms value
(10.3) Frms 
_____
f 2 (t ) 
________________
2
2
F sin ( t ) F 2 / 2 
F
2
which is given by its maximum value divided by square root of 2:
F
(10.4) Frms 
2
This applies to voltages, EMF’s, currents, etc.
11. Power in RLCE(t) circuits
Power in these circuits depends on time
(11.1) P(t )  i 2 (t ) * R  I 2 R sin 2 ( d t   )
We can consider rms power by performing time averaging of the square of the power:
_____
(11.2) Prms  P 2 (t ) 
I 2R
I R sin ( t   ) I R / 2 
 I 2 rms R
2
________________________
2
2
d
2
i.e it is given by the product of the rms values of the current squared time R
12. Frequency and period
Frequency  is measured in rad/s. Another frequency  is frequently used:
(12.1)    / 2
and it is measured in 1/s, the unit is called Hertz.
Period of oscillations T is related to both frequencies  and  as follows
(12.2) T  1/  2 / 
SAMPLE PROBLEMS
Problem 1. What is the voltage across the capacitor in the RC circuit with R= 3 Ohm ,
C= 5 pF and E=9V just after the switch is closed.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
0V
1V
3V
5V
9V
Solution. After the switch is closed the capacitor is beginning to charge. The charge on
the plates is the function of time:
q(t )  EC (1  et / RC )
Voltage across the capacitor is thus
V (t ) 
q( t )
 E (1  e  t / RC )
C
Therefore, just after the switch is closed, t=0, voltage V(t=0) = 0.
Answer A.
Problem 2. What is the charge accumulated by the capacitor in the RC circuit with R= 3
Ohm , C= 5 pF and E=9V after 5 seconds the switch is closed.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
45 pC
45 nC
45 C
45 mC
45 C
Solution. After the switch is closed the capacitor is beginning to charge.
The charge on the plates is the function of time:
q(t )  EC (1  et / RC )
Evaluate this expression at t=5 s
12
q(5)  9*5*1012 (1  e5/(3*5*10
)
)  45 pC
Answer A.
Problem 3. Consider two RL circuits with the same inductances L, the same batteries E
and two different resistors R1 and R2. If R1 is larger than R2, at which circuit current
will reach its maximum value faster?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
Current at circuit with resistor R1.
Current at circuit with resistor R2.
The time needed is the same for both circuits
The current in the circuits will not flow.
None of the above.
Solution. The current in RL circuit increases as a function of time as
i(t)=E/R*[1-exp(-t/)]. If time constant  is smaller in one circuit compared to another,
this would mean that the current in the first circuit reaches its maximum value faster. In
other words, the smaller time constant, the shorter the time period needed to establish a
steady current in the RL circuit. Time constant  =L/R, therefore if R1 > R2, it follows
that 1=L/R1 will be smaller than 2=L/R2. If time constant for the circuit with R1 is
smaller than that for the second circuit, the period of time needed to establish steady
current in the circuit 1 is smaller than for the current R2. Therefore the current at the
circuit 1 reaches its maximum value faster.
Answer A.
Problem 4. Evaluate the current at RL circuit with L=2 Henry, R=4 Ohm, E= 9 V after 3
seconds?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
0.224 A
2.24 A
22.4 A
224.0 A
2240.0 A
Solution. The formula to use is: i(t)=E/R*[1-exp(-t/)] with  =L/R=2/4=0.5 s.
i(3 s)=9/4*(1-2.71-3/0.5)=2.24 A
Answer B.
Problem 5. What is the self-induced EMF across the inductor at RL circuit with L=2
Henry, R=4 Ohm, E= 9 V after 3 seconds?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
20 V
2V
0.2 V
0.02 V
0.002 V
Solution. Self-induced EMF across the inductor is defined by the formula:
di
EL (t )   L   Ee  tR / L
dt
Therefore EL (3)  9e3*4 / 2  0.02V
Answer D
Problem 6. Find period of current oscillations in the LC circuit with L=3 H and C= 3 pF.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
18.8 s
18.8 ms
18.8 s
18.8 ns
18.8 ps
Solution. Current in the LC circuit oscillates as
i (t ) 
dq
 Q sin  t
dt
with the frequency  
1
. To get the period
LC
T  1/  2 /   2 LC  6.28 3*3*1012  6.28*3*106  18.8 s
Answer C.
Problem 7. The 1 mF capacitor with charge Q=5 C is connected to the inductor with
L=3H. Find the voltage across the capacitor in this LC circuit just after the connection is
established
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
5 nV
5 V
5 mV
5V
5 kV
Solution. Charge on the capacitor in LC circuit depends on time.
q(t )  Q cos  t
Therefore, voltage across the capacitor is given by
q(t ) Q
V (t ) 
 cos  t
C
C
After connection is just established, t=0, V(0)=5/0.001=5000 V=5 kV
Answer E.
Problem 8. Find frequency  of decaying oscillations on the RLC circuit with R=4 Ohm,
L=1 H, and C=1 mF.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
5 pHz
5 nHz
5 mHz
5 Hz
5 kHz
Solution. In the RLC circuit oscillations of charge and current exist but decay with time
exponentially. For example, charge oscillations are
q(t )  Qe Rt / 2 L cos  ' t
Frequency of the oscillations is given by
 '  1/ LC  ( R / 2 L) 2   2  ( R / 2 L) 2
Frequency  of the oscillations is given by
   / 2  1000  (4 / 2) 2 / 6.28  5 Hz
Answer D.
Problem 9. What is the capacitive resistance of the circuit with capacitor C= 5000 pF and
applied ac voltage of 120 V and 50 Hz?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
0.64 Ohm
6.4 Ohm
64 Ohm
640 Ohm
640 kOhm
Solution. Capacitive resistance is given by
X C  1/ d C
If the frequency of the ac source is given in Hertz, it is frequency 
Therefore,
X C  1/  d C  1/(2 C )  1/(6.28*50 *5000 *10 12 )  108 /(6.28* 25)  640 kOhm
Answer E
Problem 10. What is the inductive resistance of the circuit with inductor L= 1 H and
applied ac voltage of 120 V and 50 Hz?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
0.31 Ohm
3.14 Ohm
31.4 Ohm
314 Ohm
314 kOhm
Solution. Inductive resistance is given by
X L  d L
If the frequency of the ac source is given in Hertz, it is frequency 
Therefore,
X L  d L  2 L  6.28*50*1  314 Ohm
Answer D
Problem 11. What is the amplitude of the current oscillations in RLC circuit having
impedance of 12 Ohm when ac voltage of 120 V and 50 Hz is applied?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
0.1 V
1V
10 V
100 V
1000 V
Solution. Amplitude of the current oscillations is given by
Em
E
I
 m
Z
R 2  ( X L  X C )2
where Z is the impedance. Therefore I=120/12=10V
Answer C
Problem 12. What is the rms-current in the RLC circuit having impedance of 12 Ohm
when ac voltage of 120 V and 50 Hz is applied?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
1V
3.5 V
7V
10 V
14 V
Solution. Rms current is maximum current divided by square root of 2
Em
E
I rms  I / 2 
 m
2
2
2Z
2 R  (X L  XC )
Therefore, rms current is 120/12/1.41=7V
Answer C.
Problem 13. What is the rms current in the RLC circuit having resistor of 12 Ohm,
capacitor of 30 pF and inductor of 3 H when ac voltage of 120 V is applied at resonance
frequency?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
1V
3.5 V
7V
10 V
14 V
Solution. If the ac voltage is applied at the frequency of the resonance oscillations, i.e.
d  1/ LC  
Then, X L  X C and impedance at resonance frequency Z is simply the resistance of the
resistor
Z  R 2  ( X L  X C )2  R
Therefore, the rms-current at the resonance frequency is
Em
E
I rms  I / 2 
 m =120/12/1.41=7 V
2R
2 R 2  ( X L  X C )2
Answer C.
Problem 14. An ideal transformer has 10 primary turns and 100 secondary turns. What is
the secondary voltage if the primary voltage is 1 V?
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
0.01 V
0.1 V
1V
10 V
100 V
Solution. The secondary voltage of the transformer is calculated using the formula
N
Vs  s Vp
Np
Therefore the secondary voltage is 100/10*1=10 V
Answer D.