ECE 213 Lab Report 6

Kate Antonov

March 5, 2019

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Introduction
This lab intends to measure complex voltages and current in a parallel-series RLC
circuit. Polar notation was used for most of the procedure in order to understand
how phase angles and magnitude were calculated and measured using the oscil-
loscope. This was similar to the procedure explained in the last lab. The only
difference is that the circuit itself is more complex.

Procedure
The equipment needed for this lab was: a digital multimeter, oscilloscope, function
generator, a bread board, 480nF capacitor, 4.7 kΩ resistor, 33nF capacitor, 150mH
inductor, 510Ω resistor, and 3 pairs of wire leads. Each actual value for the compo-
nents were measured and recorded. A series/parallel circuit was constructed using
the two capacitors, one inductor, and two resistors. Node 1 was between the ap-
plied voltage source of 3 Vrms and the 480nF capacitor. 4.7kΩ resistor was between
Node 2 and Node 3. The inductor was placed between Node 2 and ground. the
510 Ω resistor was placed parallel to the 4.7kΩ resistor and the inductor. The 33nF
capacitor was placed beteen the Node 3 and ground. The frequency on the function
generator was set to 500 Hz, and the output voltage was set to 3 Vrms, or 4.2 peak
voltage. A pair of wire leads was used to connect the function generator to the
oscilloscope. The DC offset control in the function generator was adjusted to obtain
a zero DC level. Another pair of wire leads were connected from the oscilloscope
to the multimeter. The multimeter was then used to connect to Node 1, which
measured the potential there. This was also done for nodes 2 and 3. The potentials
between the nodes were measured and recorded as well. To measure the voltage of
4.7kΩ resistor, the 33nF capacitor and the resistors’ places were exchanged so that
one side of the resistor was grounded. To measure voltage of 480nF capacitor, the
function generator and the capacitors’ places were exchanged.
The oscilloscope was then used to measure voltage magnitude and time shift
across 480nF capacitor, 4.7kΩ resistor, 33nF capacitor, and 150mH inductor. The
same exchange of the 4.7kΩresistor and then the 480nF capacitor was repeated to
measure correct time shift. The time shift measurements were then used to calculate

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phase angles.
The phasor diagram was then drawn for the circuit for Node 3 voltage. The
polar form was used. Kirchoff’s Voltage Law was also tested by converting the polar
forms of all components’ potentials into rectangular form. This allowed for the sum
of all these voltages, which should theoretically equal 0. The calculations and results
were recorded.

Device Manufacturer Model

Oscilloscope Tektronix 2225
DMM WAVETEK BDM35
Function Generator HEWLITT * PACKARD 3311A

Table 1: Equipment Table

Calculations
I1 + I2 + I3 + I4 = 0

ZC2 = −j/(480nF ∗ 1000π) = −9645.754j

ZC1 = −j/(33nF ∗ 1000π) = −6631.1455j

Zinductor = (150mH ∗ 1000π) ∗ j = 471.2388j

−((3Vrms −V2 )/−663.1455j)+(V2 /(4.7k−9645.754j))+(V2 /(150+471.238j))+(V2 /510) = 0

Node 1:
V1 = 3Vrms

VC1 = (−663.1455j) ∗ (I1 ) = 3.646 − 27.9◦ Vrms

Node 2:
V2 = 1.7156 97.30◦ Vrms

I1 = (3 − V2 )/(−663.1455j) = 5.486 62.125◦ mArms

I2 = (V2 )/(4.7k − 9645.754j) = 0.1596 161.32◦ mArms

I3 = (V2 )/(150 + 471.238j) = 3.4696 24.95◦ mArms

I4 = (V2 )/(150) = 3.366 97.302◦ mArms

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 VR1 = (4.7k) ∗ (I2 ) = 0.7526 161.3◦ Vrms

VL1 = (471.2388j) ∗ (I3 ) = 1.7166 97.3◦ Vrms

Node 3:

V3 = (−9645.754j) ∗ (0.1596 161.324mArms ) = 1.54266 71.324◦ mArms

VC2 = (−9645.754j) ∗ (I2 ) = 1.5426 71.3◦ Vrms

Percent Error:

P ercentError = ((M easured − Calculated)/Calculated) ∗ 100%

Potential Magnitude Vrms Phase Angle degrees

Node 1 3 0
Node 2 1.715 97.30 lagging
Node 3 1.542 71.324 lagging
VC 1 3.64 27.9 leading
VR 1 0.752 161.3 lagging
VC 2 1.542 71.3 lagging
VL 1 1.716 97.3 lagging

Table 2: Percent Error of Calculated and Measured Values

Potential Magnitude % Phase Angle %

Node 1 0 0
Node 2 9 0
Node 3 8 9
VC 1 2 39
VR 1 10 3
VC 2 8 9
VL 1 9 0

Table 3: Percent Error of Calculated and Measured Values

Phase Shift Calculations:

θ = (t(360))/T

T = 1.85ms

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 Phase Shift (t ms) Phase Shift (degrees)
Node 1 0 0
Node 2 0.5 97.29 lagging
Node 3 0.4 77.83 lagging
Potential across C1 0.2 38.9 leading
Potential across R1 1.8 155.67 lagging
Potential across C2 0.4 77.831 lagging
Potential across L1 0.5 97.29 lagging

Table 4: Circuit node angles calculated with oscilloscope

Measurements

Component Measured Value

C1 478 nF
L1 149.3 mH
LR 150 Ohms
R1 4.67 kOhms
C2 32.2 mH
R2 0.509 kOhms

Table 5: Measured values of components

Potential Magnitude Vrms Phase Angle (degrees)

Node 1 3 0
Node 2 1.88 V 97.29 lagging
Node 3 1.67 V 77.83 lagging
VC 1 3.58 V 38.9 leading
VR 1 0.828 V 155.67 lagging
VC 2 1.67 V 77.83 lagging
VL 1 1.88 V 97.29 lagging

Table 6: Circuit node angles measured with oscilloscope

Phasor Diagram for Node 3 Voltage:

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 report.jpg

Potential across Real Part Volts Imaginary Part Volts

Function Generator 3 0
C1 2.771 -2.236
R1 -0.755 0.341
C2 0.353 1.632
KVL Sum (Vs - Vcl - Vr1 - Vc2 0.631 0.263

Table 7: Kirchoff’s Voltage Law using Measured Values

Potential across Real Part Volts Imaginary Part Volts

Function Generator 3 0
C1 2.771 -2.236
R3 0.353 1.632
KVL Sum (Vs - Vcl - Vr2 -0.124 0.604

Table 8: Kirchoff’s Voltage Law using Measured Values

Potential across Real Part Volts Imaginary Part Volts

R1 -0.755 0.341
C2 0.353 1.632
L1 + RL -0.239 1.865
KVL Sum (Vr1 - Vc2 - Vr1+rl) -0.163 0.108

Table 9: Kirchoff’s Voltage Law using Measured Values

Questions
1. Why is the phase measurement on the capacitor C1 still accurate even though
its position in the circuit is changed? Because C1 was exchanged with the function

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generator, Node 1 is still the reference node for the entire circuit. The same cur-
rent still goes through both C1 and the voltage source. Because of this, the phase
measurement is still accurate.
2. Would increasing the frequency of the input voltage cause more or less power
to be dissipated by R2? Why? Would decreasing the frequency of the input voltage
cause more or less power to be dissipated by R2? Why? You may wish to show
some work. Increasing frequency of input voltage causes more power to be dissipated
by R2. Increasing frequency increases the impedance of capacitors and inductors.
Original power dissipated was

0.001696 − 165.396◦ W

By setting the frequency to 1000 Hz, it was calculated that voltage of Node 2 was

3.1576 65.84◦ Vrms

The current used to find power was

0.006196 65.84◦ Arms

The calculated power of the higher frequency was

0.019546 131.68◦ W

It can then be assumed that decreasing the frequency would cause less power to be
dissipated by R2.
3. If a DC current was used in this circuit, what would the N2 voltage be and
why? If a very high frequency (f=∞) AC current was used in this circuit, what
would the N2 voltage approximately be and why? How much current would flow
through the inductor at this very high frequency?
N2 voltage would be 0V. A DC current with 0Hz frequency would give the
capacitor infinite impedance. Applying to the KVl equation in the calculations
section would prove that N2 voltage would have to be 0V. If an infinity frequency
AC current were used, the N2 voltage would also be infinity. This is due to the

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infinity frequency giving the capacitor 0 impedance, which would lead to an infinity
voltage. No current would flow through the inductor because the inductor would
have infinite impedance with an infinitely high frequency.

Conclusion
This lab was intended to measure complex voltages and current in a complex RLC
circuit. The procedure was done by measuring potentials across each component
and calculating the phase shifts. With the calculated and measured values seen
below,

Potential Magnitude Vrms Phase Angle degrees

Node 1 3 0
Node 2 1.715 97.30 lagging
Node 3 1.542 71.324 lagging
VC 1 3.64 27.9 leading
VR 1 0.752 161.3 lagging
VC 2 1.542 71.3 lagging
VL 1 1.716 97.3 lagging

Table 10: Percent Error of Calculated and Measured Values

Potential Magnitude % Phase Angle %

Node 1 0 0
Node 2 9 0
Node 3 8 9
VC 1 2 39
VR 1 10 3
VC 2 8 9
VL 1 9 0

Table 11: Percent Error of Calculated and Measured Values

Phase Shift (t ms) Phase Shift (degrees)

Node 1 0 0
Node 2 0.5 97.29 lagging
Node 3 0.4 77.83 lagging
Potential across C1 0.2 38.9 leading
Potential across R1 1.8 155.67 lagging
Potential across C2 0.4 77.831 lagging
Potential across L1 0.5 97.29 lagging

Table 12: Circuit node angles calculated with oscilloscope

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 Component Measured Value
C1 478 nF
L1 149.3 mH
LR 150 Ohms
R1 4.67 kOhms
C2 32.2 mH
R2 0.509 kOhms

Table 13: Measured values of components

Potential Magnitude Vrms Phase Angle (degrees)

Node 1 3 0
Node 2 1.88 V 97.29 lagging
Node 3 1.67 V 77.83 lagging
VC 1 3.58 V 38.9 leading
VR 1 0.828 V 155.67 lagging
VC 2 1.67 V 77.83 lagging
VL 1 1.88 V 97.29 lagging

Table 14: Circuit node angles measured with oscilloscope

Potential across Real Part Volts Imaginary Part Volts

Function Generator 3 0
C1 2.771 -2.236
R1 -0.755 0.341
C2 0.353 1.632
KVL Sum (Vs - Vcl - Vr1 - Vc2 0.631 0.263

Table 15: Kirchoff’s Voltage Law using Measured Values

Potential across Real Part Volts Imaginary Part Volts

Function Generator 3 0
C1 2.771 -2.236
R3 0.353 1.632
KVL Sum (Vs - Vcl - Vr2 -0.124 0.604

Table 16: Kirchoff’s Voltage Law using Measured Values

Potential across Real Part Volts Imaginary Part Volts

R1 -0.755 0.341
C2 0.353 1.632
L1 + RL -0.239 1.865
KVL Sum (Vr1 - Vc2 - Vr1+rl) -0.163 0.108

Table 17: Kirchoff’s Voltage Law using Measured Values

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 it was noted that the only huge percent error was phase angles of calculated and
measured values, specifically for the voltage across C1. The phase angle percent
error can be explained due to the estimation of the time shift on the oscilloscope,
which could round up or down the result significantly. There was some percent
error for the calculated and measured magnitude as well, and this was due to the
error of the calculations having an assumed value of 3cos(1000*pi*t), instead of
3sin(1000*pi*t) on the pre-lab.
In conclusion, the calculated and measured values were accurate enough to ob-
serve the relationship between magnitude, RMS, and phase shifts, as well as the
Kirchoff’s Voltage Law.

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