Calculating Capacitance of LC Circuit

In summary, to calculate the capacitance of an LC circuit with an inductance of 30H and a fully charged capacitance that depletes to zero in 20 seconds, use the main equation V=V.*cos(ωt) where V is the final voltage, V. is the initial voltage, ω is the resonant angular frequency, and t is the time in seconds. Rearrange the equation to solve for C, which is equal to 1/(ω^2 * L). In this case, the calculated capacitance is 5.404 Farads. Make sure to check your calculator for the correct units and settings.
  • #1
omer10000
16
0

Homework Statement



Calculate capacitance of LC Circuit where:

Inductor - 30H
Capacitance voltage fully charged goes to zero in 20 seconds

Homework Equations



Main Eq: V=V. *cost(ωt) where V is final Voltage, V. = Voltage initial, ω = resonant angular frequency

ω = 1/√(LC) = 2∏f

f. = 1/2∏√(LC) --> resonance frequency

The Attempt at a Solution



Calculated f=1/80 =0.0125Hz as voltage of capacitor takes 20s to deplete 1/4 cycle
∴ ω = 2∏*0.0125=0.0785

Rearranged angular frequency equation to solve for C
∴C=1/(ω^2 * L) = 5.404F

Since Voltage = 0 after t = 20s = 1/3min,

V=V. *cost(ωt)
0=V.*cos(0.0785*(1/3))

Since the whole equation is multiplication, calculating V. would not be required since if cos equaled 0 then so would the whole right hand side of the equation. However cos equals close to 1 and therefore I'm stuck.

Please help

Thank you

Edit: Thread has been answered and I'm correcting my mistake for those reading this post as a reference on how to answer this type of question. Mistake was in the calculation of main equation:

V=V.*cost(ωt)
0=V.*cos(0.0785rad/s*20s) --> Calculate using radian mode on calculator
0=V.*0.00
0=0 --> as anything multiplied by 0 is equal to 0

Answering main question of this thread...

Capacitance = 5.404 Farards
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
Check your calculator for degrees versus radians setting.
 
  • #3
gneill said:
Check your calculator for degrees versus radians setting.

Hi,

I checked by calculating cos in radians and degrees but both equal a figure close to one but i need it to equal zero.

Thank you
 
  • #4
omer10000 said:
Hi,

I checked by calculating cos in radians and degrees but both equal a figure close to one but i need it to equal zero.

Thank you

Your ω is in units of radians per second. Your time should be specified in seconds, not fractions of a minute.
 
  • #5
gneill said:
Your ω is in units of radians per second. Your time should be specified in seconds, not fractions of a minute.

Alright I got it.

V=V.*cos(ωt)
0=V.cos(0.0785rad/s * 20s)
0=V.*0.001=V.*0
0=0

Thanks for the help gneill, I suppose the above therefore is correct.

Answering the main question of this thread;

Capacitance = 5.404 Farads

Thank you
 
Last edited:
  • #6
Yes, that looks good :smile:
 

1. How do you calculate the capacitance of an LC circuit?

The capacitance of an LC circuit can be calculated using the formula C = 1/(4π²f²L), where C is the capacitance in Farads, f is the frequency in Hertz, and L is the inductance in Henries.

2. What is an LC circuit?

An LC circuit is a type of electronic circuit that consists of an inductor (L) and a capacitor (C) connected in parallel. It is used to generate and control oscillations in electrical circuits.

3. What is the role of capacitance in an LC circuit?

Capacitance in an LC circuit is responsible for storing energy in the form of an electric field. As the capacitor charges and discharges, it creates an alternating current that produces oscillations in the circuit.

4. How does the frequency affect the capacitance of an LC circuit?

The capacitance of an LC circuit is inversely proportional to the square of the frequency. This means that as the frequency increases, the capacitance decreases, and vice versa.

5. What is the significance of calculating the capacitance of an LC circuit?

Calculating the capacitance of an LC circuit is important because it allows us to determine the resonant frequency of the circuit. This is useful in designing and tuning electronic circuits for various applications such as radio transmitters, filters, and oscillators.

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