Impedance of capacitor and inductors

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on understanding the impedance of capacitors and inductors in AC circuit analysis. Participants emphasize the importance of using complex exponential forms to model sinusoidal sources, which simplifies the calculation of instantaneous voltage and current. Key techniques mentioned include differential equations for energy-storing elements and the phasor technique for AC analysis. The conversation highlights the need for foundational knowledge in algebra and calculus to effectively set up and solve these equations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of complex exponential functions in AC analysis
  • Knowledge of differential equations and their application in circuit analysis
  • Familiarity with the i-v relationships for capacitors and inductors
  • Basic principles of Kirchhoff's Laws and Ohm's Law
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of voltage-current relationships for capacitors and inductors
  • Learn about phasor analysis techniques in AC circuit design
  • Explore resources on solving differential equations in electrical circuits
  • Review standard textbooks on AC power analysis for comprehensive understanding
USEFUL FOR

Electrical engineering students, circuit designers, and anyone seeking to deepen their understanding of AC circuit analysis involving capacitors and inductors.

Puglife
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I do not understand how to solve capacitors and inductors with impedance. I do not even know what it is that they use it to solve for. My understanding is that the define the source as a sinusoid using the complex exponential form, and that all voltages and amperage are now also complex exponential.

I do not, however, know how to solve them, nor do I know what I am solving for? so I need to know, what is it used to solve for, how do you solve it using that, and why use that method?

Also, any proofs would be extremely helpful for me conceptualizing it.

Thank you all
 
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anorlunda said:
That said you need to use differential equations in order to calculate the instantaneous power at a given point, but what I am asking is how to use the complex exponential wave in order to calculate that for a capacitor and inductor, it is a different thing.

If you model your source as a complex exponential wave, then everything else is also modeled as that, and you can somehow solve for all of the instantanious voltage and amperage at given points.

What I don't understand is how that is possible, how to do that, or exactly how any of those equations got derived.
 
Can you solve them using ##\cos{\omega t}##?
Do you understand that ##e^{-j\omega t}## is equivalent to ##\cos{\omega t}##?

It sounds like your difficulties are not related to electricity, but rather to lack of practice with some needed algebra/calculus identities.
 
Inductor and capacitor are "energy storing" elements. When you have only resistors in circuit, KVL equation for that circuit is a simple algebraic equation. When you have inductor or capacitor in the circuit, KVL becomes a differential (integro-differential) equation. Solving the differential equation, you can get the voltage across or current through those elements. For ac circuit analysis, phasor technique is used which is simpler compared to the DEs.
 
anorlunda said:
Can you solve them using ##\cos{\omega t}##?
Do you understand that ##e^{-j\omega t}## is equivalent to ##\cos{\omega t}##?

It sounds like your difficulties are not related to electricity, but rather to lack of practice with some needed algebra/calculus identities.
I do not know how to model the equations, and what to solve for, I am ok with my algebra and differential equations, but I have absolutely no idea how to set up the equations, nor where they get them from.
 
cnh1995 said:
Inductor and capacitor are "energy storing" elements. When you have only resistors in circuit, KVL equation for that circuit is a simple algebraic equation. When you have inductor or capacitor in the circuit, KVL becomes a differential (integro-differential) equation. Solving the differential equation, you can get the voltage across or current through those elements. For ac circuit analysis, phasor technique is used which is simpler compared to the DEs.
how do you set up the differential equations, or the phasor technique for it, is their any way you can supply sample calculations, as well as how those equations where derived (such as proofs).

Thank you all, you guys have been super helpful
 
Puglife said:
how do you set up the differential equations,
You need to know the i-v relations for inductor and capacitor. For example, voltage across inductor is Ldi/dt and voltage across capacitor is (1/C)∫idt. These are derived from the fundamental behavior of these elements.
 
Have you studied Ohm's Law? Do you have practice with DC circuit analysis?

The techniques (such as Kirchoffs Laws) are the same, but instead of ##R=V/I## for a resistor, you have ##I=C\frac{dV}{dt}## for a capacitor, and ##V=L\frac{dI}{dt}## for an inductor.
 
  • #10
anorlunda said:
Have you studied Ohm's Law? Do you have practice with DC circuit analysis?

The techniques (such as Kirchoffs Laws) are the same, but instead of ##R=V/I## for a resistor, you have ##I=C\frac{dV}{dt}## for a capacitor, and ##V=L\frac{dI}{dt}## for an inductor.
oh, ok, that's not too bad at all. Now all I need to know if how to use the complex exponential to solve it without the use of calculus, because a lot of what they say in the book references directly that.
 
  • #11
cnh1995 said:
You need to know the i-v relations for inductor and capacitor. For example, voltage across inductor is Ldi/dt and voltage across capacitor is (1/C)∫idt. These are derived from the fundamental behavior of these elements.
Also, it would be extremely helpful to know how those differential equations where derived, weather though experimentation, or though math, just so that I can better conceptualize it.

Thanks a ton
 
  • #12
Puglife said:
Also, it would be extremely helpful to know how those differential equations where derived, weather though experimentation, or though math, just so that I can better conceptualize it.

Thanks a ton
Inductor opposes sudden change in current through it by inducing a back-emf proportional to the rate of change of current. Hence, voltage across it is Ldi/dt. Capacitor voltage is simply charge/capaticance i.e. q/C.
Since, q=∫idt, voltage across capacitor becomes,
V=1/C∫i dt. You should refer a good physics book for studying these circuits. Start with dc analysis so that you'll get comfortable with the DEs.
 
  • #13
cnh1995 said:
Inductor opposes sudden change in current through it by inducing a back-emf proportional to the rate of change of current. Hence, voltage across it is Ldi/dt. Capacitor voltage is simply charge/capaticance i.e. q/C.
Since, q=∫idt, voltage across capacitor becomes,
V=1/C∫i dt. You should refer a good physics book for studying these circuits. Start with dc analysis so that you'll get comfortable with the DEs.
ok, thank you, now all I need to know if how to use the complex exponential to solve it without the use of calculus, because a lot of what they say in the book references directly that.
 
  • #14
Puglife said:
Also, it would be extremely helpful to know how those differential equations where derived, weather though experimentation, or though math, just so that I can better conceptualize it.

Thanks a ton
Is there any reason why you can't use a standard textbook to find this information? Specific questions on PF will usually get a useful answer but it seems a bit unreasonable, to me, to expect a whole personalised course to be supplied by PF.
There are so many adequate textbooks available for this sort of thing - some are even available in line, for free.
 

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