Maximum energy stored in a capacitor? RLC circuit

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a series RLC circuit where the current leads the generator voltage by an angle φ = 30°. Participants are exploring the relationship between the maximum energy stored in a capacitor and the angle of the current in the context of this circuit, specifically focusing on the expression for energy stored in the capacitor at a given time.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the relationship between the voltage across the capacitor and the generator voltage, questioning how the sin²(φ) term relates to the energy stored in the capacitor. There are inquiries about the time dependence of current and voltages in the circuit and the role of phasor diagrams in understanding these relationships.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the need for phasor diagrams to clarify the relationships between current and voltages. There is an ongoing exploration of the time dependence of the circuit elements, but no consensus has been reached on the interpretation of the energy expression.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the circuit consists of a battery, resistor, capacitor, and inductor in series, and there is an emphasis on the importance of understanding the phasor diagram for the current and voltages involved.

Luke Cohen
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Homework Statement


The current in a series RLC circuit leads the generator voltage by φ = 30°. The circuit, containing an inductor L = 400 mH and a resistor R = 50 Ω, is driven by a generator operating at ω = 100 rad/s with a maximum emf of 10 V. The capacitance is unknown.

The first question regarding this prompt is to find the capacitance, which is 145e-6F.

This is the question I am stumped on:

In terms of the maximum energy UC,max stored in the capacitor and the angle φ by which the current leads the generator voltage, the energy UC stored in the capacitor when the time is t = π/2ω is:

The correct answer is UC = UC,max sin^2φ

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I've drawn my phasor diagrams, but I don't understand the correct answer. Is the voltage across the capacitor the component of the voltage across the generator pointing in the direction of X_c, the capacitor's impedance? If so, I get how a sin^2(phi) term would be used, because that would be the V^2 part of U = 1/2*cV^2, but I don't see how that would give me UC,max *sin^2(phi).
I will appreciate any help!
 
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This is just a normal box series RLC circuit with a battery, resistor, capacitor, and inductor in series. Sorry for not including!
 
Y
Luke Cohen said:

Homework Statement


The current in a series RLC circuit leads the generator voltage by φ = 30°. The circuit, containing an inductor L = 400 mH and a resistor R = 50 Ω, is driven by a generator operating at ω = 100 rad/s with a maximum emf of 10 V. The capacitance is unknown.

The first question regarding this prompt is to find the capacitance, which is 145e-6F.

This is the question I am stumped on:

In terms of the maximum energy UC,max stored in the capacitor and the angle φ by which the current leads the generator voltage, the energy UC stored in the capacitor when the time is t = π/2ω is:

The correct answer is UC = UC,max sin^2φ

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


I've drawn my phasor diagrams, but I don't understand the correct answer. Is the voltage across the capacitor the component of the voltage across the generator pointing in the direction of X_c, the capacitor's impedance? If so, I get how a sin^2(phi) term would be used, because that would be the V^2 part of U = 1/2*cV^2, but I don't see how that would give me UC,max *sin^2(phi).
I will appreciate any help!
You have to work with time dependence of the current and voltages. Assuming the generator voltage is Vg=Vg0sin(ωt),
what is the time dependence of the current and the capacitor voltage?
 
Luke Cohen said:
This is just a normal box series RLC circuit with a battery, resistor, capacitor, and inductor in series. Sorry for not including!

There is no escaping this: you will need to show, and then use, the phasor diagram of current and voltages.
 

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