RLC Circuit Analysis -- Two sources and two switches

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
3 replies · 2K views
wcjy
Messages
73
Reaction score
10
Homework Statement
Given the following circuit with the source voltages V1=9(V) and V2=5(V). Switch 1 has been connected to A and switch 2 has been closed for a long time. At t=0, switch 1 is connected to B, and switch 2 is open. Find the constants α, β, and γ in the expression of the voltage v(t) through the capacitor

V(t) = α + βe^(γt) V
Relevant Equations
$$V(t) = V( ∞) + [V(0) - V( ∞)] e ^ {\frac{t}{T}}$$
Hello, this is my working. My professor did not give any answer key, and thus can I check if I approach the question correctly, and also check if my answer is correct at the same time.

When t < 0, capacitor acts as open circuit,
$$V(0-) = V(0+) = 9V$$

When t = infinity,
$$V( ∞) = 5V$$ (because switch is now connected to B, and capacitor acts as open circuit when t = ∞)

Time Constant, $$T = RC = 2 * 100 * 10^{-3} = 0.2 s$$

When t > 0,
$$V(t) = V( ∞) + [V(0) - V( ∞)] e ^ {\frac{t}{T}}$$
$$V(t) = 5 + [9 - 5] e^{\frac{-t}{0.2}}$$
$$ V(t) = 5 + 4e^{-5t}$$

Therefore,
α = 5,
β = 4
γ = -5
 

Attachments

  • 1615635237437.png
    1615635237437.png
    79.7 KB · Views: 270
Last edited by a moderator:
on Phys.org
Looks good. You have a sign error in some of your exponents.
Your reasoning is great; the simple approach. There are much harder ways to solve this that you successfully avoided. Of course it does rely on you already knowing the solution to the series RC differential equation (i.e. time constant and exponentials), but that seems reasonable since they gave you the form of the answer.
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: wcjy
Thank You Very Much!
 
Reply
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: berkeman