Voltage through a steady state capacitor.

In summary, my attempts at solving this homework equation failed because I don't understand what DC steady state means in this context.
  • #1
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Homework Statement


Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution



According to my notes when a circuit is in DC steady state inductors are short circuited and capacitors are open circuited. This leads me to believe that the voltage across the capacitor is basically the voltage looking in through the terminal of the open circuit:

-----------R------o +
|

|
------------------o _

if it's an open circuit then no current flows through R.

(7sin12t - Vc)/R = 0

Vc = 7sin12t

This doesn't seem right to me, can anyone tell me where I'm going wrong?

thanks in advance.
 
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  • #2
Your circuit isn't in DC steady state. It's being driven by a sinusoidal source, so it's in AC steady state. The inductor and capacitor will have reactances (impedances) at the given driving frequency. Find expressions for them and then do the voltage divider thing (or find the current first, then the voltage across the cap.).
 
  • #3
This is an AC circuit with a supply voltage given by V = 7Sin12t.
This means that ω = 12.
I don't know what 'steady state' means in this context and would assume it means find the voltage (AC) across the capacitor.
I attempted to find the reactance of L and C and got the following:
Xl = ωL = 12 x (2 +β) = (24 + 12β)Ω
Xc =1/ωC = 1/(12 x 3x 10^-3) = 28Ω
The resistance = (12-ε)Ω
The next logical thing is to get an expression for the impedance, Z,
using Z^2 = [(Xl-Xc)]^2 + R^2
Then use this to get an expression for the current and therefore an expression for Vc
BUT I CAN'T SEE HOW TO DO ALL OF THAT !
Sorry ! Hope you get somewhere with it
 
  • #4
gneill said:
Your circuit isn't in DC steady state. It's being driven by a sinusoidal source, so it's in AC steady state. The inductor and capacitor will have reactances (impedances) at the given driving frequency. Find expressions for them and then do the voltage divider thing (or find the current first, then the voltage across the cap.).

Thanks!

The phasor voltage of 7sin12t is 7

The impedance of the resistor is the resistance

the impedance of the cap is 1/j(12)(3mF)

impedance of the inductor is j(12)(L)
 
  • #5
What happened to the ε and β?
 
  • #6
gneill said:
What happened to the ε and β?

i'm assuming they're 0 for now, they are just variables with given values, sorry i didn't clarify that.
 
  • #7
technician said:
This is an AC circuit with a supply voltage given by V = 7Sin12t.
This means that ω = 12.
I don't know what 'steady state' means in this context and would assume it means find the voltage (AC) across the capacitor.
I attempted to find the reactance of L and C and got the following:
Xl = ωL = 12 x (2 +β) = (24 + 12β)Ω
Xc =1/ωC = 1/(12 x 3x 10^-3) = 28Ω
The resistance = (12-ε)Ω
The next logical thing is to get an expression for the impedance, Z,
using Z^2 = [(Xl-Xc)]^2 + R^2
Then use this to get an expression for the current and therefore an expression for Vc
BUT I CAN'T SEE HOW TO DO ALL OF THAT !
Sorry ! Hope you get somewhere with it


thanks, sorry i didnt mention that epsilon and beta are variables, my bad.

i have basically the same work as you, i used voltage division to get the voltage through the capacitor and then reverted back from phasor to time domain form.

thanks for all the help
 
  • #8
It is much easier now.
I got Vc =15.5V, Vl =13.2V and Vr = 6.6V
 
  • #9
technician said:
It is much easier now.
I got Vc =15.5V, Vl =13.2V and Vr = 6.6V

should the answer not be in the form xsin(wt + y)?

for the voltage across the capacitor i got

vc(t) = 9.2186sin(12t + 0.288)

does this look correct?

edit: i used 6 for epsilon and 2 for beta, but the answer should be roughly there or thereabouts i hope.
 
  • #10
I thought ε and β were being taken to = 0 ?
You are right, my voltages should be given as
Vc = 15.5 Sin(12t)... Strictly should be 15.5Sin(12t - ∏/2) because Vc is ∏2 behind I
Vl = 13.2 Sin(12t)... strictly speaking should be 13.2 Sin(12t + ∏/2) because Vl is ∏/2 ahead of I
Vr = 6.6 Sin(12t)...this is OK as it is because Vr is inphase with I

A good check is that Vs^2 = Vr^2 + [Vl - Vc]^2

ie 7^2 = 6.6^2 + [13.2 - 15.5]^2
49 = 43.6 + 5.3 = 48.9 (near enough)
 
  • #11
technician said:
I thought ε and β were being taken to = 0 ?
You are right, my voltages should be given as
Vc = 15.5 Sin(12t)... Strictly should be 15.5Sin(12t - ∏/2) because Vc is ∏2 behind I
Vl = 13.2 Sin(12t)... strictly speaking should be 13.2 Sin(12t + ∏/2) because Vl is ∏/2 ahead of I
Vr = 6.6 Sin(12t)...this is OK as it is because Vr is inphase with I

A good check is that Vs^2 = Vr^2 + [Vl - Vc]^2

ie 7^2 = 6.6^2 + [13.2 - 15.5]^2
49 = 43.6 + 5.3 = 48.9 (near enough)


thanks.
 

What is a steady state capacitor?

A steady state capacitor is an electrical component that is designed to store and release electrical charge. It is made up of two conductive plates separated by an insulating material, known as a dielectric.

How does voltage affect a steady state capacitor?

Voltage is the driving force behind the flow of charge in a steady state capacitor. When a voltage is applied to the capacitor, it causes electrons to accumulate on one plate and leave the other plate, creating an electric field between the plates.

What happens to the voltage across a steady state capacitor over time?

In a steady state capacitor, the voltage across the plates will reach a constant value once the capacitor is fully charged. This voltage will remain constant as long as the voltage supply remains constant and there is no external influence on the capacitor.

Can the voltage across a steady state capacitor ever be greater than the applied voltage?

No, the voltage across a steady state capacitor cannot be greater than the applied voltage. This is because the capacitor will reach a point of equilibrium where the amount of charge on each plate is equal and the voltage difference between the plates is equal to the applied voltage.

How is the voltage across a steady state capacitor calculated?

The voltage across a steady state capacitor can be calculated using the formula V = Q/C, where V is the voltage, Q is the charge on the capacitor, and C is the capacitance. This formula shows that the voltage is directly proportional to the amount of charge stored on the capacitor and inversely proportional to the capacitance.

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