GAZI UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

EM 222
CIRCUIT ANALYSIS II

LABORATORY MANUAL

2011-2012 SPRING SEMESTER

GAZI UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
EM222 CIRCUIT ANALYSIS II LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT # 1
THE EFFECT OF FREQUENCY ON CAPACITIVE AND INDUCTIVE REACTANCES
(XC AND XL)
Objective:
The objective of the experiment is to demonstrate and learn how the reactance of an inductor and
a capacitor varies with frequency.
Theory:
The impedance ( ) of a passive component (R, L, or C) is defined as the ratio of its voltage to the
current through it. For sinusoidal signals at any frequency the definition is given as follows:
Here, V and I are the rms (effective) values of the voltage and current, respectively. Note that the
equation also holds when peak values are used.
In general, the impedance is a complex number that varies with the frequency of applied signal.
Its real part is called as resistance while the imaginary part is called reactance.
If the component is purely resistive, then the impedance is a real number that is constant for all
frequency values.
For inductor and capacitor on the other hand, the impedance is an imaginary number that varies
with the frequency.
The impedance of the capacitor is given as

Therefore the reactance of the capacitor is defined as

1
It is obvious that the reactance of the capacitor decreases as the frequency increases. As a result,
the reactance of the capacitor can be assumed to be zero at very high frequencies (short circuit).
Similarly, it acts like an open circuit (infinite impedance) for very low frequencies (dc).
The impedance of the inductor is given as
Therefore the reactance of the inductor is defined as
A similar comment can be made for the frequency dependence of the inductor: The reactance of
the inductor increases as the frequency increases. As a result, it can be assumed to be zero at very
low frequencies (short circuit for dc). Similarly, it acts like an open circuit (infinite impedance)
for very high frequencies.
EM222 Circuit Analysis II Lab.

2011-2012 Spring

Experimental Work:
Part I
In this part, the reactance of the capacitor will be calculated by using the data obtained from
experiments. Although the purpose is to investigate the reactance of the capacitor, the
measurements will be taken from an R-C circuit to be able to limit the current.

Figure 1.1. Experimental set-up

A. Measurement of the capacitive reactance for different capacitors.
Construct the RC circuit which is given in Figure 1.1.
Connect the signal generator to the input of the circuit.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Adjust the signal generator to generate a 10-Vpp sinusoidal voltage at f = 1 kHz.

Measure the output voltage and record it in Table 1.1.
Repeat the measurement at the same voltage and frequency with different capacitors.
Calculate the current, impedance and reactance of the capacitor for each set of data by using
the following equations and complete Table 1.1. (Ignore the negative sign of the reactance.)
1
/

5. Plot

and

on the same graph as a function of C.

Table 1.1
f(kHz)
Vs-pp (V)
Vo-pp(V)
IC (Arms)
1
10
1
10
1
10

XC ()

C(F)
1.0 F
2.2 F
3.3 F

B. Measurement of the capacitive reactance at different frequencies.

Use the same set-up as in Part A.
1. For the frequency values shown in Table 1.2 measure the output voltage. Use the same input
voltage and capacitor values throughout this part of the experiment.
2. Calculate the capacitor current and reactance for each set of data and fill in Table 1.2.
3. Plot and
on the same graph as a function of f.
Table 1.2
Vo-pp(V)
IC (Arms)
XC ()
C(F)
f (Hz)
Vs-pp (V)
500
10
1 F
1000
10
1 F
2000
10
1 F
3000
10
1 F
5000
10
1 F

EM222 Circuit Analysis II Lab.

2011-2012 Spring

C. Series and Parallel Connection of Capacitors

In this part two capacitors will be used in the circuit shown in Fig.1.1.
1. Connect two unknown capacitors in series and place them in the circuit.
2. Adjust the signal generator to generate a 10-Vpp sinusoidal voltage at f = 1 kHz.
3. Measure the capacitor voltage. Calculate the total capacitance and reactance values.
4. Now, connect the same capacitors in parallel and place them in the circuit.
5. Measure the capacitor voltage. Calculate the total capacitance and reactance values.
6. Fill in Table 1.3.
f (kHz)
1
1

Vs-pp (V)
10
10

Table 1.3
Vo-pp(V)
IC (Arms)

XC ()

Ceq(F)

Work to do:
1) Your report should include all the results obtained in the tests. Tables should be given and
the data should be plotted on scale either on graph papers or squared papers. The results
should be discussed. Specifically discuss how the capacitor value and frequency affect the
reactance of the capacitor. Also, discuss how combining capacitors in series or parallel
change the circuit.
2) Set up the circuit in PSPICE. Use the same component values that were used in Part I-B of
the experiment. Run the simulation and obtain the capacitor voltage and current along with
the input voltage for each frequency (In addition the frequencies used in the lab, run the
simulation for 5 Hz and 500 kHz too). Compare the results with the experimental ones and
comment on your findings.
Part II
In this part, the reactance of the inductor will be calculated by using the data obtained from
experiments. Although the purpose is to investigate the reactance of the inductor, the
measurements will be taken from an R-L circuit to be able to limit the current.

Figure 1.2 Experimental set-up

A. Measurement of the inductive reactance for different inductors.
Construct the RL circuit which is given in Figure 1.2.
Connect the signal generator to the input of the circuit.
1.
2.
3.
4.

Adjust the signal generator to generate a 10-Vpp sinusoidal voltage at f = 1 kHz.

Measure the output voltage and record it in Table 1.4.
Repeat the measurement at the same voltage and frequency with different inductors.
Calculate the current, impedance and reactance of the inductor for each set of data by using
the following equations and complete Table 1.4.

EM222 Circuit Analysis II Lab.

2011-2012 Spring

/
5. Plot

and

on the same graph as a function of L.

f(kHz)
1
1
1

Vs-pp (V)
10
10
10

Table 1.4
Vo-pp(V)
IL (Arms)

XL ()

L
470 H
1.5 mH
10 mH

B. Measurement of the inductive reactance at different frequencies.

Use the same set-up as in Part A.
1. For the frequency values shown in Table 1.5 measure the output voltage. Use the same input
voltage and inductor values throughout this part of the experiment.
2. Calculate the inductor current and reactance for each set of data and fill in Table 1.5.
on the same graph as a function of f.
3. Plot and
Table 1.5
f (Hz)
Vs-pp (V)
Vo-pp(V)
IL (Arms)
XL ()
L
500
10
10 mH
1000
10
10 mH
2000
10
10 mH
3000
10
10 mH
5000
10
10 mH

C. Series and Parallel Connection of Inductors

In this part two inductors will be used in the circuit shown in Fig.1.2.
1. Connect two unknown inductors in series and place them in the circuit.
2. Adjust the signal generator to generate a 5-Vpp sinusoidal voltage at f = 1 kHz.
3. Measure the inductor voltage. Calculate the total inductance and reactance values.
4. Now, connect the same inductors in parallel and place them in the circuit.
5. Measure the inductor voltage. Calculate the total inductance and reactance values.
6. Fill in Table 1.6.
Table 1.6
Vo-pp(V)
IC (Arms)
XC ()
Ceq(F)
f (kHz)
Vs-pp (V)
1
5
1
5
Work to do:
1) Your report should include all the results obtained in the tests. Tables should be given and
the data should be plotted on scale either on graph papers or squared papers. The results
should be discussed. Specifically discuss how the inductor value and frequency affect the
reactance of the capacitor. Also, discuss how combining inductors in series or parallel
change the circuit.
2) Set up the circuit in PSPICE. Use the same component values that were used in Part II-B of
the experiment. Run the simulation and obtain the inductor voltage and current along with
the input voltage for each frequency (In addition the frequencies used in the lab, run the
EM222 Circuit Analysis II Lab.

2011-2012 Spring

simulation for 5 Hz and 500 kHz too). Compare the results with the experimental ones and
comment on your findings.
Equipment and Components
Oscilloscope (dual trace)
Signal Generator (0-200kHz)
Protoboard
Resistors
Capacitors
Inductors
Read before the experiment:
1. What is a capacitor? How is it built? What is the amount of energy it can store? How can
the capacitance of a capacitor be made large or small?
2. What is an inductor? How is it built? What is the amount of energy it can store? How can
the inductance of an inductor be made large or small?
Extra learning activity (to be included in the report):
1. Search the internet for ultracapacitor. Explain in one paragraph its principles, advantages
and where they can be used.
2. Search the internet for superconducting magnetic energy storage. Explain in one
paragraph the principles of the system and how they can be used.
3. Search the internet for ac line filter. Explain in one paragraph where they are used.

EM222 Circuit Analysis II Lab.

2011-2012 Spring