Ph 203: General Physics III 9/29/2019

Chapter 23 Worksheet 1
Alternating Current (AC)
1. In the graph below, the voltage for a wall socket is plotted as a function of time.

200

150

100

50
voltage (V)

0
0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1
-50

-100

-150

-200
time (s)

a. What is the maximum voltage (Vmax)?

b. What is the root-mean square voltage (Vrms)?

c. Using the graph, estimate the period for the oscillating voltage?

d. Using your value from part C, determine the frequency and angular frequency of this
voltage signal.

e. A light bulb (20  resistance) is connected to the wall socket. What is the maximum
current (Imax) and root-mean-square current (Irms)
Ph 203: General Physics III 9/29/2019
Chapter 23 Worksheet 2
2. The electric current for the light bulb described in Problem 1, is plotted a function of time
below.

10
8
6
4
current (A)

2
0
-2 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.1
-4
-6
-8
-10
time (s)

a. Using the graph, determine the maximum current (Imax)?

b. Using the graph, determine the root-mean square current (Irms)?

c. How do your values in (a) and (b) compare with your calculations in Problem 1?

d. Using the graph, estimate the period, frequency and angular frequency for the oscillating
current? How do your values compare with the values in problem 1 (parts C and D).

e. Calculate the average power (P avg) consumed by the above light bulb.
Ph 203: General Physics III 9/29/2019
Chapter 23 Worksheet 3
3. The power for the above circuit is graphed as a function of time below.

1600

1400

1200

1000
power (W)

800

600

400

200

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1
time (s)

a. By observation, how does the graph compare to the above graphs for voltage and
current?

b. From the graph estimate the maximum power (P max) and average power (P avg)?

c. How do these values compare to your calculations in problem 2?

d. What is the period for the power waveform?

e. Determine the force the person exerts on the rod to keep it in motion.
Ph 203: General Physics III 9/29/2019
Chapter 23 Worksheet 4
AC Power Transmission:
1. You are a power company that must transmit 1000 W of power to a company in California.
Consider 2 possibilities, sending power at Vrms=120 V and Vrms = 12,000V In both cases you will
send the power along power lines with a total resistance of “only” 1  .
Possibility 1: Vrms=120 V
a. What is the Irms if you transmit 1000 W of power?

b. How much power will be lost in the power lines?

c. What % of power actually makes it to California? (i.e. what is the % efficiency of the power
transmission?)

d. What Irms would you need to guarantee that 100 W of power actually makes it to you
California customer?

Possibility 2: Vrms=12,000 V
e. What is the Irms if you transmit 1000 W of power?

f. How much power will be lost in the power lines?

g. What % of power actually makes it to California? (i.e. what is the % efficiency of the power
transmission?)

h. What Irms would you need to guarantee that 100 W of power actually makes it to you
California customer?

i. Which of the 2 possibilities is the most practical? Why?

Ph 203: General Physics III 9/29/2019
Chapter 23 Worksheet 5
Capacitive and Inductive Reactance:
1. You connect a capacitor to a wall power outlet.
a) What is the frequency of a standard US wall power outlet?

b) What is the reactance (Xc) of a 10 mF capacitor connected directly to a wall power outlet?

c) What is the reactance (Xc) of a 10 F capacitor connected directly to a wall power outlet?

d) What is the maximum current (Io) and root-mean square current (Irms) that will flow through a
10 mF capacitor connected directly to a wall outlet?

e) What is the maximum power (P o) and average power (Prms) that will be drawn from a 10 mF
capacitor connected directly to a wall outlet?

2. You connect an inductor directly to a wall power outlet.

a) What is the reactance (XL) of a 10 mH inductor connected directly to a wall power outlet?

c) What is the reactance (XL) of a 10 H inductor connected directly to a wall power outlet?

d) What is the maximum current (Io) and root-mean square current (Irms) that will flow through a
10 mH inductor connected to a wall outlet?

e) What is the maximum power (P o) and average power (Prms) that will be drawn from a 10 mH
inductor connected to a wall outlet?