Fundamentals of

Electrical Engineering
Circuits with Capacitors and Inductors

Solving circuits for sinusoidal sources

Using Impedances

circuit consists of sources and any number of

The
resistors, capacitors and inductors
the sources are complex exponentials having
Pretend
a frequency f

Consider each element an impedance

element
R
C
L

impedance
R
1
j2 f C
j2 f L

voltage divider, current divider, series/parallel

Use
rules to relate output variables complex amplitude to
the complex amplitude of the source

Sinusoidal Sources
ZR

vin

+
vout

j2 f t

Vout e

Vin

1
j2
=
Vin e
j2 f RC + 1

1
j2
Ae
vin (t) = A cos 2 f0 t =
2

vin (t) = Ae
vin (t) = Ae

j2 f0 t

j2 f0 t

f0 t

+ Ae

+
ZC Vout

ft

j2 f0 t

1
vout (t) =
Aej2
j2 f0 RC + 1
1
vout (t) =
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1

f0 t
j2 f0 t

Sinusoidal Sources
ZR

vin

R
C

+
vout

Vin

vin = Vin ej2 f t

1
j2 f0 t
=
Ae
+ Ae
vin (t) = A cos 2 f0 t
2

+
ZC Vout

j2 f0 t

Since the circuit elements and KVL/KCL are linear,

superposition applies
1
vout (t) =
2

1
j2
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1

f0 t

1
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1

j2 f0 t

Sinusoidal Sources

Note that1
vin (t) =

1
vout (t) =
2

j2 f0 t

Ae

+ Ae

j2 f0 t

vin (t) = Re[Ae

1
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1

1
j2
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1

f0 t

j2 f0 t

1
j2
vout (t) = Re
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1
1
j tan 1 2
vout (t) = Re
e
4 2 f02 R2 C 2 + 1

= Re
=

A
4

A
4

2 f 2 R2 C 2
0

+1

+1

f0 RC

cos(2 f0 t

j2 f0 t

f0 t

j(2 f0 t tan

2 f 2 R2 C 2
0

tan

j2 f0 t

Ae

2 f0 RC)

2 f0 RC)

Output for a Sinusoidal Source

vin (t) = A cos(2 f0 t) = Re[Ae
1
Vout =
Vin
j2 f0 RC + 1

j2 f0 t

vin

+
vout

1
j2
vout (t) = Re
Ae
j2 f0 RC + 1

vout (t) =

A
4

2 f 2 R2 C 2
0

+1

cos(2 f0 t

tan

f0 t

2 f0 RC)

Sinusoidal Sources
In general, vin (t) = A cos(2 f0 t + ) = Re[Ae e
j

j2 f0 t

Vin

Using impedances, find that Vout = H(f0 ) Vin

Vout
The transfer function H(f0 ) =
captures the amplitude
Vin

change and phase shift that the circuit imposes

1
H(f0 ) =
=
j2 f0 RC + 1

vout (t) = Re H(f0 )Vin ej2

1
4

2 f 2 R2 C 2
0

+1

j tan

f0 t

= |H(f0 )| |Vin | cos 2 f0 t +

+ H(f0 )

2 f0 RC

Sinusoidal Sources
Note that if

vin (t) = A sin(2 f0 t + ) = Im[Ae e

j

vout (t) = Im H(f0 )Vin ej2

j2 f0 t

f0 t

= |H(f0 )| |Vin | sin 2 f0 t +

+ H(f0 )

You can use either the real or imaginary part in your

calculations
cos 2 f t = sin 2 f t +
sin 2 f t = cos 2 f t

2
2

= Im ej 2 ej2
= Re e

ft

j 2 j2 f t

Using Impedances

circuit consists of sources and any number of

The
resistors, capacitors and inductors
the sources are complex exponentials having
Pretend
a frequency f
Consider each element an impedance
voltage divider, current divider, series/parallel
Use
rules to relate output variables complex amplitude to

the complex amplitude of the source (the transfer

function)
Express the source as the real (or imaginary) part of a
complex exponential
Output is the real (or imaginary) part of the transfer
function times the complex exponential representing
the source

An Example
+
vin

1
2

vout

vin (t) = 10 sin(t/2)

Whats the transfer function?

Whats the output for the given input voltage?

An Example
1/s

+
vin

1
2

vout

Vin

s = j2 f

4s Vout

An Example
1/s

+
vin

1
2

vout

Vin

+
2

4s Vout

= jt/2
j2 f
vin (t) = 10 sin(t/2) = Im s10e

4s2
16 2 f 2
H(s) = 2
or H(f ) =
4s + 2s + 1
16 2 f 2 + j4 f + 1
1
1
1
1
2 f=
= f=
=
H
=
j
2
4
4
1+j+1

vout (t) = Im[10je

jt/2

] = Im 10e

j(t/2+ 2 )

= 10 sin t/2 +
= 10 cos(t/2)

What Not to Do
+
vin

jt/2
=
Im
10e
vin (t) = 10 sin(t/2)

1
2

vout

H(f ) =

vout (t) = Im H
vout (t) = H

1
4

vout (t) = Im H

1
4

10e

jt/2

10 sin(t/2)
1
4

10 sin(t/2)

16 2 f 2
16 2 f 2 + j4 f + 1