NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

Lab 8: Charging and Discharging of RC circuits

Objective:
• To learn the use of Signal Generators and Oscilloscope.
• Investigate the behavior charging and discharging of RC circuits with changing Time
Period, T of the input Square wave.

Introduction:

Time varying signal: A signal whose values changes with time.

Peak Voltage = maximum voltage of a signal. It is often denoted by Vp
Time period: Time required to complete 1 cycle. It is denoted by T.
Frequency: No. of cycles completed in 1 second. It is denoted by f. Its unit is in Hz.

Relationship between T and f:

T= 1/f

A few examples of Time varying signals:

1. Sin wave
2. Square wave
3. Triangular wave

A typical square wave looks like below:

V
V0

0
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 t
T

V0 = maximum voltage (amplitude)

T = Time period of the signal

Signal generator is a device that allows you to generate a time varying signal that has a
particular frequency and amplitude (Vp). You can adjust your time period by adjusting your
frequency.
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

RC circuits

What is a Capacitor?

Capacitor is an electronic component that stores electric charge.

Capacitor construction: The capacitor is made of 2 close conductors (usually plates) that are
separated by a dielectric material, which is a poor conductor (or a insulator).

When the two plates are connected to power supply (one connected to positive polarity, other
connected to negative polarity) An electric field is generated across the dielectric (between the
plates) due to which one plate accumulates positive charge and the other plate accumulates
negative charge. There is no direct flow of current from one plate to other.

The capacitance is the amount of electric charge that is stored in the capacitor at voltage of 1
Volt. It is measured in units of Farad (F).

The capacitor is open circuit to direct current (DC) circuits and short circuit in alternating
current (AC) circuits.

𝜖𝜖 𝐴𝐴
𝐶𝐶 =
𝑑𝑑

𝑄𝑄 = 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶

Consider a series RC circuit with a time-varying input source (such as a square wave).
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

RC charging:

When the input is positive, the capacitor will charge up gradually through the resistor until the
voltage across the capacitor reaches that of the supply voltage.

The time also called the transient response, required for the capacitor to fully charge is
equivalent to about 5 time constants or 5T.

τ = R x C, in seconds, where R is the value of the resistor in ohms and C is the value of the
capacitor in Farads. This then forms the basis of an RC charging circuit were 5T can also be
thought of as “5 x RC”.

From the graph, understand what is 𝜏𝜏

Voltage, Vc across the capacitor varies with time according to the formula:

V(t) = Vo (1 – e–t/RC),
RC Discharging:

Now, when the input signal becomes negative, the capacitor would start discharging itself back
through the resistor.

For a RC discharging circuit, the voltage across the capacitor ( Vc ) as a function of time during
the discharge period is defined as:

V(t) = Voe–t/RC
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

Where:

• Vc is the voltage across the capacitor

• Vs is the supply voltage
• t is the elapsed time since the removal of the supply voltage
• RC is the time constant of the RC discharging circuit

How Does Time period, T of the input signal effects the charging-
discharging of capacitor?

When T=10RC
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

When T >> 5RC

T < 5RC
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

2 Methods to find 𝝉𝝉

Method 1:

• Move your graph vertically up so that it is completely above the x-axis.

• Calculate the voltage 0.63Vs (or 0.63Vc)
• Put on the “cursor” and set the horizontal line at the voltage calculated.
• Observe the point the cursor cuts the graph. Measure the corresponding time
Method 2:

An indirect method of finding the time constant, 𝜏𝜏 is by measuring the time required for the
voltage to fall to Vo /2. This time interval is called the half-life, T1/2 , and then calculate 𝜏𝜏 using
the formula below:
V
V0 10
τ= T1/2 /ln2

8
=T1/2 /(0.693)

6
1/2 V0
4

0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 18 20 t
T1/2

Technique to find T1/2 from oscilloscope:

• Change oscilloscope gain (volts/cm) and sweep rate (ms/cm) until you have a large pattern
on the screen. Make sure the sweep speed is in the “calibrated” position so the time can be
read off the x-axis.
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

• Set the ground properly so that the waveform extends equal distances above and below the
axis.
• Move the waveform to the right until the start of the discharge of the capacitor is on the
vertical axis (Figure 6b). You may find it helpful to expand, or magnify, the trace. The
sweep time is now a factor of five or ten faster than indicated on the dial.
•The half-life, T1/2 is the time where the discharging phase cuts the x-axis.

T1/2

Task 1: Using Signal Generator to generate Square Wave.

Generate a square wave with frequency 100Hz and a 5v peak. Observe the pattern in the
oscilloscope and vary the frequency until T=10ms.

What is the frequency value?

f = _________

Task 2: Construct an RC circuit such that R = 5k, C = 0.22uF. Input is a

10v(p-p) square wave.

Procedure:

1. Calculate the value of input frequency such that T = 10RC

2. Adjust the frequency of the input signal to that calculated in part 1. Connect the Channel
1 of oscilloscope to the input signal. Adjust the input peak to peak value to 10v.Now
connect channel 2 of oscilloscope with the capacitor.
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

3. Measure 𝜏𝜏 from the oscilloscope (Using any 1 of the methods explained above)

4. Measure the final output voltage of the capacitor, Vc

5. Measure the time the capacitor charges up to Vc.

6. Measure the time the capacitor starts to discharge

7. Measure the time the capacitor stops discharging

8. Calculate the input frequency such that T=30RC

9. Repeat steps 2-7.

10.Calculate the input frequency such that T= 3.5ms (T<5RC)

11.Repeat steps 2-7.

Report:

1. In separate graph papers, draw the charging-discharging phase for the RC circuit for 3
different values of T. The graphs should be drawn using values from Table-1.

2. Explain what is time constant, 𝜏𝜏.

3. Theoretically calculate 𝜏𝜏 and compare with the measured value of 𝜏𝜏.

4. Using the data table, explain in details the charging-discharging pattern for all the 3
cases.
 NORTH SOUTH UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL & COMPUTER ENGINEERING

EEE41L/ETE141L

Data Collection for Lab 8

Group: ________ Instructor’s Signature: ___________

Data Table:

Measurement T=10RC T=30RC T=3.5ms

Frequency of input signal

Time constant, 𝜏𝜏

Final Output Vc

Measure the time the capacitor

charges up to Vc

Time the capacitor starts to discharge

Time the capacitor stops discharging