POWER AND

RESONANCE
IN AC
CIRCUITS
BY: GROUP 7
 INTRODUCTION TO AC CIRCUITS
 An alternating current (AC) circuit: is an electrical circuit where
the current and voltage periodically change direction and magnitude.
 It is represented as a sinusoidal wave because the voltage or
current varies sinusoidally with time
 AC is commonly used in homes, industries, and electrical grids
because it is more efficient for transmitting power over long
distances.
 The main characteristics of AC include:
 Amplitude (Peak Value): The maximum value of the voltage or current.
 Frequency (f): The number of cycles the current completes per second,
measured in Hertz (Hz).
 Period (T): The time taken for one complete cycle of the waveform, T =
 RMS (Root Mean Square): The effective value of AC voltage or current,

sinusoidal waveform, Vrms = ×

which is equivalent to a DC value that would produce the same power. For a
 Components in an AC
Circuit
 Resistor (R): A resistor opposes the flow of current, and
the current through it is in phase with the voltage.
 Inductor (L): An inductor resists changes in current.
Inductor causes current to lag the voltage by 90°. (i.e.,
the voltage reaches its peak before the current does).
 Capacitor (C): A capacitor resists changes in voltage. It
causes current to lead the voltage by 90°. (i.e., the
current reaches its peak before the voltage does).
 Impedance (Z): The total opposition to current in an AC
circuit, which combines resistance, inductive reactance,
and capacitive reactance. It is measured in ohms (Ω).
 Power in AC Circuits
 Electrical power is the rate at which energy is consumed
inside a circuit.
 Unlike DC circuits where power is steady, in AC circuits,
power fluctuates because voltage and current vary
sinusoidally with time.
 Furthermore, with the introduction of capacitors and inductances,
many other effects come into play which alters the power calculation
in these circuits from the usual ways of calculating power with DC
sources
 The power in AC circuits involves three main components:
 Active Power (Real Power)
 Reactive power
 Apparent power
Active Power, P
 Active or real power refers to the quantity of power
that is consumed by a circuit to perform work.
 It is the only power that contributes to the net
energy transfer.
 In power systems, it is calculated in watts but is
more commonly expressed in (kilowatts) and
(megawatts).
 Formula:
 Where
 = Phase angle between voltage and current
 Reactive Power, Q
 Reactive power is the power exchanged between the source
and reactive components (inductors and capacitors).
 Formula:
 Where
 = Phase angle between voltage and current
 This is a power, but it is not calculated in watts because it is a
non-active power, so it is calculated in Volt-Amperes-Reactive
(VAR).
 Inductive loads (like motors and coils) absorb reactive
power, which is considered positive reactive power.
 In contrast, capacitive loads (like capacitors) supply reactive
power, which is considered negative reactive power
 Apparent Power, S
 Apparent power is the total power supplied to the circuit,
combining active and reactive power.
 Formula: or Irms
 Where
 P = Active/Real Power
 Q = Reactive Power
 The apparent power is helpful in determining the rating of
power equipment.
 It is calculated in volt-amperes, with (kilovolt-amperes) and
(megavolt-amperes) as practical units.
Power Triangle
 The relationship between real power (P), reactive
power (Q), and apparent power (S) can be
represented using a power triangle
 Power Factor
 The ratio of active (real) power to apparent power

 Power factor is critical because it dictates the quantity of currents

flowing through the circuit and, as a result, the wire size that must be
used.
 Range of power factor:
 PF = 1: Ideal case (purely resistive circuit) — voltage and current are
perfectly in phase, meaning they reach their peaks at the same time.
Power is used efficiently.
 PF = 0: Fully reactive circuit (purely inductive or capacitive) — voltage and
current are 90° out of phase, and no real power is delivered
 0 < PF < 1: Practical case (most circuits) — voltage and current are
partially out of phase due to reactive components, reducing efficiency
 Power factor can be positive or negative depending on the type of
load:
 Positive PF: Inductive loads (current lags behind voltage)
Power in Different AC
Circuits
Power in Resistive Circuit
 A resistive circuit only contains resistances
 Power calculation becomes fairly simple because there is no
phase difference between the current and the voltage vectors.
Hence, = 0
 The Power formula becomes
P = VIcos(θ)
P = VIcos(0)
P = VI

 Power dissipation is at the maximum, and is completely real

(active power), with negligible or zero reactive power
Power in Purely Inductive
or Capacitive Circuit
 In this case, the circuit contains only a capacitor or
inductor.
 The voltage and current are 90° out of phase, so =
90
 P = the value of this angle in the equation for
Plugging
VIcos(90)
power:

P = VI(0)
P=0

 As a result, power dissipation is minimum

 No real power is consumed, Only reactive power
 Resonance in AC Circuits
 Resonance occurs in an AC circuit when the inductive
reactance (XL) equals the capacitive reactance (XC),
and cancel each out. This leads to the circuit being
purely resistive at a particular frequency called the
resonant frequency.
 The net reactance becomes zero, leading to an
increase in current flow and voltage amplitude
 Energy is also transferred back and forth between the
inductor and capacitor without significant loss
 Types of Resonance
 Series Resonance: Occurs in RLC (resistor, inductor, capacitor)
circuit connected in series
 Parallel Resonance: Occurs in RLC circuit connected in parallel.
Key Components in
Resonance
 Inductive Reactance (XL): Inductive Reactance is the
opposition that an inductor presents to an alternating current. It
is represented by (XL) and measured in ohms (Ω). The inductive
reactance formula is given as follows: XL = 2πfL
 Capacitive Reactance (XC): The measure of the opposition to
alternating current by the capacitor is called Capacitive
Reactance. Its standard unit of measurement ohms (Ω). It is
represented by the symbol Xc. The capacitive reactance formula
is given as follows: XC = 1/2πfC
Key Effects of Resonance
in AC Circuits
 Maximum Current: The circuit draws maximum current from
the source.

 Minimum Impedance: The impedance of the circuit is at its

minimum.

 Unity Power Factor: The power factor is unity (cos() = 1),

meaning all the power is used effectively.
 Resonant Frequency
 The frequency at which the inductive and capacitive
reactances are equal in magnitude but opposite in
phase resulting in cancellation
 It is determined by the circuit’s inductance and
capacitance (C)
 Formula:
 Where
 f0 = Resonant frequency
 L = Inductance
 C = Capacitance
Applications of Resonance

 Filters: To filter out unwanted frequencies in audio and

communication systems.
 Tuning Circuits: To select specific frequencies in radio and TV
circuits.
 Wireless Power Transmission: Efficient energy transfer in
wireless chargers.
 Power Grids: Power factor correction to improve efficiency
and reduce energy waste.
 Electronics & Computers: Efficient system design by
understanding real and reactive power to avoid overheating
and energy loss.
 Amplification: Resonance circuits provide strong amplification
to signals resulting in increased signal power. It is used in the
applications communication systems.
 Group 7 Members

1. REGINARD ELORM TSINOWPE - 1685990773

2. SESHIE HERBERT KOJO - 1703854394
3. ALFRED ODURO COBBINAH – 1705313789
4. PRINCE EDEM KOBLA KUTORTSE – 1693553217
5. TSIKUDO PRINCE - 1703243629
6. DERRICK QUARTEY KWARTEBOYE – 1688913482
7. RAPHAEL NOI - 1703156394
8. BENJAMIN ABANKWAH – 1706056628
9. ERIC DONKOH - 1690544792