Chapter 15
AC Fundamentals

Alternating Current
Voltages of ac sources alternate in polarity and vary in magnitude
Voltages produce currents that vary in magnitude and alternate in direction

Alternating Current
A sinusoidal ac waveform starts at zero
Increases to a positive maximum
Decreases to zero
Changes polarity
Increases to a negative maximum
Returns to zero
Variation is called a cycle

Generating AC Voltages

Generating AC Voltages

AC Voltage-Current Conventions
Assign a reference polarity for source
When voltage has a positive value
Its polarity is same as reference polarity
When voltage is negative
Its polarity is opposite that of the reference polarity

AC Voltage-Current Conventions
Assign a reference direction for current that leaves source at positive reference polarity
When current has a positive value
Its actual direction is same as current reference arrow

AC Voltage-Current Conventions
When current is negative
Its actual direction is opposite that of current reference arrow

Frequency
Number of cycles per second of a waveform
Frequency
Denoted by f
Unit of frequency is hertz (Hz)
1 Hz = 1 cycle per second

Period
Period of a waveform
Time it takes to complete one cycle
Time is measured in seconds
The period is the reciprocal of frequency
T = 1/f

Amplitude and Peak-to-Peak Value
Amplitude of a sine wave
Distance from its average to its peak
We use Em  for amplitude
Peak-to-peak voltage
Measured between minimum and maximum peaks
We use Epp or Vpp

Peak Value
Peak value of an ac voltage or current
Maximum value with respect to zero
If a sine wave is superimposed on a dc value
Peak value of combined wave is sum of dc voltage and peak value of ac waveform amplitude

The Basic Sine Wave Equation
Voltage produced by a generator is
e = Em sin a
Em is maximum (peak) voltage
a is instantaneous angular position of rotating coil of the generator

The Basic Sine Wave Equation
Voltage at angular position of sine wave generator
May be found by multiplying Em times the sine of angle at that position

Angular Velocity
Rate at which the generator coil rotates with respect to time, w (Greek letter omega)

Angular Velocity
Units for w are revolutions/second, degrees/sec, or radians/sec.

Radian Measure
w is usually expressed in radians/second
2p radians = 360°
To convert from degrees to radians, multiply by p/180

Radian Measure
To convert from radians to degrees, multiply by 180/p
When using a calculator
Be sure it is set to radian mode when working with angles measured in radians

Relationship between w,T, and f
One cycle of a sine wave may be represented by a = 2p rads or t = T sec

Voltages and Currents as Functions of Time
Since  a = wt, the equation e = Em sin a becomes e(t) = Em sin wt
Also, v(t) = Vm sin wt  and  i(t) = Im sin wt

Voltages and Currents as Functions of Time
Equations used to compute voltages and currents at any instant of time
Referred to as instantaneous voltage or current

Voltages and Currents with Phase Shifts
If a sine wave does not pass through zero at t = 0, it has a phase shift
For a waveform shifted left
v = Vm sin(wt + q)
For a waveform shifted right
v = Vm sin(wt - q)

Phasors
Rotating vectors whose projection onto a vertical or horizontal axis can be used to represent sinusoidally varying quantities

Phasors
A sinusoidal waveform
Produced by plotting vertical projection of a phasor that rotates in the counterclockwise direction at a constant angular velocity w

Phasors
Phasors apply only to sinusoidally varying waveforms

Shifted Sine Waves
Phasors used to represent shifted waveforms
Angle q is position of phasor at t = 0 seconds

Phase Difference
Phase difference is angular displacement between waveforms of same frequency
If angular displacement is 0°
Waveforms are in phase

Phase Difference
If angular displacement is not 0o, they are out of phase by amount of displacement

Phase Difference
If v1 = 5 sin(100t) and v2 = 3 sin(100t - 30°), v1 leads v2 by 30°
May be determined by drawing two waves as phasors
Look to see which one is ahead of the other as they rotate in a counterclockwise direction

Average Value
To find an average value of a waveform
Divide area under waveform by length of its base
Areas above axis are positive, areas below axis are negative

Average Value
Average values also called dc values
dc meters indicate average values rather than instantaneous values

Sine Wave Averages
Average value of a sine wave over a complete cycle is zero
Average over a half cycle is not zero

Sine Wave Averages
Rectified full-wave average is 0.637 times the maximum value
Rectified half-wave average is 0.318 times the maximum value

Effective Values
Effective value or RMS value of an ac waveform is an equivalent dc value
It tells how many volts or amps of dc that an ac waveform supplies in terms of its ability to produce the same average power

Effective Values
In North America, house voltage is 120 Vac.
Voltage is capable of producing the same average power as a 120 V battery

Effective Values
To determine effective power
Set Power(dc) = Power(ac)
Pdc = pac
I2R = i2R  where i = Im sin wt
By applying a trigonometric identity
Able to solve for I in terms of Im

Effective Values
Ieff = .707Im
Veff = .707Vm
Effective value is also known as the RMS value