Why are Vc and Vl larger than Source current at resonance in an RLC circuit?

In summary, the circuit is designed to oscillate at a certain frequency and as the frequency is increased, the voltage across the resistor and capacitor (VL and Vc) becomes higher than the source voltage (Vi). At resonance, the voltages are equal and out of phase.
  • #1
Woopy
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I'm looking at this question and I can't seem to come up with an answer, don't the VL (inductive voltage) and Vc (capacitor voltage) just cancel each other out leaving you with Vr (resistance voltage) as the source voltage, but I don't see why VL and Vc are much higher than the source voltage

Sorry title meant source VOLTAGE, not current
 
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  • #2
I don't get it...what does the circuit looks like? any initial conditions?
 
  • #3
We had a 22 ohm resistor, 0.1 uC capacitor and 30 mH inductor in series, and as we increased the frequency up to the theoretical resonance, we found VL p-p and Vc p-p to be much higher values than Vi, which was the source voltage. This was using an oscilloscope
 
  • #4
At resonance Vl and Vc are equal and 180degrees out of phase. You could say that they cancel out.
This means that the supply voltage is across R (22ohms) use this to calculate the CURRENT
The voltage across L and C is then given by current x Reactance of L (or C).
You calculate reactance from the value of L and C and the resonant frequency.
It can be a great surprise ! The voltage across L or C can be many times greater than the supply voltage (They 'cancel out... but individually they are still there)... you can get a shock when you don't expect it.
I hope this helps, later I will do some calculations using your numbers and get back to you.
 
  • #5
Is V_resistance allowed to be higher than the source voltage as well?
 
  • #6
No. The voltage across the resistance has its MAX value at resonance. This means that the current will be a maximum and this is what is meant by RESONANCE.
The maximum voltage across the resistance will be the supply/source voltage.
Have you met 'vector diagrams' showing Vl, Vc and Vr ? These are a great help to show how these voltages vary with frequency and how they combine.
If you need any more details I would try to put something together and attach a Word document.
 

Related to Why are Vc and Vl larger than Source current at resonance in an RLC circuit?

1. Why is Vc larger than Source current at resonance in an RLC circuit?

At resonance, the reactive components (inductance and capacitance) in an RLC circuit cancel out, leaving only the resistance. This causes the voltage across the capacitor (Vc) to be equal to the source voltage, while the current through the circuit is limited by the resistance, resulting in a lower current than the source current.

2. How does the frequency affect Vc and Vl in an RLC circuit at resonance?

At resonance, the frequency is at the point where the reactance of the inductor and capacitor are equal and opposite, resulting in their cancellation. This means that Vc and Vl will both have the same magnitude, but will be out of phase with each other by 180 degrees.

3. Why is Vl larger than Source current at resonance in an RLC circuit?

Similar to Vc, at resonance the reactance of the inductor and capacitor cancel out, leaving only the resistance in the circuit. This causes the voltage across the inductor (Vl) to also be equal to the source voltage, resulting in a higher voltage than the source current.

4. How does the resistance affect Vc and Vl in an RLC circuit at resonance?

The resistance in an RLC circuit at resonance is responsible for limiting the current in the circuit. This means that the voltage across the inductor and capacitor will be equal to the source voltage, but the current through the circuit will be limited by the resistance, resulting in a lower current than the source current.

5. Can Vc and Vl ever be larger than the source voltage in an RLC circuit at resonance?

No, at resonance, the voltage across the inductor and capacitor will always be equal to the source voltage, never larger. This is because the reactance of the inductor and capacitor cancel out, leaving only the resistance in the circuit. However, the voltage across the inductor and capacitor can be larger than the source current, as they are in parallel with the resistance.

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