Read · 1 min

Suppose we have a capacitor with capacitance CC and an inductor with inductance LL connected on both ends. This is called an LC circuit. Let QQ denote the charge on the capacitor, and let I=dQdtI=\frac{dQ}{dt} denote the current. Suppose that, at time t=0t=0, the capacitor has a charge Q0Q_0, meaning that Q=Q0Q=Q_0 at t=0t=0. At time t=0t=0, the switch is moved from open to closed.

To analyze the RC circuit mathematically, we use Faraday's Law, which states that, over a closed loop XX: ∫XE⃗⋅dl⃗=−dϕdt\int_{X} \vec{E}\cdot\vec{dl}=-\frac{d\phi}{dt} From the above, we get the following: QC=−LdIdt\frac{Q}{C}=-L\frac{dI}{dt} d2Qdt2=−QLC\frac{d^2Q}{dt^2}=-\frac{Q}{LC} Note that this is of the form: d2Qdt2=−ω2Q\frac{d^2Q}{dt^2}=-\omega^2 Q where ω=1LC\omega=\frac{1}{\sqrt{LC}}. This means that QQ follows a simple harmonic oscillation!

The general solution to this differential equation is of the form: Q=Qmaxcos⁡(ωt+ϕ)Q=Q_{max}\cos(\omega t+\phi) where QmaxQ_{max} is the maximum charge of the capacitor and ϕ\phi is the phase angle. From this, we can easily compute the current: I=dQdt=−Qmaxωsin⁡(ωt+ϕ)I=\frac{dQ}{dt}=-Q_{max}\omega\sin(\omega t+\phi)

In this particular case, we know that Q=Q0Q=Q_0 at time t=0t=0, and since the inductor will fight the change in current, we know that I=0I=0 when the switch is closed, which is also t=0t=0. Therefore, we get the following: Qmaxcos⁡ϕ=Q0Q_{max}\cos\phi=Q_0 Qmaxωsin⁡ϕ=0Q_{max}\omega\sin\phi=0 Therefore, ϕ=0\phi=0 and Qmax=Q0Q_{max}=Q_0, so the solution in our specific case is: Q=Q0cos⁡tLCQ=Q_0\cos\frac{t}{\sqrt{LC}} The period and frequency of this oscillation are, respectively: T=2πLCT=2\pi\sqrt{LC} f=12πLCf=\frac{1}{2\pi\sqrt{LC}}

Type a concept, like “slope” or “photosynthesis”.

↑ ↓ to choose · Enter to openSearch explanations and problems