A.

C CIRCUITS

PHASOR REPRESENTATION

THEORY

PHASOR REPRESENTATIONS OF ALTERNATING QUANTITY

The alternating quantities are represented by phasors. A phasor
is a line of definite length rotating in an anticlockwise direction at a
constant angular velocity. The length of a phasor is equal to the
maximum value of the alternating quantity and the angular velocity
is equal to the angular velocity of alternating quantity.
As shown in Fig. 3.18(a), consider a phasor OP = Im, where Imis
the maximum value of the alternating current. Let this phasor
rotate in an anticlockwise direction at a uniform angular velocity of

rad/second. The projection of the phasor OP on the Y-axis at

any instant gives the instantaneous value of that alternating
current.

OM = OP sin t
= Im sin t = i

A.C CIRCUITS

PHASOR REPRESENTATION

THEORY

Thus, if we plot the projections of the phasor on the Y-axis

versus its angular position point by point, a sinusoidal altermating
current waveform is obtained.
Phasor diagram using rms values : A sinusoidal alternating
current and voltages can be represented by phasors. The
electrical measuring instruments like ammeter and voltmeter are
calibrated to read the rms value of ac quantities. Hence, instead of
using maximum value, it is more convenient to draw phasor
diagrams using rms values of alternating quantities. However, such
a phasor diagram will not generate a sine wave of proper amplitude
unless the length of the phasor is multiplied by 2 .

MATHEMATICAL REPRESENTATION OF PHASORS

A phasor can be represented in four forms.
(i) Rectangular form
= X jY
Magnitude of phasor,

V=

Phase Angle = tan-1

2 + 2

ii)

Trigonometric form = V (cos j sin )

iii)

Exponential form

= Ve j

A.C CIRCUITS

iv)

PHASOR REPRESENTATION

THEORY

= V

Polar form

Significance of operator 'j'

The operator 'j' is used in rectangular form. It is used to
indicate anticlockwise rotation. It is used to undicate an
mathematical expression.
j=

whenever a phasor is multiplied by j, the phasor is rotated

once in anticlockwise direction. The power of j represents the
number of times the phasor should be rotated through 90 Deg.
in anticlockwise direction.