Series RC, RL, and RLC Circuits

Parallel RC, RL, and RLC Circuits

by Prof. Townsend
MTH 352 Fall 2005

If you want a good description of the analysis of these circuits, go to the Wikipedia web site, for
example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RL_circuit.
Analyses for series RC, parallel RL, and series RLC circuits were taken from class notes for
Berkeleys EE 40, Introduction to Microelectronic Circuits. The lecture notes for this course are
very well written. http://laser.eecs.berkeley.edu/ee40/lectures/cch-Lec09-021505-2-6p.pdf.

General Information
i=

dQ
dt

vR = RiR

Q 1 t
=
iC ( ) d
C C
di
vL = L L
dt
vC =

Time Constants
L
RL =
R

(1a)

(2a)

(3a)
(4a)

(5a)

Q = i ( ) d
t

1
vR
R
dv
iC = C C
dt
1 t
iL = vL ( ) d
L

(3b)

RC = RC

(5b)

iR =

02 =

Natural frequency

(1b)

1
LC

(2b)

(4b)

(6)

Kirchhoffs voltage law (KVL): the net voltage (potential) change around a circuit is 0. You
end up where you started.
Kirchhoffs current law (KCL): the total current into a node = the total current leaving the node.
The electrons have to go somewhere.

R, L, C Circuits

Prof. Townsend

Page 1 of 6

First Order Series RC circuit

R
C

+
-

KVL:

Write in terms of vC :
From equation (2a)
There is only one current in the loop so

vR + vC = vs

(7)

vR = RiR
iR = iC = i

(8)
(9)

dv
vR = RiC = R C C
dt
dv
RC C + vC = vs
dt
dv
RC C + vC = vs
dt

From equation (3b)

Plug into equation (7)
Rewrite using equation (5a)

(10)
(11a)
(11b)

First Order Series RL circuit

+
-

KVL:

Write in terms of vC :
From equation (2a)
From equation (4a)
There is only one current in the loop so
Plug into equation (12)
Divide by L
Rewrite using equation (5a)

R, L, C Circuits

Prof. Townsend

v R + v L = vs

(12)

vR = RiR
di
vL = L L
dt
iR = iL = i
di
L + Ri = vs
dt
di R
1
+ i = vs
dt L
L
di 1
1
i = vs
+
dt RL
L

(13)
(14)
(15)
(16)
(17a)
(17b)

Page 2 of 6

First Order Parallel RC circuit

s

C
C

KCL:

Write in terms of v :
There is only one voltage drop so
From equation (2b)
From equation (3b)
Plug into equation (18)
Divide by C
Rewrite using equation (5b)

iC + iR = is

(18)

vR = vC = v
1
iR = v
R
dv
iC = C
dt
dv 1
C + v = is
dt R
dv 1
1
+
v = is
dt RC
C
dv 1
1
v = is
+
dt RC
C

(19)
(20)
(21)
(22)
(23a)
(23b)

First Order Parallel RL circuit

s
s

L
R

iL + iR = is

KCL:

(24)

Write in terms of iL :
1
vR .
R
vR = vL = v

iR =

From equation (2b)

There is only one voltage drop so

iR =

From equation (4a)

Plug into equation (24)
Rewrite using equation (5a)

R, L, C Circuits

Prof. Townsend

1
1 di
vL = L L
R
R dt
L diL
iL +
= is
R dt
di
iL + RL L = is
dt

(25)
(26)
(27)
(28a)
(28b)

Page 3 of 6

Second Order Series RLC circuit

R
C

+
L

vL + vR + vC = vs

KVL:

Write in terms of the loop current i , (equations (2a). (3a), (4a)).

di
1 t
vL = L
vR = Ri
vC = i ( ) d
dt
C
Plug into (29)

(29)

(30)

vL + vR + vC = vs :
di
1 t
L + Ri + i ( ) d = vs
dt
C

(31)

The integral is a problem so take the time derivative of every term in (31)
dv
d 2i
di 1
L 2 +R + i= s
dt
dt C
dt

(32)

Divide by L
1
1 dvs
d 2i R di
i=
+
+
2
dt
L dt LC
L dt
Rewrite using equations (5a) and (6)
1 dvs
d 2i 1 di
+
+ 02i =
2
dt RL dt
L dt

R, L, C Circuits

Prof. Townsend

(33a)

(33b)

Page 4 of 6

Second Order Parallel RLC circuit

s
s

KCL:

LC
R

L
L

iLC + iR = is and iL + iC = iLC

C
C

Combine to give

iL + iR + iC = is

(34)

Write in terms of v , the voltage across all components (equations (2b). (3b), (4b)).
dv
1 t
1
iC = C C
iL = vL ( ) d
iR = vR

dt
L
R
(35)
Plug into (34)

iL + iR + iC = is :
dv
1 t
1
vL ( ) d + vR + C C = is

L
R
dt

(36)

The integral is a problem so take the time derivative of every term in (36). Reorder.
di
d 2 v 1 dv 1
C 2 +
+ v= s
dt
R dt L
dt
(37)
Divide by C
1 dis
d 2 v 1 dv 1
v=
+
+
2
dt
RC dt LC
C dt
Rewrite using equations (5b) and (6)
1 dis
d 2 v 1 dv
+
+ 02 v =
2
RC dt
dt
C dt

R, L, C Circuits

Prof. Townsend

(38a)

(38b)

Page 5 of 6

Summary
Circuit

Differential Equation Form

First Order Series RC circuit

dvC
1
1
vC =
v
+
dt RC
RC s
di 1
1
i = vs
+
dt RL
L
dv 1
1
v = is
+
dt RC
C
diL
1
1
iL =
i
+
dt RL
RL s

First Order Series RL circuit

First Order Parallel RC circuit
First Order Parallel RL circuit

(11b)
(17b)
(23b)
(28b)

dx 1
+ x = f (t )
dt

First Order General Form

Second Order Series RLC circuit

1 dvs
d 2i 1 di
+
+ 02i =
2
dt RL dt
L dt

(33b)

Second Order Parallel RLC circuit

1 dis
d 2 v 1 dv
+
+ 02 v =
2
RC dt
dt
C dt

(38b)

d 2 x 1 dx
+
+ 02 x = f ( t )
2
dt
dt

Second Order General Form

Time Constants

RL =

L
R

RC = RC

Natural frequency

R, L, C Circuits

02 =

Prof. Townsend

1
LC

(5a)
(5b)
(6)

Page 6 of 6