The rules for combining resistors, capacitors and inductors in AC series-parallel circuits are similar to those established for combining resistors in DC circuits. Obviously, the first item is to determine the reactances of the capacitors and inductors. At that point, simple series and parallel combinations can be identified.
These two basic combinations, series and parallel, can also be used as part of more complex connections. Figure 8.3.1 8.3. 1 illustrates a series combination of three capacitors, arranged in a row within the circuit. As for any capacitor, the capacitance of the combination is related to both charge and voltage:
Tuning Circuits: Capacitors in series and parallel combinations are used to tune circuits to specific frequencies, as seen in radio receivers. Power Supply Smoothing: Capacitors in parallel are often used in power supplies to smooth out voltage fluctuations.
Parallel R-C circuit. Because the power source has the same frequency as the series example circuit, and the resistor and capacitor both have the same values of resistance and capacitance, respectively, they must also have the same values of impedance. So, we can begin our analysis table with the same “given” values:
The equivalent capacitor for a parallel connection has an effectively larger plate area and, thus, a larger capacitance, as illustrated in Figure 19.6.2 19.6. 2 (b). Total capacitance in parallel Cp = C1 +C2 +C3 + … C p = C 1 + C 2 + C 3 + … More complicated connections of capacitors can sometimes be combinations of series and parallel.
(b) For a parallel connection of resistors, the voltage is the same across each resistor. Resistors are said to be in series whenever the current flows through the resistors sequentially. Consider Figure 10.3.2, which shows three resistors in series with an applied voltage equal to Vab.
Introduction. In this final section we examine the frequency response of circuits containing resistors and capacitors in parallel combinations. As with the previous section we can use the DC analysis of resistor parallel circuits as a starting …