Introduction to Electric Circuits, 9th Edition

CHAPTER 8

The Complete Response of RL and RC Circuits

IN THIS CHAPTER

8.1 Introduction

8.2 First-Order Circuits

8.3 The Response of a First-Order Circuit to a Constant Input

8.4 Sequential Switching

8.5 Stability of First-Order Circuits

8.6 The Unit Step Source

8.7 The Response of a First-Order Circuit to Nonconstant Source

8.8 Differential Operators

8.9 Using PSpice to Analyze First-Order Circuits

8.10 How Can We Check … ?

8.11 DESIGN EXAMPLE—A Computer and Printer

8.12 Summary

Problems

PSpice Problems

Design Problems

8.1 Introduction

In this chapter, we consider the response of RL and RC circuits to abrupt changes. The abrupt change might be a change to the circuit, as when a switch opens or closes. Alternately, the abrupt change might be a change to the input to the circuit, as when the voltage of a voltage source is a discontinuous function of time.

RL and RC circuits are called first-order circuits. In this chapter, we will do the following:

• Develop vocabulary that will help us talk about the response of a first-order circuit.
• Analyze first-order circuits with inputs that are constant after some particular time, t₀.
• Introduce the notion of a stable circuit and use it to identify stable first-order circuits.
• Analyze first-order circuits that experience more than one abrupt change.
• Introduce the step function and use it to determine the step response of a first-order circuit. ...