In an LCR circuit (which consists of an inductor, capacitor, and resistor connected in series), the impedance \( Z \) is a measure of how much the circuit resists the flow of alternating current (AC). Impedance combines the effects of resistance, inductive reactance, and capacitive reactance.
Here's the formula for the impedance \( Z \) in a series LCR circuit:
\[ Z = \sqrt{R^2 + (X_L - X_C)^2} \]
where:
- \( R \) is the resistance in ohms (Ω),
- \( X_L \) is the inductive reactance,
- \( X_C \) is the capacitive reactance.
Let’s break this down:
1. **Inductive Reactance (\( X_L \))**: This is the opposition that an inductor offers to AC, and it is given by:
\[ X_L = \omega L \]
where:
- \( \omega \) is the angular frequency of the AC source, \( \omega = 2 \pi f \) (with \( f \) being the frequency in hertz),
- \( L \) is the inductance of the inductor in henries (H).
2. **Capacitive Reactance (\( X_C \))**: This is the opposition that a capacitor offers to AC, and it is given by:
\[ X_C = \frac{1}{\omega C} \]
where:
- \( C \) is the capacitance of the capacitor in farads (F).
In the formula for impedance:
- \( R \) represents the resistor’s resistance, which does not change with frequency.
- \( X_L - X_C \) is the net reactance of the circuit, combining the effects of the inductor and capacitor.
When \( X_L > X_C \), the circuit behaves more like an inductor, and when \( X_C > X_L \), it behaves more like a capacitor. The impedance \( Z \) is the resultant opposition to current in the circuit, combining both resistive and reactive components.
Thus, the total impedance \( Z \) can be thought of as the hypotenuse of a right triangle where one leg is the resistance \( R \) and the other leg is the net reactance \( (X_L - X_C) \).