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What is step response of RL series circuit?

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Best answer
The step response of an RL series circuit is the response of the circuit when a step voltage (a sudden change from zero to a constant voltage) is applied to it. Here’s how to analyze it:

1. **Circuit Components**: An RL series circuit consists of a resistor (R) and an inductor (L) connected in series with a voltage source (V).

2. **Differential Equation**: When the step voltage is applied, the voltage across the inductor (L) and resistor (R) can be described by the equation:
   \[
   V = L \frac{di(t)}{dt} + Ri(t)
   \]
   where \(i(t)\) is the current through the circuit.

3. **Initial Conditions**: At \(t=0\), when the step is applied, the current \(i(0) = 0\) since the inductor opposes any sudden change in current.

4. **Solving the Equation**: The equation can be rearranged and solved to find the current as a function of time:
   \[
   \frac{di(t)}{dt} + \frac{R}{L}i(t) = \frac{V}{L}
   \]

5. **Time Constant**: The time constant \(\tau\) for the RL circuit is given by:
   \[
   \tau = \frac{L}{R}
   \]

6. **Current Response**: The solution to the differential equation yields the current as:
   \[
   i(t) = \frac{V}{R}(1 - e^{-\frac{R}{L}t}) \quad \text{for } t \geq 0
   \]
   This shows that the current rises exponentially from 0 to its steady-state value \( \frac{V}{R} \).

7. **Inductor Voltage**: The voltage across the inductor will initially be equal to the applied voltage and will decay to zero as the current reaches its steady-state value:
   \[
   V_L(t) = V e^{-\frac{R}{L}t}
   \]

8. **Steady-State Values**: Eventually, as \(t \to \infty\):
   - Current \(i(t) \to \frac{V}{R}\)
   - Voltage across the inductor \(V_L(t) \to 0\)

This response illustrates how the RL circuit reacts over time to a sudden application of voltage, showcasing both the transient and steady-state behavior.
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The step response of an RL series circuit is how the circuit reacts over time when a sudden change, such as a step input (like switching on a voltage source), is applied. Let's break this down to understand it in detail.

### 1. **RL Series Circuit Basics**

An RL series circuit consists of a resistor (R) and an inductor (L) connected in series. When a voltage is applied across the series combination, the behavior of the circuit depends on the resistor and inductor values.

### 2. **Step Input**

A step input refers to a sudden change in voltage. For instance, if the voltage across the circuit jumps from 0V to a certain value (say \( V_0 \)) at time \( t = 0 \), it’s called a step input. This kind of input is used to study how the circuit responds over time.

### 3. **Initial Conditions**

Before \( t = 0 \), let’s assume the circuit is at rest with no current flowing through it and no voltage applied. When the step input is applied at \( t = 0 \), the voltage source suddenly changes from 0V to \( V_0 \).

### 4. **Circuit Behavior**

#### **1. Current Through the Circuit:**

The current \( I(t) \) through an RL series circuit with a step input can be described by the following differential equation:

\[ V(t) = L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} + R I(t) \]

where:
- \( V(t) \) is the applied voltage (which is \( V_0 \) for \( t \geq 0 \)).
- \( L \) is the inductance.
- \( R \) is the resistance.
- \( I(t) \) is the current through the circuit.

For a step input \( V(t) = V_0 \), the differential equation becomes:

\[ V_0 = L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} + R I(t) \]

#### **2. Solution to the Differential Equation:**

To solve this, we can rewrite the equation as:

\[ \frac{dI(t)}{dt} + \frac{R}{L} I(t) = \frac{V_0}{L} \]

This is a first-order linear differential equation. The general solution involves finding the homogeneous solution (related to the circuit's natural response) and a particular solution (related to the forced response due to the step input).

**Homogeneous Solution:**
For \( t < 0 \), the circuit is at equilibrium, so the initial current \( I(0) \) is 0. For \( t \geq 0 \):

\[ I_h(t) = I_{0} e^{-\frac{R}{L} t} \]

where \( I_{0} \) is the initial current (which is zero for \( t = 0 \)).

**Particular Solution:**
Since the input is constant (\( V_0 \)):

\[ I_p(t) = \frac{V_0}{R} \]

**Complete Solution:**

Combining these, the total solution is:

\[ I(t) = \frac{V_0}{R} \left( 1 - e^{-\frac{R}{L} t} \right) \]

Here:
- \( \frac{V_0}{R} \) is the final steady-state current after a long time.
- \( e^{-\frac{R}{L} t} \) represents the transient response, which decays over time.

### 5. **Graphical Representation**

- **At \( t = 0 \):** The current starts from 0A because the inductor initially opposes any change in current.
- **As \( t \) increases:** The current rises exponentially and approaches \( \frac{V_0}{R} \) asymptotically.
- **After a long time:** The current stabilizes at \( \frac{V_0}{R} \), which is the steady-state value.

### 6. **Time Constant**

The rate at which the current approaches its final value is determined by the time constant \( \tau \), given by:

\[ \tau = \frac{L}{R} \]

The time constant indicates how quickly the circuit responds to changes. Specifically, after a time of \( \tau \), the current will have risen to approximately \( 63.2\% \) of its final steady-state value.

### Summary

In an RL series circuit, the step response shows an exponential rise in current from zero to its final steady-state value. This behavior is characterized by a time constant \( \tau \), which dictates how quickly the current reaches its steady-state value after the step input is applied.
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