In a series LC circuit, which consists of an inductor (L) and a capacitor (C) connected in series, the behavior of the current is influenced by the reactive properties of both components. The formula for the current \( I(t) \) in the circuit depends on the applied voltage and the initial conditions.
Hereβs a step-by-step explanation of how to derive the formula for the current in a series LC circuit:
### 1. **Circuit Basics**
- **Inductor (L):** Has an inductive reactance \( X_L = \omega L \), where \( \omega = 2\pi f \) is the angular frequency of the AC source.
- **Capacitor (C):** Has a capacitive reactance \( X_C = \frac{1}{\omega C} \).
### 2. **Differential Equation**
In a series LC circuit, the voltage across the inductor \( V_L \) and the capacitor \( V_C \) must sum up to the total applied voltage \( V(t) \):
\[ V(t) = V_L + V_C \]
The voltage across each component can be expressed using their respective reactances:
- Voltage across the inductor: \( V_L = L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} \)
- Voltage across the capacitor: \( V_C = \frac{1}{C} \int I(t) \, dt \)
Combining these, we get:
\[ V(t) = L \frac{dI(t)}{dt} + \frac{1}{C} \int I(t) \, dt \]
To find the current \( I(t) \), we take the derivative of both sides with respect to time \( t \):
\[ \frac{dV(t)}{dt} = L \frac{d^2I(t)}{dt^2} + \frac{I(t)}{C} \]
Rearranging this gives the standard form of the differential equation for a series LC circuit:
\[ L \frac{d^2I(t)}{dt^2} + \frac{I(t)}{C} = \frac{dV(t)}{dt} \]
### 3. **Solution for Steady-State AC Voltage**
For an AC voltage source \( V(t) = V_0 \sin(\omega t) \), where \( V_0 \) is the amplitude and \( \omega \) is the angular frequency, the differential equation becomes:
\[ L \frac{d^2I(t)}{dt^2} + \frac{I(t)}{C} = V_0 \omega \cos(\omega t) \]
The particular solution for this differential equation is:
\[ I(t) = I_0 \sin(\omega t + \phi) \]
where \( I_0 \) is the amplitude of the current and \( \phi \) is the phase angle.
To find \( I_0 \) and \( \phi \), use the impedance of the circuit:
- The impedance \( Z \) of the LC circuit is \( \sqrt{ (X_L - X_C)^2 } \) which simplifies to \( |X_L - X_C| \) since the reactances are of opposite signs.
- For an LC circuit where \( X_L = X_C \), the impedance is zero, which implies resonance.
### 4. **Impedance and Current**
The impedance \( Z \) of a series LC circuit is:
\[ Z = \sqrt{ (X_L - X_C)^2 } = \sqrt{ (\omega L - \frac{1}{\omega C})^2 } \]
So,
\[ I_0 = \frac{V_0}{Z} = \frac{V_0}{| \omega L - \frac{1}{\omega C} |} \]
Thus, the current in the circuit is:
\[ I(t) = \frac{V_0}{| \omega L - \frac{1}{\omega C} |} \sin(\omega t + \phi) \]
where \( \phi \) is the phase angle determined by the relationship between \( X_L \) and \( X_C \).
### Summary
The formula for the current \( I(t) \) in a series LC circuit with an AC source \( V(t) = V_0 \sin(\omega t) \) is:
\[ I(t) = \frac{V_0}{| \omega L - \frac{1}{\omega C} |} \sin(\omega t + \phi) \]
where \( \phi \) is the phase angle, which depends on the initial conditions and the relative magnitudes of \( \omega L \) and \( \frac{1}{\omega C} \).