Mathcad Community Challenge January 2025: AC Circuits
Happy New Year! This month's challenge is based around electrical engineering, specifically an AC circuit.
Calculation Challenge
An AC electrical circuit consists of the following components connected in series:
• A 120 Volt 60 Hertz power source
• A 50 Ohm resistor
• A 0.20 Henry inductor
• A 10 micro Farad capacitor
Calculate the following for this circuit:
• The reactances of the inductor and capacitor
• The impedance in the circuit
• The current in the circuit
• The power dissipated in the circuit
• The phase angle of the circuit
Graphing Challenge
Using an XY Plot or a Chart Component, graph the following in the same plot or chart over a minimum of 2 cycles:
• The current in the circuit.
• The voltage in the circuit.
• The voltage drop across the resistor.
• The voltage drop across the inductor.
• The voltage drop across the capacitor.
You can use the values from the calculation challenge, or you can use generic values. The point is to communicate that the current, total voltage, and voltage drop across the resistor are in phase; that the voltage drop across the inductor leads the current by a quarter cycle; and that the voltage drop across the capacitor lags the current by a quarter cycle. You may want to use 2 y-axes, one for current and one for voltage.
Mathcad Prime 10 Challenge
Using the advanced input controls like sliders, buttons, check boxes, etc., allow people to change one or more values in the Calculation Challenge to see how that affects the calculated values.
Find the Mathcad Community Challenge Guidelines here!
Disclaimer: I am not an electrical engineer. I apologize in advance if any of my terminology offends your sensibilities.