This is a shockwave applet that illustrates visually and numerically some aspects of the complex impedance of an LRC circuit. The frequency, resistance, inductance, and capacitance can all be changed. Outputs include a phase diagram showing the impedances of the circuit elements vs. frequency, the peak current, phase shift, element reactance and total impedance as functions of frequency, and the time dependent current and voltage.
Type of Material:
Lecture/Demo, Assignments
Technical Requirements:
This is a shockwave applet, so students will need to have the shockwave plugin for their browsers.
Identify Major Learning Goals:
Understand impedance, resonance, and phase in AC circuits.
Target Student Population:
Introductory physics, introductory electronics.
Prerequisite Knowledge or Skills:
Basics of AC circuits, complex impedance.
Content Quality
Rating:
Strengths:
The applet allows students to change frequency, resistance, capacitance, and inductance and observe the results. Numerical results are given for all quantities, both input and output, allowing students to make both qualitative and quantitative observations. Output is shown using both graphs and a phasor diagram of the various impedances. A brief outline of the physics of RLC circuits is included.
Concerns:
None noted.
General Comments on Quality: The inclusion of an interactive vector phase diagram of the circuit's impedance is a very important, unique, and useful feature. The graph showing the frequency-dependent reactances of the capacitor and inductor and the total impedance is another useful and somewhat unique feature.
Potential Effectiveness as a Teaching Tool
Rating:
Strengths:
Recommended Use(s) for Material: Lecture/Demo and as part of student exercises.
This applet will help students picture the concepts of complex impedance, phase relations, and resonance in AC circuits. It is interactive, qualitative, and quantitative.
Concerns:
Use(s) Material is not Suited For: None Noted.
Instructors will need to develop curricular material to help students explore the different physical aspects of resonant circuits.
This applet covers just LRC circuits, so it is somewhat limited in its flexibility.
General Comments on Effectiveness: This applet is simple, encouraging students to interact with it.
Ease of Use for Both Students and Faculty
Rating:
Strengths:
The interface is very clean and intuitive. Students will be able to grab the controls for f, L, R, and C and change their values with little problem. Instructions for using the applet, and the various different outputs available, is very useful.
Concerns:
None noted.
General Comments on Usability: The immediate output and graphical nature of this applet makes it very attractive and user friendly.
Creative Commons:
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