CHAPTER 07: ALTERNATING CURRENT

MCQ
1. In an LCR-series ac circuit, the voltage across each of the component L, C and R is 50 V.
The voltage across the LC-combination will be
(a) 50 V (b) 50√2 V (c) 100 V (d) zero
2. A transformer is used to light a 100 W and 110 V lamp from a 220 V mains. If the main
current is 0.5 A, the efficiency of the transformer is approximately
(a) 30% (b) 50% (c) 90% (d) 10%
3. What is the value of inductance L for which the current is maximum in a series LCR-
circuit with C = 10 μF and ω = 1000 s-1:
(a) 100 mH (c) 10 mH
(b) 1 mH (d) cannot be calculated unless R is known
4. The reactance of a capacitor C is X. If both the frequency and capacitance be doubled,
then new reactance will be:
(a) X (b) 2X (c) 4X (d) X/4
5. Average power generated in an inductor connected to an a.c. source is
1
(a) 2 𝐿𝐼² (b) LI² (c) zero (d) none of these

6. The rms value of potential difference V shown in the

figure is:
𝑉0 𝑉0 𝑉0
(a) (b) 𝑉0 (c) (d)
√3 √2 2

7. Which of the following graphs represents the correct variation of inductive reactance
𝑿𝑳 with frequency 𝝂:

8. In a pure capacitive circuit if the frequency of ac source is doubled, then its capacitive
reactance will be:
(a) remains same (b) doubled (c) halved (d) zero

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9. In which of the following circuits the maximum power dissipation is observed:
(a) Pure capacitive circuit (c) Pure resistive circuit
(b) Pure inductive circuit (d) None of these
10. In a series LCR circuit the voltage across an inductor, capacitor and resistor are 20 V,
20 V and 40 V respectively. The phase difference between the applied voltage and the
current in the circuit is:
(a) 30° (b) 45° (c) 60° (d) 0°

11. If the rms current in a 50 Hz ac circuit is 5 A, the value of the current 1/300 seconds
after its value becomes zero is :
3 5 5
(a) 5√2A (b) 5√2 A (c) 6 𝐴 (d) 𝐴
√2
12. An inductor of reactance 1 Ω and a resistor of 2 Ω are connected in series to the
terminals of a 6 V (rms) a.c. source. The power dissipated in the circuit is:
(a) 8 W (b) 12 W (c) 14.4 W (d) 18 W

ASSERTION REASON
1. Assertion: The inductive reactance limits amplitude of the current in a purely inductive
circuit.
Reason: The inductive reactance is independent of the frequency of the current.
2. Assertion : A capacitor blocks direct current in the steady state.
Reason : The capacitive reactance of the capacitor is inversely proportional to frequency f of
the source of emf.
3. Assertion : The voltage and current in a series AC circuit are given by 𝑉 = 𝑉0 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡 and
𝑖 = 𝑖0 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜔𝑡. The power dissipated in the circuit is zero.
𝑉 𝐼 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜙
Reason : Power in AC circuit is given by 𝑃 = 0 0 2
4. Assertion : When the frequency of the AC source in an LCR circuit equals the resonant
frequency, the reactance of the circuit is zero, and so there is no current through the inductor or
the capacitor.
Reason : The net current in the inductor and capacitor is zero.

CASE STUDY
A transformer is essentially an a.c. device. It cannot work on d.c. It changes alternating voltages
or currents. It does not affect the frequency of a.c. It is based on the phenomenon of mutual
induction. A transformer essentially consists of two coils of insulated copper wire having
different number of turns and wound on the same soft iron core.
The number of turns in the primary and secondary coils of an ideal transformer are 2000 and
50 respectively. The primary coil is connected to a main supply of 120 V and secondary coil is
connected to a bulb of resistance 0.6Ω
(i) The value of voltage across the secondary coil is:
(a) 5V (b) 2V (c) 3 V (d) 10 V
(ii) The value of current in the bulb is
(a) 7 A (b) 15 A (c) 3 A (d) 5 A
(iii) The value of current in primary coil is
(a) 0.125 A (b) 2.52 A (c) 1.51 A (d) 3.52 A
(iv) Power in primary coil is
(a) 20W (b) 5W (c) 10 W (d) 15W
OR
Power in secondary coil is
(a) 15W (b) 20 W (c) 7W (d) 8 W
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SHORT ANSWER
1. The peak value of emf in ac is E0. Write its (i) rms (ii) average value over a complete cycle.
2.An alternating voltage given by V = 140sin 314t is connected across a pure resistor of 50 Ω.
Find
(i) the frequency of the source.
(ii) the rms current through the resistor.

3. A lamp is connected in series with a capacitor. Predict your observation when this combination
is connected in turn across (i) ac source and (ii) a dc battery. What change would you notice in
each case if the capacitance of the capacitor is increased?

4. A capacitor 'C’, a variable resistor 'R' and a bulb 'B' are connected
in series to the ac mains in circuit as shown. The bulb glows with
some brightness. How will the glow of the bulb change if
(i) a dielectric slab is introduced between the plates of the
capacitor, keeping resistance R constant ;
(ii) the resistance R is increased keeping the same capacitance?

5. An inductor L of inductive reactance XL is connected in series with a bulb B and an ac source.

How would brightness of the bulb change when
(i) number of turn in the inductor is reduced,
(ii)an iron rod is inserted in the inductor and
(iii) a capacitor of reactance XC= XL is inserted in series in the circuit. Justify your answer in
each case.

LONG ANSWERS
1.Derive the relationship between the peak andthe rms value of current in ac circuit.
2.A device X is connected across an ac source of voltage V = V0 sin t . The current through X is
given as
 
I = I 0 sin  t + 
 2
(a)Identify the device X and write the expression for its reactance.
(b)Draw graphs showing variation of voltage and current with time over one cycle of ac, forX.
(c)How does the reactance of the device X vary with frequency of the ac? Show this variation
graphically.
(d)Draw the phasor diagram for the device X.
3.In a series LCR circuit connected to an ac source of variable frequency and voltage V = Vm sin t
, draw a plot showing the variation of current (I) with angular frequency (ω) for two different
values of resistance R1 and R2 (R1> R2). Write the condition under which the phenomenon of
resonance occurs. For which value of the resistance out of the two curves, a sharper resonance is
produced? Define Q-factor of the circuit and give its significance.
4. (a) Draw a labelled diagram of a step-up transformer. State the principle of its working, Obtain
the ratio of secondary to primary voltage in terms of number of turns and currents in the two
coils.
5. State the principle of an ac generator and explain its working with the help of a labelled
diagram. Obtain the expression for the emf induced in a coil having N turns each of cross-sectional

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area A, rotating with a constant angular speed 'ω' in a magnetic field B, directed perpendicular to
the axis of rotation.
NUMERICALS
1. The figure shows a series LCR circuit connected to a variable
frequency 200 V source with L = 50 mH, C = 80 µF and R = 40 Ω.
Determine
(i) the source frequency which derives the circuit in resonance;
(ii) the quality factor (Q) of the circuit.
(b) A power transmission line feeds input power at 2200 V to a step-down transformer with
its primary windings having 3000 turns. Find the number of turns in the secondary to get the
power output at 220 V.
2. In case of step down transformer:
(i) Express the turn ratio in terms of voltages,
(ii) Find the ratio of primary and secondary currents in terms of turn ratio in an ideal
transformer.
(iii) How much current is drawn by the primary of a transformer connected to 220 V supply
when it delivers power to a 110 V-550W refrigerator?
3. A circular coil of cross-sectional area 200 cm2 and 20 turns is rotated about the vertical
diameter with angular speed of 50 rad s-1in a uniform magnetic field of magnitude 3.0 x 10-2 T.
Calculate the maximum value of the current in the coil.

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