Impedance and Phase Angle

Impedance
The impedance of a circuit is the total effective resistance to the flow of
current by a combination of the elements of the circuit.
Symbol: Z
Units:
The total voltage across all 3 elements (resistors, capacitors and inductors) is
written

RLC

To find this total voltage, we cannot just add the voltages VR, VL and VC.
Because VL and VC are considered to be imaginary quantities, we have:
Impedance VRLC = IZ
So Z=R+j(XLXC)
Now, the magnitude (size, or absolute value) of Z is given by:

Z=R2+(XLXC)2
Phase angle

tan =RXLXC
Angle represents the phase angle between the current and the voltage.
Compare this to the Phase Angle that we met earlier in Graphs
of y = a sin(bx + c).
Example 1

A circuit has a resistance of 5 in series with a reactance across an inductor

of 3 . Represent the impedance by a complex number, in polar form.

Answer

In this case, XL=3

and XC=0 so XLXC=3 .

So in rectangular form, the impedance is written:

Z=5+3j
Using calculator, the magnitude of Z is given by: 5.83, and the angle (the
phase difference) is given by:30.96.
So the voltage leads the current by 30.96, as shown in the diagram.
Presenting Z as a complex number (in polar form), we have:

Z=5.8330.96 .

Example 2(a)

A particular ac circuit has a resistor of 4 , a reactance across an inductor

of 8 and a reactance across a capacitor of 11. Express the impedance of
the circuit as a complex number in polar form.
Answer

In this case, we have: XLXC=811=3

So Z=43j

in rectangular form.

Now to express it in polar form:

Using calculator, we find r=5 and =36.87.

[NOTE: We usually express the phase angle (when voltage lags the current)
using a negative value, rather than the equivalent positive value 323.13.]
So Z=536.87

Interactive RLC graph

Below is an interactive graph to play with (it's not a static image). You can
explore the effect of a resistor, capacitor and inductor on total impedance in
an AC circuit.
Activities for this Interactive

1. First, just play with the sliders. Drag the red dot left or right to vary the
impedance due to the resistor, R, the blue dot up or down to vary the
impedance due to the inductor, XL, and the green dot up or down to
vary the impedance due to the capacitor, XC.
2. Observe the effects of different impedances on the values
of XL XC and Z.
3. Observe the effects of different impedances on , the angle the black
line makes with the horizontal (in radians).
4. Consider the graphs of voltage and current on the right of the
interactive. Observe the amount of lag orlead as you change the
sliders.
5. What have you learned from playing with this interactive?
XL = 5.00
XC = 2.00

5
10
5
10

XL XC = 3
Z = 10.44
= 0.29 = 16.7

R = 10
Voltage leads currentby 0.29 radians
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Example 2(b)

Referring to Example 2 (a) above, suppose we have a current of 10 A in the

circuit. Find the magnitude of the voltage across
i) the resistor (VR)
ii) the inductor (VL)
iii) the capacitor (VC)
iv) the combination (VRLC)
Answer
i) | VR | = | IR | = 10 4 = 40 V
ii) | VL | = | IXL | = 10 8 = 80 V
iii) | VC | = | IXC | = 10 11 = 110 V
iv) | VRLC | = | IZ | = 10 5 = 50 V