TECHGURU PUBLICATIONS (A Unit of TECHGURU EDUCATIONALS Pvt. Ltd.

)
NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
PERSONAL REMARK :

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NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
Instantaneous & Average Power

PERSONAL REMARK :

The instantaneous power p(t) absorbed by an element is the product

of the instantaneous voltage v(t) across the element and the
instantaneous current i(t) through is.
i.e. p(t) = u(t) i(t)

....(i)

or in other words the instantaneous power at any instant of time. It is

the rate at which an element absorbs energy.
Consider the general case of instantaneous power absorbed by an
arbitrary combination of circuit elements under sinusoidal excitation,
as. Let the voltage the current at the terminals of the circuit be
v(t) = Vm cos (t + v) and i(t) = Im cos (t + i)
where Vm and Im are the amplitudes (or peak values), and v and i
are the phase angles of the voltage and current, respectively. The
instantaneous power absorbed by the circuit is
p(t) = u(t) i (t) = Vm Im cos (t + v) cos (t + i)

....(2)

We apply the trigonometric identity

cos A cos B =

1
[cos (A B) + cos (A + B)]
2

and express
(2) as p(t) =

1
1
Vm Im cos (v + i) +
cos (t + v+ i)
2
2

....(3)

This shows us that the instantaneous power has two parts. The first
part is constant or time independent. Its value depends on the phase
difference between the voltage and the current. The second part is a
sinusoidal function whose frequency is 2, which is twice the angular
frequency of the voltage or current.
A sketch of p(t) in equation (3) is shown in figure 1, where
T = 2/is the period of voltage or current. We observe that p(t) is
periodic, p(t) = p(t + T0), and has a period of T0 = T/2, since its
frequency is twice that of voltage or current. We also observe that
p(t) is positive for some part of each cycle and negative for the rest
of the cycle. When p(t) is positive, power is absorbed by the circuit.
When p(t) is negative. Power is absorbed by the source; that is,
power is transferred from the circuit to the source. This is possible
because of the storage elements (capacitors and inductors) in the
circuit.

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TECHGURU PUBLICATIONS (A Unit of TECHGURU EDUCATIONALS Pvt. Ltd.)

NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
PERSONAL REMARK :

p(t)

VmIm

VmIm cos(vi)

T
2

Figure 1 : The instantaneous power p(t) entering a circuit

The instantaneous power changes with time and is therefore difficult
to measure. The average power is more convenient to measure. In
fact, the wattmeter, the instrument for measuring power, responds
to average power. The average power is the average of the
instantaneous power over one period.
Thus, the average power is given by P =

1
T

p(t) dt

....(4)

Although equation (4) shows the averaging done over T, we would

get the same result if we performed the integration over the actual
period of p(t) which is T0 = T/2.
Substituting p(t) in equation (3) into equation (4) gives

1
1
Vm Im cos (v i) dt +
2
T
(2t + v + i) dt
P=

1
T

1
1
V m Im cos ( v i )
T
2

0 dt +

1
Vm Im cos
2

1
V I 1
2 m m T

(2t + v + i) dt

0 cos
....(5)

The first integrand is constant and the average of a constant is the

same constant. The second integrand is a sinusoid. We know that
the average of a sinusoid over its period is zero because the area
under the sinusoid during a positive half-cycle is canceled by the
area under it during the following negative half-cycle. Thus, the second
term in equation (5) vanishes and the average power becomes
P=

1
V I cos (v + i)
2 m m

....(6)

Since cos (v i) = cos (v i), what is important is the difference

in the phase of the voltage and current.
Note that p(t) is time-varying while P does not depend on time. To
find the instantaneous power, we must necessarily have u(t) and i(t)
in the time domain. But we can find the average power when
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TECHGURU PUBLICATIONS (A Unit of TECHGURU EDUCATIONALS Pvt. Ltd.)

NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
voltage and current are expressed in the time domain, as in

PERSONAL REMARK :

v(t) = Vm cos (t + v), and i(t) = Im cos (t + i), or when they are
expressed in the frequency domain. The phasor forms of v(t) and
i(t) as v(t) = Vm cos (t + v), and i(t) = Im cos (t + i), are V = Vm
v and I = Im i, respectively. P is calculated using equation 6 or

using phasors V and I. To use phasors, we notice that

Vr = Vm Im v i =
V I [cos (v i ) + j sin (v i )]

m m
....(7)
We recognize the real part of this expression as the average power
P according to equation (6). Thus.
P=

Re [VI*] = Vm Im cos (v i )

....(8)

Consider two special cases of equation (8). When v =i , the voltage

and current are in phase. This implies a purely resistive circuit or
resistive load R, and P =

2
Vm Im = I2m R =
|I| R

.... (9)

where |I|2 = I I*. Equation (9) shows that a purely resistive circuit
abosorbs power at all times. When v i = 90, we have a purely
reactive circuit, and P =

V I cos 90 = 0
m m

....(10)

SOLVED EXAMPLES
Ex.1 Give that v(t) = 120 cos (377t + 45) V and i(t) = 10 cos (377t 10) A
find the instantaneous power the average power absorbed by the
passive linear network.
Sol. The instantaneous power is given by
p = vi = 1200 cos (377t + 45) cos (377t 70)
Applying the trigonometric identity
cos A cos B =

[cos (A + B) + cos (A B)]

gives p = 600 [cos (754t + 35) + cos 55]

or p(t) = 344.2 + 600 cos (754t + 35) W
The average power is P =

Vm Im cos (v i) = 120 (10) cos

[45 (10)] = 600 cos 55 = 344.2 W

which is the constant part of p(t) above.
Ex.2 Calculate the average power absorbed by an impedance
Z = 30 j70 when a voltage V = 120 0 is applied across it.
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TECHGURU PUBLICATIONS (A Unit of TECHGURU EDUCATIONALS Pvt. Ltd.)

NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
Sol. The current through the impedance is
I

PERSONAL REMARK :

V 120 0
120 0

1.576 66.3 A
Z 30 j 70 76.16 .

The average power is

P=

Vm Im cos (v i ) = (120) (1.576) cos (0 66.8) = 37.24 W

Ex.3 For the circuit shown below find the average power supplied by the
source and the average power absorbed by the resistor.
I

5 30 V

j2

Sol. The current I is given by

5 0
5 0
I = 4 j 2 4.472 . 1.118 56.57 A
The average power supplied by the voltage source is
P=

(5) (1.118) cos (30 56.57) = 2.5 W

The current through the resistor is I = IR = 1.118 56.57 A

and the voltage across it is VR = 4 IR = 4.472 56.57 V
The average power absorbed by the resistor is
P=

(4.472) (1.118) = 2.5 W

which is the same as the average power supplied. Zero average

power is absorbed by the capacitor.
Amplitude

Q1(least selectivity)
Q2(medium selectivity)
Q3(greatest selectivity)

B3
B2
B1

Figure : The higher the circuit Q, the smaller the bandwidth

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NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
Ex1. In the circuit shown R = 2, L = 1 mH, and C = 0.4 F. (a) Find the

PERSONAL REMARK :

resonant frequency and the half-power frequencies. (b) Calculate

the quality factor and bandwidth (c) Determine the amplitude of the
current 0, 1 at and 2.
L

R
20 sin t +

Sol. (a)

The resonant frequency is

0 =

LC

The lower half power frequency is

2

R
1
R

1 =
2L
LC
2L

10

(103 ) 2 (50 103 ) 2

= 1 + 2500 krad/s = 49 krad/s

Similarly, the upper half-power frequency is
2 = 1 + 2500 krad/s = 51 krad/s
(b)

The bandwidth B = 2 1 = 2 krad/s or B =

R
2

L 10 3

= 2 krad/s
and quality factor, Q =

0 50

= 25
B
2

Alternative Method
0 50 103
0 L 50 103 10 3

Q=
= 25 and B =
= 2 krad/s
Q
25
R
2

Ex2. In the parallel RLC circuit shown let R = 8 k, L = 0.2 mH, and
C = 8 F (a) Calculate Q, and B. (b) Find 1 and 2. (c) Determine
the power dissipated at 0, 1 and 2.
i0
10 sin t +

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TECHGURU PUBLICATIONS (A Unit of TECHGURU EDUCATIONALS Pvt. Ltd.)

NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
Sol. (a)

0 =

(b)

LC

1
.2 8

PERSONAL REMARK :

105
= 25 krad/s
4

and Q =

R
8 103

= 1600
0 L 25 103 0.2 10 3

and B =

0
= 15.625 rad/s
Q

Due to the high value of Q. We can regard this a high-Q

circuit.

Hence, 1 = 0

B
= 25,000 7.812 = 24,992 rad/s
2

B
= 25,000 7.8125 = 25,008 rad/s
2

and

2 = 0

(c)

At Y = 1/R or Z = R = 8 k. Then

I0 =

V 10 90

1.25 90 mA
Z
8000

Since the entire current flows through R at resonance, the average

power dissipated at is
P=

|I0|2 R =
(1.25 103)2 (8 103) = 6.25 mW

or P =

Vm2
100

= 6.25 mW..
2 R 2 8 103

Vm2
At = 1 2 we get, P =
= 3.125 mW
4R
Ex.3 Determine the resonant frequency of the circuit
2H
Im cos t

0.1F

10
2

Sol. The input admittance is Y = j0.1 +

1
= 0.1 + j0.1

2 j 2

j2
42

At resonance, Im (Y) = 0 and

0.1

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= 0 gives 2 rad/s

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TECHGURU PUBLICATIONS (A Unit of TECHGURU EDUCATIONALS Pvt. Ltd.)

NETWORK : INSTANTANEOUS AND AVERAGE POWER
Ex4. Calculate the resonant frequency of the circuit shown

PERSONAL REMARK :

1H
Im cos t

0.2F

10

Ans. 2.179 rad/s.

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