Exploration 31.8: Damped RLC

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Assume ideal components.  The graph shows the voltage across the capacitor  (red), the  voltage across the inductor  (blue), and the voltage across the resistor  (green) as functions of time (voltage is given in volts).

Change the switches as you explore the behavior of this circuit.  Restart.

1. Pick a specific time, measure the voltages on the graph, and verify that Kirchhoff's law holds when the switch is open and when the switch is closed.
2. What determines the time between peaks of the voltage when you close the switch? 
3. Change the value of the variable resistor.  What happens to the time for the oscillations if the resistor is large?  When the resistor is small?  Explain.

Exploration authored by Anne J. Cox.
Script authored by Wolfgang Christian and Anne J. Cox.
Instructor's Resource CD Edition: Do not post or distribute.
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