LCR frequency response & quality | A.C. | Physics | Khan Academy

Khan Academy India - English
15 Oct 202009:54

Summary

TLDRThis video explains how radios use resonance in an LCR circuit to tune into specific channels among multiple radio signals. By adjusting the inductance or capacitance, radios can change their resonant frequency to match the desired station, amplifying its signal while minimizing others. The video illustrates this concept with examples and graphs, demonstrating the relationship between frequency and current. It also discusses how resistance affects the quality of signal selection, highlighting the importance of low resistance for high-quality reception.

Takeaways

  • 📡 Radios can receive hundreds of signals but we can listen to a specific channel by tuning into its frequency.
  • 🔍 The concept of resonance in LCR circuits is used to select a specific radio frequency; the current is maximized at the resonant frequency.
  • 📚 The resonant frequency is calculated using the formula f = 1/(2π√(LC)), where L is inductance, C is capacitance.
  • 📊 A graph of current versus frequency shows a peak at the resonant frequency, indicating maximum current flow.
  • 🎚 Adjusting the LCR circuit's components, such as increasing the capacitance, shifts the resonant frequency to a different value.
  • 🔄 By changing the resonant frequency, a radio can be tuned to different stations broadcasting at various frequencies.
  • 🔌 The antenna in a radio converts incoming radio waves into electrical signals at multiple frequencies.
  • 📻 Radios select the strongest signal at the resonant frequency to drive the speaker and produce sound.
  • 🔄 If the resonant frequency of an LCR circuit is adjusted to match a different station's frequency, that station's signal will be heard.
  • 🔍 The quality of frequency selection is inversely related to the resistance in the LCR circuit; lower resistance results in a sharper peak and better selection.
  • 📉 A higher resistance in the LCR circuit results in a flatter graph, meaning less ability to selectively filter out off-resonance frequencies.

Q & A

  • How does a radio select a specific channel from multiple signals?

    -A radio uses an LCR circuit that resonates at a specific frequency, allowing it to tune into a particular channel by matching the resonant frequency to the broadcast frequency of the desired station.

  • What is the significance of the resonant frequency in an LCR circuit?

    -The resonant frequency is the frequency at which the impedance in the LCR circuit is at its minimum and the current is at its maximum. This is the frequency at which the circuit is most responsive to incoming signals.

  • How does changing the frequency affect the current in an LCR circuit?

    -If the frequency is very low or very high, the current in the LCR circuit is very small. It is only at the resonant frequency that the current becomes maximum, indicating the circuit's sensitivity to that specific frequency.

  • What happens when the supply frequency equals the resonant frequency in an LCR circuit?

    -When the supply frequency equals the resonant frequency, the circuit experiences resonance, and the current in the circuit increases dramatically, indicating that it is tuned to that frequency.

  • Why is it important to understand the relationship between frequency and current in an LCR circuit?

    -Understanding this relationship helps in tuning a radio to specific frequencies by adjusting the LCR circuit's components to achieve the desired resonant frequency.

  • How can the graph of current versus frequency help in visualizing the resonant frequency?

    -The graph of current versus frequency shows a peak at the resonant frequency where the current is maximum. This visual representation helps in quickly identifying the resonant frequency and how changes in frequency affect the current.

  • What is the impact of different radio stations broadcasting at different frequencies?

    -Different frequencies allow multiple radio stations to broadcast simultaneously without interference. A radio can select a specific station by tuning its LCR circuit to resonate at that station's frequency.

  • How can adjusting the LCR circuit components change the resonant frequency?

    -By increasing or decreasing the inductance (L) or capacitance (C), the resonant frequency can be adjusted. For example, increasing the capacitance will lower the resonant frequency, allowing the radio to tune into a different station.

  • What is the effect of the resistance in an LCR circuit on the quality of frequency selection?

    -Higher resistance results in a flatter peak on the current versus frequency graph, which means the radio is less selective and may pick up signals from nearby frequencies as well.

  • Why is it necessary for the current peak to be sharp for high-quality frequency selection?

    -A sharp peak indicates a high-quality LCR circuit that can select a specific frequency with precision and reject signals from other frequencies, providing clearer reception of the desired radio station.

  • How does the quality of an LCR circuit relate to the resistance within it?

    -The quality of an LCR circuit is inversely related to the resistance. Lower resistance results in a higher quality circuit with a sharper peak and better frequency selection, while higher resistance leads to a lower quality circuit with a flatter peak and less precise frequency selection.

Outlines

00:00

📡 Understanding Radio Frequency Tuning with LCR Circuits

This paragraph explains how radios can selectively tune into specific channels despite receiving hundreds of different signals. It introduces the concept of resonance in LCR circuits, where the current dramatically changes with frequency. At a specific 'magic number' frequency (given by \( \frac{1}{2\pi\sqrt{LC}} \)), resonance occurs, and the impedance is at its minimum, allowing for maximum current. The speaker uses a graph to illustrate how the current (I') decreases away from the resonant frequency, creating a peak that represents the ability to tune into a specific channel. Radio stations broadcast at different frequencies, and by adjusting the LC values in an LCR circuit, a radio can resonate at a particular frequency, allowing it to pick up signals from a specific station while ignoring others.

05:03

🔄 Adjusting Resonant Frequency to Switch Radio Stations

The second paragraph delves into how to switch between radio stations by altering the resonant frequency of an LCR circuit. It suggests increasing either the inductance or capacitance to reduce the resonant frequency. The speaker uses the example of changing a radio dial to modify the distance between capacitor plates, thereby changing capacitance and resonant frequency. The graph shifts leftward as capacitance increases, allowing the radio to pick up different stations. The paragraph also discusses the impact of resistance on the quality of frequency selection, explaining that higher resistance results in a flatter graph and less precise tuning. It contrasts high-quality and low-quality LCR circuits and hints at the concept of the quality factor, which will be explained in a future video, relating it to the sharpness of the graph and the circuit's ability to select specific frequencies.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Radio

A radio is a wireless communication device that receives and transmits signals through electromagnetic waves. In the context of the video, it is used to illustrate how a radio can selectively receive signals from various radio stations by tuning into specific frequencies, despite the presence of multiple signals in the air.

💡Resonance

Resonance in physics refers to the phenomenon where a system oscillates at its maximum amplitude at a specific frequency. The video explains how radio uses the principle of resonance in an LCR circuit to tune into a specific radio station's frequency, maximizing the current at that frequency and minimizing it for others.

💡LCR Circuit

An LCR circuit is an electrical circuit that consists of an inductor (L), a capacitor (C), and a resistor (R) connected in series or parallel. The video script discusses how the radio uses an LCR circuit to resonate at a particular frequency, allowing it to selectively receive signals from a specific radio station.

💡Frequency

Frequency in the context of the video refers to the rate of oscillation or the number of cycles per second of a wave, measured in hertz (Hz). Radio stations broadcast at specific frequencies, and the radio's ability to tune into these frequencies is central to the script's explanation of how radios work.

💡Impedance

Impedance is the measure of the opposition that a circuit presents to a current when a voltage is applied. The video explains that at resonance, the impedance in an LCR circuit becomes minimum, allowing for maximum current flow, which is crucial for the radio to receive a specific signal clearly.

💡Resonant Frequency

Resonant frequency is the particular frequency at which a resonant system responds with the greatest amplitude. In the video, the concept is used to describe the specific frequency at which the LCR circuit in a radio resonates, allowing it to receive a signal from a particular radio station with maximum clarity.

💡Inductance

Inductance is the property of an electrical conductor, such as a coil, to oppose changes in the electric current that flows through it. The video mentions inductance as a component of the LCR circuit, where changing its value can alter the resonant frequency of the radio.

💡Capacitance

Capacitance is the ability of a system to store electrical energy in an electric field. In the script, changing the capacitance by adjusting the distance between the plates in a capacitor is shown as a method to tune the radio to different frequencies.

💡Resistance

Resistance is the measure of the opposition to the flow of electric current. The video script explains that a higher resistance in an LCR circuit results in a flatter peak in the resonance graph, which means the radio will have a lower quality of signal selection and may pick up signals from other frequencies as well.

💡Quality Factor

The quality factor, or Q factor, is a dimensionless parameter that describes the damping of an oscillating system. Although not deeply explained in the script, it is mentioned as a metric to quantify the quality of an LCR circuit's ability to select a specific frequency and reject others.

Highlights

Radios can filter out specific channels from hundreds of signals using resonance in LCR circuits.

Resonance occurs when the supply frequency equals 1/(2π√(LC)) in an LCR circuit, minimizing impedance and maximizing current.

The relationship between frequency and current in an LCR circuit can be visualized through a graph showing current peaks at resonant frequency.

Different radio stations broadcast at distinct frequencies, such as Radio Mirchi at 98.3 MHz and Big FM at 92.7 MHz.

Adjusting the LCR circuit's resonant frequency allows a radio to tune into a specific station by maximizing the current for that frequency.

To switch radio stations, one must adjust the LCR circuit's inductance or capacitance to change the resonant frequency.

Turning a radio knob can change the capacitance by altering the distance between capacitor plates, affecting the resonant frequency.

A higher resistance in an LCR circuit results in a flatter current graph, reducing the radio's ability to selectively receive signals.

The quality of an LCR circuit's ability to select and reject frequencies is inversely related to its resistance.

A sharp current graph at the resonant frequency indicates a high-quality LCR circuit for frequency selection.

The concept of resonance in LCR circuits is fundamental to understanding how radios can filter and select specific frequencies.

LCR circuits' quality factor, a measure of their ability to select frequencies, will be discussed in a future video.

Radios use the principle of resonance to filter out desired signals, a practical application of LCR circuits.

The animation and graph illustrate how radio signals at resonant frequency generate a larger current in the LCR circuit.

Adjusting the resonant frequency by changing capacitance or inductance is key to tuning into different radio stations.

The impact of resistance on the quality of signal selection in an LCR circuit is demonstrated through comparative graphs.

The transcript concludes with a reflection on the relevance of LCR circuits in modern technology, despite the decline in radio usage.

Transcripts

play00:00

if a lot of people speak together we

play00:02

can't make out anything

play00:04

but a radio cam

play00:06

even though it continuously receives

play00:08

hundreds of different radio signals

play00:10

we can make it listen to any particular

play00:12

channel

play00:14

how does it do that well radios are

play00:16

something that we don't

play00:18

lcr circuit

play00:20

so let's see how it uses resonance to

play00:22

tune into specific channels

play00:26

we've already seen before that even if

play00:28

you keep the voltage or the values of

play00:31

inductance or capacitance or the

play00:32

resistance all of them are constant and

play00:35

just change the frequency

play00:37

the current will change dramatically

play00:39

if the frequency is very low or very

play00:42

high we saw that the current is very

play00:44

tiny the pink arrows over here are the

play00:46

current

play00:48

but if the supply frequency equals a

play00:50

magic number given by 1 by 2 pi square

play00:53

root of lc

play00:55

we saw

play00:56

resonance this is when the impedance in

play00:59

the circuit becomes minimum and the

play01:01

current goes haywire

play01:04

now if you need a refresher on this then

play01:06

we have a dedicated video called lcr

play01:08

resonance and resonant frequency feel

play01:10

free to go back and check that out

play01:13

but what i want to do here is to

play01:14

understand this relationship between the

play01:16

frequency and the current a little bit

play01:19

better and one of the ways to do that is

play01:22

to draw a graph

play01:23

so what i want to do is i want to go

play01:25

ahead and plot a graph

play01:28

of the current i naught

play01:30

versus the frequency okay what will

play01:33

happen to i naught i'm basically want to

play01:35

plot the same thing that you're seeing

play01:36

over here but on a graph so that i don't

play01:39

have to keep watching this animation

play01:41

now before i draw it i want you to take

play01:43

a shot at this one clue is that we know

play01:46

that at resonant frequency the current

play01:49

is

play01:50

maximum so let's assume that that

play01:51

resonant frequency is somewhere

play01:54

over here

play01:56

so given that can you make a guess as to

play01:58

what this graph would look like go ahead

play02:01

give it a shot

play02:04

all right if you're giving it a shot

play02:05

let's see here's how i'm thinking i know

play02:07

that at this point my current has to be

play02:10

maximum which means if i go away from

play02:13

here on either sides the current should

play02:15

decrease so with that if we plot the

play02:17

graph here's the maximum and on either

play02:20

sides the current decreases decreases

play02:23

and that's

play02:24

what the graph would look like

play02:27

again notice it's telling us the same

play02:29

story at resonant frequency the current

play02:31

is maximum but if you go away from it

play02:33

with too low or too high frequency then

play02:36

notice the current becomes minimum

play02:39

so we can get rid of this animation we

play02:41

can now just focus on this graph

play02:44

okay now with this graph let's see if we

play02:46

can decipher the mysteries of radio

play02:48

the important thing to understand is

play02:50

that different different radio stations

play02:52

get broadcasted at different

play02:55

frequencies

play02:56

for example i'll just name a couple of

play02:58

famous radio stations that i'm aware of

play03:01

i know one radio station called radio

play03:04

mirchi and all the messages over here

play03:07

gets broadcasted at 98.3 and that's why

play03:09

you may have heard this number a lot

play03:12

98.3 megahertz of frequency so whenever

play03:15

you're listening to radio mirchi or if

play03:17

you want to then that is that frequency

play03:19

of 98.3 megahertz similarly let me just

play03:23

let me just show one more another one

play03:25

which i remember is

play03:27

big fm

play03:28

and again they have that punch line 92.7

play03:30

big fm and that basically means they are

play03:33

broadcasting all their messages at 92.7

play03:37

megahertz

play03:38

now let's imagine that in our radio

play03:41

currently the lc values are such

play03:44

that if you calculate the resonant

play03:46

frequency it happens to be exactly 98.3

play03:50

megahertz let's assume that what's gonna

play03:53

happen well here's our radio and here

play03:56

are both the radio waves i've shown

play03:57

there are multiple radios due to lots of

play03:59

channels but let's assume just two

play04:01

they're both hitting our antenna

play04:03

and as a result antenna vibrates with

play04:05

both the frequencies

play04:07

and what an antenna does is basically

play04:08

converts radio signals into electrical

play04:11

signals so because of these two the

play04:14

antenna is trying to drive our lcr

play04:16

circuit at both these frequencies

play04:20

but

play04:21

look at what look from from the graph we

play04:23

can see that whatever messages are

play04:25

coming at 98.3

play04:27

it's able to generate a much larger

play04:29

current let me show you that

play04:32

it's able to generate a much larger

play04:35

current the current that that is

play04:37

generating is over here

play04:39

due to

play04:40

the

play04:41

radio mirchi signals and the current

play04:43

that is generated due to the big fm look

play04:45

at that that current generated is very

play04:48

tiny

play04:50

and as a result this very high current

play04:52

goes through the speaker and this

play04:54

current well it can hardly drive the

play04:56

speaker and as a result

play04:59

you will only hear the messages from

play05:02

this particular channel

play05:06

now imagine you want to switch to big fm

play05:08

what should you do i think you can now

play05:09

guess

play05:10

well now we need to reduce the resonant

play05:13

frequency of our lcr circuit how do we

play05:16

do that well you have to either um you

play05:18

know since you want to reduce this we

play05:20

need to increase this so you either

play05:21

increase the inductance or you increase

play05:23

the capacitance and there are ways in

play05:25

which it can be done different radios do

play05:27

different ways for example in some

play05:29

radios when you turn the knob the

play05:31

distance between the plates of the

play05:33

capacitor changes and you might know as

play05:35

that distance changes the capacitance

play05:37

changes

play05:38

interesting isn't it and so just by

play05:40

turning the knob one of them will change

play05:43

and in this particular case all we have

play05:45

to do is increase the value of capacitor

play05:49

and as you increase the value of

play05:50

capacitance the resonant frequency will

play05:53

start shifting towards the left so the

play05:55

graph will start shifting towards the

play05:57

left

play05:58

and so your new graph as you increase

play06:01

the value of that capacitance your new

play06:04

graph will eventually come to this

play06:08

now

play06:09

the opposite happens now it's the big fm

play06:12

it's these messages that start exciting

play06:14

your radio because your radio's resonant

play06:16

frequency has changed

play06:18

and as a result your radio will start

play06:20

picking up those signals and this is how

play06:23

by using resonant frequency concept

play06:26

resonance concept you can tune into any

play06:28

station that you want

play06:30

beautiful isn't it

play06:32

all right now let's make things a little

play06:34

bit more interesting imagine your friend

play06:36

also has her own radio and let's assume

play06:39

for the sake of simplicity that in her

play06:42

radio the value of inductor and the

play06:44

capacitor as of now is exactly the same

play06:47

so it's resonating at 98.3 megahertz but

play06:50

there's one difference let's say that

play06:52

the resistor the resistance of her lcr

play06:55

circuit is higher than your lcr circuits

play06:59

resistance so the value of resistance is

play07:02

higher

play07:03

i want you to predict what that new

play07:05

graph of this new radio is going to look

play07:08

like

play07:09

same resonant frequency but higher

play07:11

resistance again can you pause the video

play07:13

and give this a shot

play07:15

all right

play07:16

because it has the same resonating

play07:18

frequency it will peak at the same

play07:20

frequency

play07:21

however at the peak value the current

play07:23

would be smaller because the resistance

play07:26

is higher and so the graph that we could

play07:28

expect is somewhat like this

play07:32

you immediately see the graph is much

play07:33

flatter than before and that has

play07:36

consequences

play07:37

for example if you just concentrate on

play07:39

this graph so let me just get rid of the

play07:41

other one and now look at what's going

play07:43

to happen to the radio

play07:45

just like before this frequency is going

play07:48

to generate the maximum current but

play07:50

notice because the graph is so flat the

play07:52

current generated by the big fm

play07:54

frequency is considerable

play07:56

it is smaller but it's considerable

play07:59

which means in this particular case your

play08:02

radio might be giving some amount of

play08:04

message from this as well there will be

play08:06

some mixed messages that you'll be

play08:07

getting you'll be able to hear this as

play08:09

well as a little bit of this as well

play08:11

compare that with what we got before

play08:15

before the difference was so huge it was

play08:18

able to select this frequency very

play08:20

nicely and reject everything else but

play08:22

now notice

play08:23

it's not all that great

play08:26

so you can pretty much agree and let me

play08:28

get both the graphs

play08:30

okay we agree that this curve has a

play08:33

higher quality of selecting the

play08:36

frequency and rejecting everything else

play08:38

which is off resonance higher quality

play08:41

but this one

play08:43

has lower

play08:45

quality so not all lcr circuits have

play08:48

equal quality if you want a very high

play08:50

quality ability to select very specific

play08:53

frequency and reject everything else you

play08:55

need the graph to be very very sharp and

play08:58

so such sharp graphs are what we call

play09:00

high quality lcr circuit now of course

play09:04

the engineer inside you might actually

play09:06

be

play09:06

more curious and be wondering okay can

play09:09

we give a number to it how do i

play09:11

calculate this quality and that's

play09:14

something we will talk about in a future

play09:15

video

play09:16

there's a number called quality factor

play09:18

but let's not worry about that right now

play09:19

but i'm pretty sure one thing you can

play09:21

immediately get is that quality is

play09:23

inversely related to the resistance

play09:26

notice if you have lower resistance you

play09:28

end up with a higher quality circuit

play09:30

with a higher resistance you end up with

play09:32

a lower quality

play09:34

circuit and so although we don't use

play09:37

radios as much today

play09:39

it's a perfect reminder of how lcr

play09:42

resonant circuits can be used to tune

play09:44

into very specific frequencies

play09:47

sometimes i wish i2 had this ability to

play09:49

listen to just what i want and filter

play09:51

everything out

Rate This

5.0 / 5 (0 votes)

Related Tags
LCR CircuitsResonanceRadio TuningSignal ClarityFrequency SelectionElectrical SignalsRadio TechnologyResonant FrequencyQuality FactorSignal Filtering