Annex G.7.

A Past Year Exam Paper

Appendix C.4 will be attached to this years paper!

Q.1 (a) Using nodal analysis, derive (but DO NOT simplify or solve) the
equations for determining the nodal voltages in the circuit of Fig. 1(a).
10
10

10

v2

40

v1
84

20

v3
2

Fig. 1(a)

Numbering the nodes in the circuit by 1, 2 and 3 from left to right, and
applying KCL:

v1 84 v1 v2 v1 v3 10
v v v v v
+
+
= 0 2 + 2 1 + 2 3 = 0 v3 v2 + 2 + v3 v1 +10 = 0
8
10
10
20 10
40
40
10

(b) Using mesh analysis, derive (but DO NOT solve) the matrix equation
for determining the loop currents in the circuit of Fig. 1(b). Note that the
circuit has a dependent source.
9
15

i1

12

i2

i3

Fig. 1(b)

Relating loop to branch currents and applying KVL:

15 = v = 12(i1 i2 )
6(i2 i3 ) + 9i2 + 12(i2 i1 ) = 0
12i1 + 27i2 6i3 = 0

i3 = v

0
1 v 0
1 0
0 12 27 6 i 0

1 =
0
0 i2 15
1 0

i
0
12

12
0

3 15

(c) Determine the Thevenin or Norton

Replacing all independent sources

equivalent circuits as seen from

with their internal resistances, the

terminals A and B of the network of

resistance across A and B is

R = 20 || 20 = 10

Fig. 1(c). What is the maximum power

that can be obtained from these two
terminals?

circuit voltage across A and B is

20
A
120

Using superposition, the open

25

20
20
v AB = 120
+
25

20
20 + 20
20 + 20
= 310
10

20
B
310

Fig. 1(c)

3102
The maximum power p =
4(10)

Q.2 (a) A 5 kW electric motor is operating at a lagging power factor of 0.5.

If the input voltage is

v(t ) = 500 sin t + 100

determine the apparent power, and find the phasor and sinusoidal
expression for the input current.
Letting V and I to be the voltage and current phasors, the apparent power is
5000
= 10000VA = VI = | V | | I |
0.5
0
0
0
500
500
(
)
j
10

90

j
80
where V =
e
=
e
2
2

i (t ) = 20 2 2 cos(t 800 cos 1 0.5)

= 40 cos(t 800 cos 1 0.5)

and

I =

10000 10000 2
=
= 20 2
V
500

arg(I ) arg(V ) = cos 1 (0.5)

I = 20 2e (

j 800 cos1 0.5

(b) In the circuit of Fig. 2(b), the

Using phasor analysis

current i(t) is the excitation and the

voltage v(t) is the response.
Determine the frequency response
of the circuit. Derive (but DO NOT
solve) an equation for finding the
"resonant" frequency at which the
frequency response becomes

Fig. 2(b)

The phase response is

The resonant frequency is therefore given by

1

0.1

1 0.1
arg[H ( f )] = tan 1
tan
2
0
.
1
1

purely real.

i (t)

V
1 0.1 + j
H( f )= =
I
j 0.1 + j + 1

0.1 + j
=
1 + j 0.1 2

v(t)

0.1
tan 1 (10 ) = tan 1
2
1

(c) A series RLC resonant circuit is to be designed for use in a communication

receiver. Based on measurements using an oscilloscope, the coil that is
available is found to have an inductance of 25.3mH and a resistance of 2 .
Determine the value of the capacitor that will give a resonant frequency of
1.kHz. If a Q factor of 100 is required, will the coil be good enough?
2

f0 =

1
2 LC

1
1
=
= 1F
C =

2
L
f

2
25
.
3

10
1000

0 L 2 1000(25.3)10 3
Q=
=
= 79.5
R
2

Since this is less than 100, the coil is not good enough.

Q.3 (a) In the circuit of Fig. 3(a), the switch has been in the position shown
for a long time and is thrown to the other position for time t 0. Determine
the values of i(t), vC(t), vR(t), vL(t), and di(t)/dt just after the switch has been
moved to the final position?

vR (t)

vL (t)
t =0

Taking all the voltages

and currents to be

i (t)
vC (t)

constants for t < 0:

i (t ) = C

dvC (t )
=0
dt

vR (t ) = Ri (t ) = 0

vL (t ) = L

di (t )
=0
dt

vC (t ) + vR (t ) + vL (t ) = 1 vC (t ) = 1

Fig. 3(a)

Applying continuity for i(t) and vC(t):

i (0 ) = 0 vR (0 ) = Ri (0 ) = 0

vC (0) = 1

vC (0) + vR (0) + vL (0) = 2 vL (0) = 1

di(t )
di (t )
vL (0) 1
vL (t ) = L

=
=
dt
dt t =0
L
L

(b) For vS(t) = cos(t+1), derive

(but DO NOT solve) the
differential equation from which
i(t) can be found in the circuit of
Fig. 3(b). Is this differential
equation sufficient for i(t) to be
determined?

vL (t ) = L

di (t )
dt

dvC (t )
dvL (t )
d 2i (t )
=C
= CL
iC (t ) = C
dt
dt
dt 2

d 2i (t )
iR (t ) = iC (t ) + i (t ) = CL
+ i(t )
2
dt

d 2i (t )
vR (t ) = RiR (t ) = RCL
+ Ri(t )
2
dt
Applying KVL:

R
vS (t)

i (t)
C

Fig. 3(b)

vS (t ) = vR (t ) + vL (t )

d 2i (t )
di (t )
= RCL
+
Ri
(
t
)
+
L
= cos(t + 1)
2
dt
dt

This is not sufficient for i(t) to be determined.

(c) The differential equation characterizing the current i(t) in a certain RCL

d 2i (t ) 1 di(t ) i(t )
jt
+
+
=
e
dt 2
CR dt
CL

circuit is

Determine the condition for R, L and C such that the circuit is critically
damped.
The characteristic equation for the transient response is

z
1
z +
+
=0
CR CL
2

z1, 2

1
1
4

2 2
CR
C
R
CL
=
2

Thus, the circuit will be critically damped if

1
4
=
2 2
C R
CL

Q.4 (a) Determine the mean and rms values of the voltage waveform in
Fig. 4(a). If this waveform is applied to a 20 resistor, what is the power
absorbed by the resistor?
Volt
40

10

second

Fig. 4(a)

One period of the waveform is

20t , 0 t < 2
v (t ) =
2t <4
0,

2
2
20
20
tdt
2

=
vm = 0
4
4

= 10

2
2
400
2
(20t ) dt

3 = 800
0
=
vms =
4
4
3

vrms =

800
3

v
800 40
p = rms =
=
20
3(20 ) 3

(b) In the circuit of Fig. 4(b), a transformer is used to couple a loudspeaker

to a amplifier. The loudspeaker is represented by an impedance of value
ZL=.6 + j 2, while the amplifier is represented by a Thevenin equivalent circuit
consisting of a voltage source in series with an impedance of ZS = 3 + j a.
Determine the voltage across the loudspeaker. Hence, find the value of a
such that this voltage is maximized. Will maximum power be delivered to the
loudspeaker under this condition?
ZS

1: 2

ZL

10

Amplifier

Loudspeaker
Fig. 4(b)

If V is the voltage across the loudspeaker, the currents in the primary & secondary
windings are

V
I2 =
ZL

The primary voltage is

2V
I1 = 2 I 2 =
ZL

V
V1 =
2

Applying KVL to the primary circuit:

V=

10 = I1Z S + V1 =

2VZ S V
+
ZL
2

10
20
20(6 + 2 j )
=
=
2Z S 1
3 + aj 18 + j (4a + 2 )
+

1 + 4
ZL 2
6+2j

For the magnitude of this to be maximized, the denominator has to be minimized:

20(6 + 2 j )
max
= min[18 + j (4a + 2 ) ]
18 + j (4a + 2 )

2
1
a= =
4
2

Maximum power will be delivered since power is proportional to |V |2.

Method 2: The given circuit is equivalent to the following one,

3+ja

10

V1

6+j2
4

Then, we have

10
1
10(3 + j )
3

V1 =
+ j =

1 2
2 9 + j (2a + 1)
3
(
3
+
ja
)
+
+
j

2
2

Vload = V2 = nV1 =
The rest follows ...

20(3 + j )
9 + j (2a + 1)