Course program
Elements of circuits theory
Electrical current and voltage. Ohm's law. Joule's law. Hyopthsis in the definition of an electrical circuit. Kirchhoff laws. Power. Resistors. Short circuit and open circuit. Ideal generators. One-loop circuits - Voltage divider. Two junctions circuit - Current divider. Combining resistors. Equivalent resistance. Combining independent generators. Substitution principle. Junctions analysis (hints). Thevenin and Norton theorems. Methods to find the equivalent resistance. Real generators. Capacitors and Inductors. Frist order RC and RL circuits. Transient response and final response. Second order circuits, RLC. Review of periodic and complex functions. Sine-wave analysis. Symbolic method. Ohm's and Kirchhoff's laws in the sine-wave case. Frequency response. Study of RC, RL and RLC circuit in the sine-wave case. Power in the sine-wave case. The solid-state diode: characteristics. Use of the diode as a passive non-linear element in limiter and rectifer circuits. Transistor (hints). Propagation of an electrical signal in a coaxial cable. The transmission line.Characteristic Impedance. Reflection coefficient. Attenuation. Square-wave propagation phenomenology.
Measurement Methods
Moving-coil instruments. Universal instrument and its use to measure currents, voltage, resistance. Shunt resistors. Perturbaition introduced by measurement instruments on the observable. Voltamperometric method. Wheatstone bridge. Use of digital multimeter. Measurements of electrical power. Use of the oscilloscope. Frequency and phase-shift measurements.
Laboratory measurements:
1) Resistive circuits in DC.
2) Use of the oscilloscope. First order RC and CR circuits.
3) Study of first order RC an CR with sine-waves.
4) Study of filters and resonance circuits with sine-waves.
5) Study of filters and resonance circuits with sine and square waves.
6) Simple circuits with diodes.
7) Transmission line.
Prerequisites
Calculus, as acquired in the first two years of bachelor's degree.
Books
R. Perfetti, Circuiti elettrici, Zanichelli Ed.
Dispense ed altro materiale didattico distribuito durante il corso
For deeper study: Mencuccini, Silvestrini, Fisica II, Liguori Ed. or Mazzoldi, Nigro, Voci, Fisica Vol.II, Ed. Edises
Teaching mode
Lectures in the classroom regarding the knowledge of the basic theory of electrical circuits.
Sessions in the laboratory to learn how to use basic equipment and to be able to realize simple electrical circuits and to study their behavior. The laboratory sessions take place in groups of two or three students. Only the last one is individual.
Frequency
The attendance to class lectures is optional.
The attendance to laboratory sessions is mandatory.
Exam mode
The examination consists of an interview on the most relevant topics presented in the course. To pass the exam, the student must be able to present and analyse in detail the operation of simple electrical circuits.
The student will be asked to apply the methods learned during the course to exercises or to examples and situations similar to those that were discussed in the course.
The evaluation takes into account:
- Correctness and completeness of the concepts discussed by the student;
- clarity and rigor of presentation;
- analytical development of the theory;
- problem-solving skills (method and results).
The individual laboratory session (mandatory) and the optional written test are also taken into consideration in the final evaluation.
Bibliography
lR. Perfetti, Circuiti elettrici, Zanichelli Ed.
Dispense ed altro materiale didattico distribuito durante il corso
For deeper study: Mencuccini, Silvestrini, Fisica II, Liguori Ed. or Mazzoldi, Nigro, Voci, Fisica Vol.II, Ed. Edises
Lesson mode
Lectures in the classroom regarding the knowledge of the basic theory of electrical circuits.
Sessions in the laboratory to learn how to use basic equipment and to be able to realize simple electrical circuits and to study their behavior. The laboratory sessions take place in groups of two or three students. Only the last one is individual.