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I have a simple circuit with two sources of different frequencies. I was tasked to get a voltage output across a component. I know for a fact that adding the derived voltage of both sources acting independently will yield the peak voltage when both sources are acting on it.

However, when I tried getting the RMS on the components of each source independently and adding them together it wouldn’t work.

I have the equation \$\small\sqrt{{RMS_A}^2+{RMS_B}^2}\$ and that does work. Is there proof as to why it works?

ocrdu
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Arcadius
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1 Answers1

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The definition for root-mean-square (rms) voltage is: $$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}v^{2}dt}$$

If \$v=v_{1}+v_{2}\$ are all functions of time.

Then: $$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}\left(v_{1}+v_{2}\right)^{2}dt}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}\left(v_{1}^{2}+v_{2}^{2}+2v_{1}v_{2}\right)dt}$$

The cross term \$2v_{1}v_{2}\$ will integrate to zero if \$v_{1}\$ and \$v_{2}\$ are periodic and \$T\$ is an integer multiple of the period. $$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}\left(v_{1}^{2}+v_{2}^{2}\right)dt}$$

The integral can be distributed as follows: $$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}v_{1}^{2}dt+\frac{1}{T}\int_{0}^{T}v_{2}^{2}dt}$$

Since your sinusoids have different frequencies, their frequency difference provides a "beat" frequency. \$T\$ can be assigned to the beat frequency period. Then the periods \$T_{1}\$ and \$T_{2}\$ are integer multiples of \$T\$.

Averaging \$v^{2}_{1}\$ over \$T_{1}\$ will give the same result as averaging over \$T\$. Similarly for \$v^{2}_{1}\$. $$v_{rms}=\sqrt{\frac{1}{T_{1}}\int_{0}^{T_{1}}v_{1}^{2}dt+\frac{1}{T_{2}}\int_{0}^{T_{2}}v_{2}^{2}dt}=\sqrt{v_{1rms}^{2}+v_{2rms}^{2}}$$

A dc voltage of the rms value will produce the same heating in a pure resistance as the ac voltage. Since the separate signals produce heating of \$P_{1}\$ and \$P_{2}\$ watts separately. Then the combined heating is \$P_{1}+P_{2}\$ so adding the square of the voltages makes physical sense.

RussellH
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  • Makes me wary of trusting an oscilloscope's claimed **RMS** amplitude measurement. The wariness stems from the measurement period \$T\$ being non-integer multiple of waveform period. – glen_geek Nov 12 '22 at 12:47
  • @glen_geek: Indeed. This is a good question. You should post it as a question. I will answer. Cheers. – RussellH Nov 12 '22 at 15:30