Superposition on AC circuit

Since we already studied the Superposition Theorem in DC on the previous chapter, and so on this article will talk about Superposition Theorem on AC circuit.

We have already studied the superposition theorem for DC circuits. In this chapter we will show its application for AC circuits.

The superposition theorem states that in a linear circuit with several sources, the current and voltage for any element in the circuit is the sum of the currents and voltages produced by each source acting independently. The theorem is valid for any linear circuit. The best way to use superposition with AC circuits is to calculate the complex effective or peak value of the contribution of each source applied one at a time, and then to add the complex values. This is much easier than using superposition with time functions, where one has to add the individual time functions.

To calculate the contribution of each source independently, all the other sources must be removed and replaced without affecting the final result.

When removing a voltage source, its voltage must be set to zero, which is equivalent to replacing the voltage source with a short circuit.

When removing a current source, its current must be set to zero, which is equivalent to replacing the current source with an open circuit.