1. What is Phase Angle?

Phase angle (θ) represents the phase difference between voltage and current in an AC circuit. It's a crucial parameter in electrical engineering that indicates whether a circuit is predominantly resistive, capacitive, or inductive.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the phase angle formula:

Where:

• \( X \) — Reactance in ohms (Ω)
• \( R \) — Resistance in ohms (Ω)
• \( \theta \) — Phase angle in degrees

Explanation: The arctangent function calculates the angle whose tangent equals the ratio of reactance to resistance, providing the phase shift between voltage and current.

3. Importance of Phase Angle Calculation

Details: Phase angle calculation is essential for analyzing AC circuits, determining power factor, designing filters, and optimizing electrical system performance. It helps engineers understand the behavior of reactive components in circuits.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter reactance and resistance values in ohms. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero. The calculator will compute the phase angle in degrees.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does a positive phase angle indicate?
A: A positive phase angle indicates an inductive circuit where current lags behind voltage.

Q2: What does a negative phase angle indicate?
A: A negative phase angle indicates a capacitive circuit where current leads voltage.

Q3: What is the range of possible phase angle values?
A: Phase angle values range from -90° to +90°, representing the full spectrum from purely capacitive to purely inductive circuits.

Q4: How is phase angle related to power factor?
A: Power factor equals the cosine of the phase angle (cos θ). A phase angle of 0° indicates unity power factor (purely resistive circuit).

Q5: When is phase angle calculation most important?
A: Phase angle calculation is crucial in power systems, audio engineering, RF design, and any application involving AC circuits with reactive components.