RMS Calculation

How to Use

• Vp slider — set the AC peak voltage (1–20 V). Vrms is calculated automatically.
• R slider — set the load resistance (100 Ω – 10 kΩ).
• Start / Stop — animate the waveforms to see instantaneous power oscillate.

What to Observe

• The AC instantaneous power (orange) oscillates between 0 and \(V_p^2/R\) at twice the signal frequency.
• The dashed green line shows the average AC power.
• The DC circuit uses \(V_{dc} = V_{rms}\) and delivers constant power equal to the AC average.
• Both average power values are always equal — this is the definition of RMS.

Key Equations

\[V_{rms} = \frac{V_{peak}}{\sqrt{2}} \approx 0.707 \cdot V_{peak}\]

\[P_{avg} = \frac{V_{rms}^2}{R} = \frac{V_{peak}^2}{2R}\]