Characteristic Impedance

In radio communications, characteristic impedance (acoustic impedance or sound impedance) Z_0 \ of a uniform transmission line is the impedance of a circuit that, when connected to the output terminals of a line of arbitrary length, causes the line to appear infinitely long. The SI unit of characteristic impedance is the ohm. A uniform line terminated in its characteristic impedance will have no standing waves, no reflections from the end, and a constant ratio of voltage to current at a given frequency at every point on the line. If the line is not uniform, the iterative impedance must be used. The characteristic impedance of a linear, homogeneous, isotropic, dielectric propagation medium free of electric charge is given by the relation
Z_0 = \sqrt{\mu \over \epsilon} = {1 \over {c \ \epsilon}}
where
Z_0 \ is the characteristic impedance
\mu \ is the magnetic permeability of the medium
\epsilon \ is the electric permittivity of the medium
c = {1 \over \sqrt{ \mu \epsilon}} \ is the speed of propagation in the medium
When the medium is free space, the magnetic permeability \mu_0 \ and electric permittivity \epsilon_0 \ of free space are used and this defines the universal physical constant, the characteristic impedance of free space :
Z_0=\sqrt{\mu_0 \over \epsilon_0} = {1 \over {c \ \epsilon_0}} = 376.730313461... \ \Omega
here c = {1 \over \sqrt{ \mu_0 \epsilon_0}} \ is the speed of propagation in vacuum.

See also

Source

Adapted from Impedance, Characteristic Impedance, Characteristic

 

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