One Stop GATE Forum: complex quantities

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    what exactly do we mean when we say that a quantity is a complex quantity? 
for example,propagation constant, α+iβ ,is a complex quantity 
where 
α, the real part, is the attenuation constant 
β, the imaginary part, is the phase constant , 
why do we call it imaginary and again take it as the phase constant...that too when we are not taking it as a phasor...what has "imaginary" got to do with the phase constant.... 
does a complex number has any meaning in real life...when we are not talking about phasors as in the case of the propagation constant...? 

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manju Senior Member Joined: 20Feb2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 221	Topic: complex quantities Posted: 22Feb2007 at 2:41pm
	what exactly do we mean when we say that a quantity is a complex quantity? for example,propagation constant, α+iβ ,is a complex quantity where α, the real part, is the attenuation constant β, the imaginary part, is the phase constant , why do we call it imaginary and again take it as the phase constant...that too when we are not taking it as a phasor...what has "imaginary" got to do with the phase constant.... does a complex number has any meaning in real life...when we are not talking about phasors as in the case of the propagation constant...? Post Resume: Click here to Upload your Resume & Apply for Jobs

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balu Senior Member Joined: 20Feb2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 236	Posted: 22Feb2007 at 2:44pm
	what i mean is beta is the imaginary part of the expression ... how is ,gamma defined as if its real part gives attenuation and imaginary part gives phase..?? can we define it as well as we want...that is gamma is supposed to be the propogation constant then how can we claim its real and imaginary parts give something else "attenuation","phase diff"...like how can the imaginary part of the impedance be readily equated to reactance...
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