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Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter LAB 4

Lab # 4: Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter.

Learning Objective:
 To find the cutoff frequency of passive RC and RL low pass filter.
 To determine gain of the given passive low pass filters.
 To plot the graph between the output voltages and input frequencies.
 To find the bandwidth for the given passive low pass filters.

Equipment Required:

 Digital multi-meter
 Oscilloscope
 Breadboard
 Probes
 Resistors
 Capacitors
 Inductors

Introduction:
An electrical filter is a circuit that can be designed to modify, reshape or reject all unwanted
frequencies of an electrical signal and accept or pass only those signals wanted by the circuit
designer. In other words, they “filter out” unwanted signals. An ideal filter will separate and
pass sinusoidal input signals based upon their frequency.

Lab Task 1: RC Low Pass Filter:

A simple passive RC Low Pass Filter or LPF, can be easily made by connecting together in
series a single Resistor with a single Capacitor as shown below. In this type of filter
arrangement, the input signal (Vin) is applied to the series combination (both the Resistor and
Capacitor together) but the output signal (Vout) is taken across the capacitor only.

This type of filter is known generally as a “first-order filter” or “one-

pole filter”, because it has only “one” reactive component, the capacitor,
in the circuit.
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Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter LAB 11

As, the reactance of a capacitor varies inversely with frequency, while the value of the resistor
remains constant as the frequency changes. At low frequencies the capacitive reactance of the
capacitor will be very large compared to the resistive value of the resistor, R.

This means that the voltage potential, V C across the capacitor will be much larger than the
voltage drop, VR developed across the resistor. At high frequencies the reverse is true with V C
being small and VR being large due to the change in the capacitive reactance value.
Signals at low frequencies will be passed because the capacitor acts as an open circuit, and
the input signal will appear across the capacitor as output voltage. For high frequencies, on
the other hand, the capacitor can be considered a short circuit. Thus the output will be zero
and high frequency signals will be blocked.

The corner (cutoff) frequency for a passive RC filter is given by the following formula:

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Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter LAB 11

Procedure:
1. Design a passive-RC and RL low pass filter for a cutoff frequency of 10 kHz.
2. Build the RC low pass filter circuit. Use appropriate values of resistor and capacitor.
3. Measure the actual values of resistor and capacitor using DMM and LCR Meter and
record them in Table-11.1.Calculate the cutoff frequency.
4. Connect the circuit as shown in Figure-11.1.
5. Connect the function generator at input. Adjust the function generator to produce 5
Vp- p sine wave at a frequency of 100 Hz. Increase the frequency from function
generator until the output voltage Vout is equal to 0.707 times the input voltage. The
frequency where this occurs is the cutoff frequency of the filter. Measure and record this
frequency in Table-11.1.
6. Set the frequencies to the values given in Table-11.2, measure and record input,
output voltage and gain. Complete Table-11.2.
7. Plot the semi log graph of the output voltage versus frequency.
8. Repeat steps 2 – 7 for the RL low pass filter circuit as shown in Figure-11.2 using
appropriate values of R and L. Record the corresponding readings in Table-11.3 and
Table-11.4, and plot the graph.
Experiment Results:
Table 11.1

Calculated Measured

Resistor

Capacitor

Cut off Frequency

Table 11.2

Measured Calculated
Frequency
(kHz) Vin Vout Av

3
8
10
13
16
18
20
22

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Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter LAB 11

Draw the graph for Frequency Vs Vout.

Table 11.3
Calculations:

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Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter LAB 11

Lab Task 2: RL Low Pass Filter:
A simple passive RL Low Pass Filter or LPF, can be easily made by connecting together a
single resistor in series with an inductor as shown in Figure 11.2. In this type of filter, output
(Vout) is taken across the resistor.

Figure 11.2: RC Low Pass Filter

At low frequencies; the inductor appears as a short circuit and there is no change in
magnitude from input to output. As the frequency increases, the inductor impedance increases
so at high frequencies; the inductor appears as an open circuit. Thus the magnitude of the
output is zero and high frequencies are blocked.
The corner (cutoff) frequency for a passive RL filter is given by the following formula:

Calculated Measured

Resistor

Inductor

Cut off Frequency

Table 11.4

Measured Calculated
Frequency
Vin Vout Av

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 lOMoAR cPSD| 18075533

Passive RC and RL Low Pass Filter LAB 11

Draw the graph for frequency Vs Vout

Calculations:
(attach calculations)

Write a conclusion for your results.

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