Exam - Measurement Technique, ELA210, TEN1, 2023-11-03

Please read these instructions carefully!

• Allowed accessories: calculator and the formula collection.

• The solutions should be written neatly and clearly. First the task needs to be described with the given
values written on the paper. Then the whole calculation procedure should be written. Each final result
(or final formula were applicable) needs to be designated with double line below the result or framed
with a square around it so that it stands out from the rest of the text. Solutions not complying with
these requirements will not be examined.
• Results should be correct both in value and unit. The values should be in the required or reasonable
accuracy.

• Both English and Swedish answers are acceptable for questions requiring text answers.

Total number of points is 48. Grades 5: ≥ 40p, 4: ≥ 32p, 3: ≥ 24p

Responsible lecturers: Ivan Tomasic, phone 021-10 15 55

1
1. Fundamentals of measurement systems:
(a) [2 points] What are the main elements in a measurement system and what are their functions.
(b) [1 point] What are the main factors governing the choice of a measuring instrument for a given
application?
2. Measurement theory:
(a) [1 point] Let X be a normal random variable with mean µ and variance σ 2 (X ∼ N (µ, σ 2 )). What
is the expected value and variance of the random variable Y defined as:
X −µ
Y = (1)
σ
(b) [1 point] Mathematically define the term statistics.
(c) [1 point] Define when a statistics is unbiased.
(d) [1 point] A pressure control system in a distillation column is designed to maintain the pressure at
a constant value of 10.9 bar. The following 10 pressure readings (in bars) were obtained at intervals
of 10 min: 10.7, 11.0, 11.2, 10.8, 10.6, 11.1, 10.9, 10.8, 10.7, 11.0. Determine the mean and standard
deviation of the pressure measurements.
(e) [2 points] The measurements in a data set are subject to random errors but it is known that the
measured data set fits the Gaussian distribution with mean 0 and standard deviation σ. Determine
the value of x required such that 95% of the measurements lie within the boundaries of ±xσ.
(f) [1 point] Resistance of a cooper resistor is 25.25Ω, measured at the temperature of 25◦ C. If we are
interested at the resistance at 20◦ C what is the correction? Assume that the resistance changes
with temperature T according to the following R2 = R1 (1 − α(T1 − T2 )) where α is the temperature
coefficient of resistance which for cooper is 0.0039/K.
3. The voltage across a resistance R5 in the circuit of Figure 1 is to be measured by a voltmeter connected
across it.
(a) [2 points] If the voltmeter has an internal resistance Rm of 4750Ω, what is the relative measurement
error?
(b) [1 point] What value would the voltmeter internal resistance need to be in order to reduce the
measurement error to 1%?
(c) [1/2 point] Explain why connecting voltmeter to the circuit introduces an error in measurement.
(d) [1/2 point] What is the value of Rm for which there will be no error?
4. A database diagram is given on Figure 2. Assume that for each user (a tuple in relation User), there
are two tuples in relation Measurement, each corresponding to a measurement with a different magnetic
pole. The samples for each of the two measurement sequences are in the relation MagField, whereas
relation MagPole contains 2 tuples each for one of the magnet poles (N and S).

Figure 1: Measurement error in measurement of voltage.

Page 2
 Figure 2: A database diagram.

(a) [2 points] Mathematically define the term ”relation” as it is used within the scope of relational
databases?
(b) [1 point] State two advantages of using relational databases to store measurements, compared to
storing measurements directly in files.
(c) [1/2 point] State one advantage of using files to store measurements, compared to relational databases.
(d) [1 point] Mathematically define the term ”primary key”
(e) [1/2 point] How many attributes are in the relation MagPole?
(f) [1 point] Which attributes in relation Measurement are foreign keys and which attributes are they
referencing.
(g) [1 point] Write an SQL statement that shows number of tuples in relation MagField for the values
of attribute Distance less than 1.

5. For the following spectrum:  

 2, 0 <= ω <= 2
X(jω) = −2 −2 <= ω < 0 (2)
0, |ω| > 2
 

(a) [1/2 point] Sketch the spectrum.

(b) [2 points] Calculate the inverse continuous time Fourier transform.
(c) [1/2 point] Is the obtained continuous time signal real or complex?
(d) [1 point] Sketch the magnitude of the continuous time signal obtained.

6. Temperature and electromagnetic measurements

(a) [1 point] What is the difference between internal energy and heat?
(b) [1/2 point] What is thermometry?

Page 3
 (c) [2 points] With a help of a diagram relating voltage over the diode and current through the diode,
explain how diodes are used as thermometers.
(d) [1/2 point] Name three methods for measuring permittivity.
(e) [1 point] Draw a schema for the linear variable differential transformer (LVDT sensor).

7. Filters:
(a) [1 point] Explain how is aliasing in sampling avoided by applying analog filters on continuous
signals.
(b) [1 point] Name 4 different analog filters.
(c) [1 point] State one advantage and one disadvantage of Butterworth filters compared to other analog
filters.
8. Instruments:
(a) [2 points] With a help of a figure, explain the hysteresis effect.
(b) [1 point] What is the difference between static and dynamic characteristics of instruments?
(c) A balloon is equipped with temperature and altitude measuring instruments and has radio equip-
ment that can transmit the output readings of these instruments back to ground. The balloon is
initially anchored to the ground with the instrument output readings in steady state. The altitude
measuring instrument is approximately zero order and the temperature transducer first order with
a time constant of 15s and static sensitivity equal to 1. The temperature on the ground, T0 , is 10◦ C
and the temperature Tx at an altitude of x meters is given by the relation:

Tx = T0 − 0.01x (3)

i. [3 points] If the balloon is released at time zero, and thereafter rises upwards at a velocity of
5m/s, what temperature does the balloon report at an altitude of 5000m and what is the error
of that measurement?
ii. [1 point] What is causing the error in temperature reading?
9. Electrical measurements:
(a) Explain the following terms:
i. [1 point] Quantization uncertainty (resolution)
ii. [1 point] Zero point and scale factor uncertainty
iii. [1 point] Linearization uncertainty
(b) A Hays bridge is often used for measuring the inductance of high Q coils (Q = ωL R ) and has the
configuration shown in Figure 3. The inductance and resistance of the coil are represented in the
figure by the symbols L1 and R1 , respectively. All the other values in the bridge are considered to
be know.
i. [3 points] Calculate the formulas for R1 and L1 when the bridge is at balance.
ii. [1 point] Show that if the Q value of an unknown inductor coil is high, the expression for the
inductance value when the bridge is balanced is independent of frequency.
iii. [1 point] If the Q value is high, calculate the value of the inductor if the bridge component
values at balance are as follows: R2 = R3 = 1000Ω; C = 0.02µF .

Page 4
Figure 3: Circuit for the task b.

Page 5