International Islamic University Islamabad

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering

ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING LAB

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation

Name of Student: ……………………………………

Registration No.: ……………………………………..

Date of Experiment: …………………………………

Submitted To: ………………………………………...

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 1

Objective:
✓ To become familiar with the operations and use of an oscilloscope and a function
generator.
Equipment Required:
✓ Oscilloscope
✓ Function Generator
✓ Digital Multi-meter (DMM)
✓ DC Power Supply or DC cell = 1.5V
Theory:
Oscilloscope:
The oscilloscope is the most important instrument available to the practicing technician or
engineer. It permits the visual display of a signal that can reveal a range of information regarding
the operating characteristics of a circuit or system that is not available with a standard Multi-
meter. The oscilloscope is basically a voltage measuring device. It measures the amplitude of
any periodic waveform in terms of its peak-to-peak value whereas a digital multi-meter
(DMM) measures the r.m.s value of the periodic waveform. The oscilloscope can also be
used to measure the time period (T), and consequently the frequency (f) of a sinusoidal
waveform. The screen of an oscilloscope is divided into boxes (centimeters) in the vertical
and horizontal directions. The vertical sensitivity is provided in volts/cm, while the horizontal
sensitivity is provided in time/cm. If a particular signal occupies 6 vertical boxes
(centimeters) and the vertical sensitivity is 5mV/cm, the magnitude of the signal can be
determined using Eq. (1).
Amplitude of signal voltage = [vertical sensitivity (volts/cm) × occupied boxes (cm)] ....… (1)
VS = (5mV/cm) × (6cm) = 30mV
If one cycle of the same signal occupies 8 horizontal boxes (centimeters) on the horizontal
scale with a horizontal sensitivity of 5us/m, the time period and frequency of the signal can
be determined using Eq. (2).

Time Period of signal voltage = [horizontal sensitivity (time/cm) × boxes occupied by 1 cycle (cm)]
.… (2)
T = (5us/cm) (8cm) = 40us
Frequency of signal voltage = f = 1/T = 1/40us = 25-kHz

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 2

 Function Generator:
The function generator is a voltage supply that typically provides a sinusoidal, square,
and triangular waveform for a range of frequencies and amplitudes. although the frequency of
the function generator can be set by the dial position and appropriate multiplier but
oscilloscope can be used to precisely set the output frequency.
Procedure:
Part 1: Basics of an Oscilloscope:
The instructor will provide a brief description of the various sections of the oscilloscope
and function generator. In your own words, describe the function and use of each of the
following control knobs of the oscilloscope.
i. Focus of voltage trace:
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ii. Intensity of voltage trace:

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iii. Beam Finder:

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iv. Vertical and Horizontal Positions Controls:

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v. Horizontal Sensitivity:

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vi. Vertical Sensitivity:

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Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 3

vii. Trigger Section:

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viii. Mode Selection (CH1-CH2-DUAL-ADD):
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ix. Coupling Switch (AC-GND-DC):
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x. Calibrate Switches:
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xi. Probe:
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Part 2: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation

a. Turn ON the oscilloscope and adjust the necessary controls to establish a clear, bright,
horizontal line across the center of screen.
b. Connect the function generator to one vertical channel of the oscilloscope and set the
output of the function generator to a 1-kHz sinusoidal waveform.
c. Set the vertical sensitivity of the oscilloscope to 1V/cm and adjust the amplitude control
of the function generator to establish a 2V (peak-to-peak) sinusoidal waveform on the
screen.
Horizontal Sensitivity:
d. Calculate the time period (T) of the 1-kHz sinusoidal waveforms using T=1/f.
Time Period (T) (calculated) = _________

e. Set the horizontal sensitivity of the scope to 0.5ms/cm. Calculate the expected number of
horizontal boxes required to display one full cycle of 1-kHz signal with horizontal
sensitivity equal to 0.5ms/cm.
Number of horizontal boxes (calculated) = _________

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 4

f. Using the oscilloscope, draw the resulting sinusoidal waveform on Figure 1.

Figure 1
g. Using the oscilloscope, measure the number of required horizontal boxes and insert
below.
Number of horizontal boxes (measured) = ________
h. Find out the measured value of time period of the sinusoidal waveform using Eq. (2) (use
horizontal sensitivity of 0.5ms/cm).
Time Period (T) (measured) = _________
i. Change the horizontal sensitivity of oscilloscope to 0.2ms/cm without touching any of
the controls of the function generator. Calculate the expected number of horizontal boxes
required to display one full cycle of 1-kHz signal with horizontal sensitivity equal to
0.2ms/cm.
Number of horizontal boxes (calculated) = ________
j. Using the oscilloscope, draw the resulting sinusoidal waveform on Figure 2.

Figure 2

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 5

k. Using the oscilloscope, measure the number of required horizontal boxes and insert
below.
Number of horizontal boxes (measured) = ________
l. Find out the measured value of time period of the sinusoidal waveform using Eq. (2) (use
horizontal sensitivity equal to 0.2ms/cm).
Time Period (T) (measured) = _________

m. What was the effect on the time period of the sinusoidal waveforms, as the horizontal
sensitivity was changed from 0.5ms/cm to 0.2ms/cm?
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Vertical Sensitivity:

n. Do not touch the control knobs of the function generator. Now, set the horizontal
sensitivity of the oscilloscope to 0.2ms/cm and the vertical sensitivity to 1V/cm. Now
count the number of vertical boxes between peak values of the signal and obtain the peak-
to-peak value of the signal’s amplitude (Vsig(p-p)) using Eq. (1).
Signal’s amplitude (Vsig(p-p)) [measured] = _________
o. Change the vertical sensitivity to 0.5V/cm and repeat part 2(n).
Signal’s amplitude (Vsig(p-p)) [measured] = _________
p. Did the peak-to-peak voltage of the sinusoidal waveform change, with the change in
vertical sensitivity?
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Part 3: Practical Exercise

a. Set the coupling switch (AC-GND-DC) of the channel 1 to GND position, and establish a
zero-volt line at the center of screen using vertical position control of the oscilloscope.
Now, move the coupling switch (AC-GND-DC) of the channel 1 to AC position, and set
the horizontal sensitivity to 0.5ms/cm whereas the vertical sensitivity to 1V/cm. Make all
the necessary adjustments to display a 500-Hz, 4Vp-p sinusoidal signal on the oscilloscope
screen.
Vertical Sensitivity = _________
Horizontal Sensitivity = _________

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 6

b. Calculate the time period of the 500-Hz sinusoidal waveforms using T=1/f.
Time Period (T) (calculated) = _________
c. Using the oscilloscope, draw the resulting sinusoidal waveform on Figure 3.

Figure 3
d. Using the oscilloscope, measure and record the number of horizontal boxes occupied by
one complete cycle of sinusoidal waveform.
Number of horizontal boxes (measured) = ________
e. Find out the measured value of time period of the sinusoidal waveform using Eq. (2) [use
the horizontal sensitivity as noted in step 3(a)].
Time Period (T) (measured) = _________
f. How do the results of step 3(b) and 3(e) compare?

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Part 4: Effect of DC Levels
a. Establish the 1-kHz, 4Vp-p sinusoidal waveform on the oscilloscope. Calculate the
effective value of the sinusoidal waveform using following formula.

Vr.m.s = 0.707 * Vp

Vr.m.s (calculated) = _________

b. Disconnect the function generator from the oscilloscope and measure the effective (r.m.s)
value of the function generation using the digital multi-meter (DMM).
Vr.m.s (measured) = _________

c. Determined the percent difference between the calculated and measured values of Vr.m.s
by using following formula:

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 7

 |Vr.m.s (calculated) −Vr.m.s(measured) |
% Difference = * 100%
Vr.m.s (calculated)

% Difference = __________
d. Reconnect the function generator to the oscilloscope with 1-kHz, 4Vp-p signal and switch
the AC-GND-DC coupling switch of the vertical channel to GND position. What is the
effect?
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e. Establish the zero-volt reference line at the center of screen. Now move the AC-GND-DC
coupling switch to AC position. What is the effect?
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f. Finally, move the AC-GND-DC coupling switch to the DC position. What is the effect?
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g. Construct the circuit of Figure 4 on the breadboard. Be sure that the ground of the
oscilloscope is connected directly to the ground of the function generator. Measure and
record the actual battery voltage using the DC mode of the DMM.

Figure 4
VDC [DC level] (measured) = __________

h. Apply the input voltage (Vsig + VDC) of Figure 5 to one of the oscilloscope’s channel.
Switch the AC-GND-DC coupling switch to GND position and set the resulting
horizontal line (zero-reference level) in the center of screen. Then move the AC-GND-
DC coupling switch to the AC position and make a sketch of the resulting waveform on
Figure 4.

Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 8

 Figure 5

i. Switch the position of the AC-GND-DC coupling switch to the DC position and make a
sketch of the resulting waveform on Figure 6.

Figure 6

j. Did the vertical shift of the sinusoidal waveform equal the DC voltage of the battery?

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k. Is the shape of the sinusoidal waveform changed by moving the AC-GND-DC coupling
switch to DC and AC positions?
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l. Reverse the polarity of the battery and repeat step 4(i) and 4(j). Observe the effect on the
output waveform and comment below.
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Experiment No. 1: Oscilloscope and Function Generator Operation Page 9