Scribd
Upload
82 views3 pages

Laboratory 4 - Oscilloscope

Uploaded by

lubuto Tuntepe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
82 views3 pages

Laboratory 4 - Oscilloscope

Uploaded by

lubuto Tuntepe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

LABORATORY 4: THE OSCILLOSCOPE

Introduction:
The digital oscilloscope allows the engineer to examine time varying waveforms in
order to determine the magnitude, frequency, phase angle, and other waveform
characteristics which depend upon the interaction of circuit elements with the sources
driving them.

Objective:
By the end of the lab the student should be familiar with the controls of a digital oscilloscope
and be able to use the instrument to observe periodic waveforms.

Preparation:
Review 'XYZs of Oscilloscopes', available at: www.tek.com (60+ pages). Be familiar with
the following: voltage scaling (Volts/division), time base (seconds/division), input coupling,
triggering, and measurement probes.

Equipment Needed:
NI-ELVIS workstation. Individual resistors as required.

Procedure:

1) At the beginning of class, your lab instructor will review the virtual oscilloscope
software used with the NI-ELVIS workstation.

2) Basic setup. Connect a cable with BNC fitting to the BNC jack for CH 0 of the
oscilloscope on the left side of the NI-ELVIS board. Connect the cable’s red lead to the
FGEN output; connect the cable’s black lead to GROUND. (Important note: Internally
the oscilloscope’s ground is connected to the NI-ELVIS circuit ground. Therefore, the
oscilloscope can only measure voltages across components that are connected to ground.
Avoid grounding errors!)

Set the function generator to output a 100Hz sine wave with amplitude = 3.0 VPP and
DC offset
= 0V. Open the oscilloscope window in the NI-ELVIS software. “ENABLE” the display
for Channel
0. “RUN” the function generator and the oscilloscope. Turn on the measurement function
for Channel 0 and record the measured values for RMS voltage, peak-to-peak voltage, and
waveform frequency. Sketch the displayed waveform in your laboratory notebook.
Compare your measurements with the expected values based on the function generator
output.

3) Voltage scaling. Vary the vertical scale control for Channel 0 using either the control
knob or pull-down menu. Record the effect that this control has on the displayed
waveform. Set the control to 500mV/div and measure the peak-to-peak magnitude of the
displayed waveform by counting (estimate) the number of peak-to-peak divisions and
multiplying by the vertical scale. Compare this result with the measurement given by the
oscilloscope.

4) Time scaling. Using either the time base dial or pull down menu, adjust the time base of
the oscilloscope display to the fastest setting (5μS/div). Record the effect that this setting
has on the displayed measurements for the waveform (at 5μS/div), then set to (2mS/div)
and finally the slowest setting (200mS/div). Record the effect that this control has on the
measurement of voltage and frequency. Return the time base to a setting where 1-3 full
cycles of the output sine wave is viewable. Set the Acquisition Mode to ‘RUN ONCE’
and press ‘RUN’ to capture a single sweep of the output waveform and measure the
period of the waveform by counting (estimate) the number of time divisions for a single
cycle and multiplying by the time scale. Compare this measurement to the inverse of the
frequency measured by the oscilloscope.

5) Cursor function. Set the function generator to output a 100Hz sine wave with peak
amplitude = 3.0 VPP and DC offset = 0V. Display a single screen update of between 1-3
cycles of the output function. Switch the cursors function on and drag the cursors to
appropriate points on the waveform to measure the period of the sine wave. Then adjust
the cursors to measure the peak-to-peak voltage of the sine wave. Compare these
measurements to those expected based on the function generator's output settings.

6) Connect the voltage divider circuit shown in Fig. 3.1. Set the function generator to
output a 1 kHz sine wave with amplitude = 2VPP and DC offset = 0. Display the function
generator output on Channel 0 of the oscilloscope and the voltage across the 100Ω
resistor on Channel 1. Be careful to avoid grounding errors. Display and measure these
voltages simultaneously. Measure the period of both waveforms using the cursor
function. Sketch the waveforms in your laboratory notebook and record your settings for
Volts/div and seconds/div. Compare your voltage measurements with theoretical
calculations based on the voltage divider equation. Compare your waveform period
measurement with the theoretical value obtained from the input frequency.

Figure 3-1. Voltage divider circuit used in Parts 6 and 7.


7) Reverse the polarity for the output voltage measurement on Channel 1. Repeat your
voltage and period measurements as in Part 6, sketch the resulting waveforms in your
laboratory notebook, and record your settings for Volts/div and seconds/div.

Probing Further:

1) Why does the RMS voltage measurement vary when an offset is added in the function
generator but not when changed in the oscilloscope?

2) In Part 7, what effect did reversing the polarity of the output voltage measurement have
on the oscilloscope display and the oscilloscope voltage measurements?

3) How is the accuracy of your measurements affected by adjustment of the volts/division


control? Seconds/division control?

4) How would the peak-to-peak and RMS voltage measurements be affected by the presence
of noise in a displayed waveform? Would this be a clear representation of the actual
signals in a circuit? What steps would you take to determine if noise is an issue in your
oscilloscope measurements and how would you mitigate it, if necessary?

Report:

Your lab report is due during next lab session.

NOTE: Every student MUST come with a Pre-lab report (showing tables and calculations)

You might also like