College of Information and Communication Technologies

Department of Computer Science and Engineering

CS212 : Measurement and

Instrumentation Engineering II
 College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The Function Generator and the

Oscilloscope

UDSM, 28.04.2021 CS212: Function Generator and Oscilloscopes Page 2

 Sinusoid Basics
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

General form of the sinusoid: • Vm is the amplitude

• f is the frequency
v(t) = Vm sin(2pf t + ϴ) [V] • ϴ is the phase
• 2Vm = Vpp (peak-to-peak)

We usually write ω = 2pf, and ω is the angular frequency. But

note that what you set on the function generator is f, not ω.
v(t)

Vm Vpp
t

UDSM, 28.04.2021 CS212: Function Generator and Oscilloscopes Page 3

 Sinusoid Basics…
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

A sinusoid may also have a dc offset.

v(t) = Vm sin(2pf t) [V] + Vdc

v(t)

0 Vdc
t

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 Function Generator
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

 Function generators, which are very important and

versatile instruments. provide a variety of output
waveforms over a wide frequency range.

 The most common output waveforms are sine, square,

triangular, ramp. and pulse. The frequency range
generally extends from a fraction of a hertz to at least
several hundred kilohertz.

 Since a function generator provides sine, square, and

triangular wave outputs, any of these may be the primary
waveform generated by the instrument. This primary
waveform can then be applied to the proper circuitry to
generate the remaining waveforms.
UDSM, 28.04.2021 CS212: Function Generator and Oscilloscopes Page 5
 Function Generator…
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Let’s explore basic function generator properties

Power

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 Displays and Output
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The default setting is

1 [kHz], displayed
here…

…and 100 [mV] peak-

peak amplitude,
displayed by pressing
this button.
You won’t get an output
until you press “Output”. scope
BNC to BNC
Next, connect Output
to the oscilloscope
using a BNC-to-BNC
cable.
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 Oscilloscope
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The oscilloscope displays input signal as voltage vs. time.

Voltage

time

Power From Function Generator

(You don’t have these inputs.)

UDSM, 28.04.2021 CS212: Function Generator and Oscilloscopes Page 8
 Scale Factors
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Vertical scale factor (in Horizontal scale factor scale factor adjustments
Volts/Div) (in sec/Div)

20 mV/ 500 uS/

f = 1/T T
Vpp

 Change the scale factors to see how the display is changed on the ‘scope.
 Convince yourself that the signal frequency and amplitude are what is stated
on the function generator display.
UDSM, 28.04.2021 CS212: Function Generator and Oscilloscopes Page 9
 Waveform (Function)
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Step through the functions

to observe each one.
A ramp with a
50% asymmetry is
a triangle wave…

UDSM, 28.04.2021 CS212: Function Generator and Oscilloscopes Page 10

 Signal Function
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Amplitude

v(t) = Vm sin(2pf t) [V]

v(t)

To adjust the amplitude: Vm

t
Use the keypad and the Vpp* button…

…or…

…the wheel and

the “ten’s place”
buttons.

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 Digital Oscilloscope
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Frequency

v(t) = Vm sin(2pf t) [V]

v(t)

t
To adjust the frequency:
Use the keypad and the Hz, kHz, or T
MHz button…
T = 1/f

…or…
…the wheel and the
“ten’s place”
buttons.

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 Triggering Stabilizes a Repeating

College of Information and Communication Technologies

Waveform
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

dc Offset
NOTE: v(t) = Vm sin(2pf t) [V] + Vdc
This procedure will give you twice
the offset you key in, unless the load v(t)
is 50 W, or you set it to “High Z Load”.
To adjust the offset:
Vdc
Use the keypad and the Vpp* 0 t
button…

…or…

…the wheel and the

“ten’s place” buttons.

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 The “T” Connector
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

output
connected to
BNC “T”
The three BNC connectors are in
parallel, effectively providing two
FGEN outputs. Typically one will go scope
to the scope and the other will be circuit input
your circuit input.

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 Coupling
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
Whether or not you observe the dc component on the
scope depends on the coupling.

1. Generate a signal with a dc offset, and connect it

to the oscilloscope.
2. Select whichever channel your signal is connected to.
3. Toggle through the coupling options: The dc coupling option is named
badly. It should be called
dc: dc AND ac components are displayed.
ac: only the ac component is displayed. something like, “everything”.
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 RMS Measurements
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Another way to characterize the

amplitude of a periodic waveform is the
rms (root-mean-square) amplitude:

When set to measure ac 1 t0  T

   v(t )  dt .
2
voltage or current, the Agilent Vrms
T t0
automatically displays rms.

If v(t) is a sine or cosine (sinusoid), then

Vm
Vrms  .
2
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 Triggering
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Trigger Menu
Trigger Level

When the oscilloscope is properly triggered, the image is “stable”

because it is displayed the same way each time it sweeps across the
screen. By “the same way”, we mean that it starts at the same point
every time. If the triggering is not correct, the image looks garbled , like
it is “running” across the screen. Try adjusting the trigger level, and see
what happens.
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 External Triggering
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

The external trigger input of

the oscilloscope is on the
back, at the top.

An external trigger signal is provided by the SYNC output of the function

generator. This provides a square wave of about 3[Vpp] amplitude at the
frequency of the output waveform, and synchronized with it. So as long
as your signal is coming from the output of the signal generator, the
scope knows exactly when to trigger!
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 Fun With Speakers!
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering

Play with the speakers by

connecting one output to the
speaker and one to the ‘scope.
Observe the effects of
amplitude and frequency.

speaker
What happens to the sound if you
change the wave-form oscilloscope
(sine/triangle/square)?
Practise this experiment in the Laboratory Session

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 Oscilloscope Measurement Scenario
College of Information and Communication Technologies
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
DSO SIGNAL
GENERATOR POWER
SUPPLY

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