ECA Lab Manual
ECA Lab Manual
Lab Manual
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Introduction
This is the Lab Manual for EEE – 121 Electric Circuit Analysis I. The labs constitute 25 % of the
total marks for this course.
During the labs you will work in groups (no more than three students per group). You are
required to complete the ‘Pre-Lab’ section of the lab before coming to the lab. You will be
graded for this and the ‘In-Lab’ tasks during the in-lab viva. You will complete the ‘Post-Lab’
section of each lab before coming to the next week’s lab.
You are not allowed to wander in the lab or consult other groups when performing experiments.
Similarly the lab reports must contain original efforts. CIIT has a zero tolerance anti-plagiarism
policy. You are not allowed to copy anything from Lab manual or internet, you should draw
your own circuit diagram using LTSPICE. Take snapshot of your physical circuit using camera
and explain the theory in your own words.
Apart from these weekly labs you will complete two projects. One mini-project that will count
towards your Lab Sessional II score and a Final Project which will be graded as Lab Final Exam.
The grading policy is already discussed in the Course Description File.
Acknowledgement
The labs for EEE-121Electrical Circuit Analysis I were designed by the team of Dr.
Bilal Ijaz and Mr. Adeel Iqbal. The manuals were prepared by Mr. Adeel Iqbal,
Mr.Imtiaz Ur Rehman Mr. Mirza Osama and Ms. Nida Asim. The first version was
completed in Session Spring 2016, The second version was completed during the
summer break of 2016. Typesetting and formatting of this version was supervised
by Dr. Omar Ahmad and was carried out by Mr. Abdul Rehman, Mr Suleman
&MrBaqir Hussain. Two open ended labs are introduced by Ms Sadaf Iqbal in Fall
Session 2018
History of Revision
Version
and Date of Team Comments
Issue
Version 2.
September Ms Sadaf Iqbal Two open ended Labs are introduced
2018
Safety Precautions
• Be calm and relaxed, while working in lab.
• When working with voltages over 40 V or current over 10 A, there must be at least two
• Be sure about the locations of fire extinguishers and first aid kit.
• No loose wires or metals pieces should be lying on the table or neat the circuit.
• Avoid using long wires, that may get in your way while making adjustments or changing
leads.
• Be aware of bracelets, rings, and metal watch bands (if you are wearing any of them). Do
• When working with energize circuit use only one hand while keeping rest of your body
o Disconnect the power source from the circuit breaker and pull out the plug using
insulated material.
Table of Contents
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgement .......................................................................................................................... 3
History of Revision ..................................................................................................................... 3
Safety Precautions ........................................................................................................................... 4
Lab 01: Part 01: Introduction to lab Instruments ............................................................................ 8
Objective: .................................................................................................................................... 8
Pre-Lab Tasks: ............................................................................................................................ 8
Lab 01: Part 02: Identification of resistor color codes:................................................................. 21
In-Lab Tasks: ............................................................................................................................ 21
Objectives: ................................................................................................................................ 21
Task#1: ...................................................................................................................................... 23
Task #2: ..................................................................................................................................... 23
Critical Analysis / Conclusion .................................................................................................. 27
Lab 02: Experimental verification of ohm’s law through simulation software (LTSPICE/circuit
maker) ........................................................................................................................................... 28
Objective ................................................................................................................................... 28
Pre-Lab Task: ............................................................................................................................ 28
Task # 1: .................................................................................................................................... 29
Task # 2: .................................................................................................................................... 29
In-Lab Task: .............................................................................................................................. 38
Post-Lab Tasks: ......................................................................................................................... 40
Critical Analysis / Conclusion .................................................................................................. 42
Lab 03: Resistor Combinations - Series and Parallel.................................................................... 43
Pre Lab ...................................................................................................................................... 43
In Lab ........................................................................................................................................ 43
Task(1) ...................................................................................................................................... 44
Task(2) ...................................................................................................................................... 46
Post lab ...................................................................................................................................... 47
Critical Analysis / Conclusion .................................................................................................. 49
Objective:
To get a comprehensive understanding of various laboratory instruments
Equipment:
DC Power Supply, Digital Multi-meter and Bread-board
Figure 1
Pre-Lab Tasks:
DC Power Supply:
DC Power Supply is used to generate either a constant voltage or a constant current. That is, it
may be used as either a DC voltage source or a DC current source. You will be primarily as a
voltage source. Recall that DC is an acronym for direct current. DC means constant with respect
to time.
DC power supply has digital display including 0-30vD C and 0-3A. Adjustable voltage (coarse
and fine) and current limiting (2 range meter). The voltage produced by the power supply is
controlled by the knob labeled voltage. The current is limited by adjusting the knob labeled
current. As long as the circuit does not attempt to draw more current than the value set by the
current knob, the voltage will remain constant. Current limiting can prevent damage to
equipment and parts which may be unable to handle excessive currents
Multimeter
What do meter measure?
Before going in to detail about multi-meters, it is important for you to have a clear idea of how
meters are connected into circuits. Figures A and B below show a circuit before and after
connecting an ammeter:
➢ to measure current, the circuit must be broken to allow the ammeter to be connected in series
➢ ammeters must have a LOW resistance
Think about the changes you would have to make to a practical circuit in order to include the
ammeter. To start with, you need to break the circuit so that the ammeter can be connected in
series. All the current flowing in the circuit must pass through the ammeter. Meters are not
supposed to alter the behavior of the circuit, or at least not significantly, and it follows that an
ammeter must have a very LOW resistance.
This time, you do not need to break the circuit. The voltmeter is
connected in parallel between the two points where the
measurement is to be made. Since the voltmeter provides a
parallel pathway, it should take as little current as possible. In
other words, a voltmeter should have a very HIGH resistance.
➢ To measure resistance, the component must be removed from the circuit altogether
➢ Ohmmeters work by passing a current through the component being tested
Ohmmeters work by passing a small current through the component and measuring the voltage
produced. If you try this with the component connected into a circuit with a power supply, the
most likely result is that the meter will be damaged. Most multi-meters have a fuse to help
protect against misuse.
Digital multimeter:
Multimeters are designed and mass produced for electronics engineers. Even the simplest and
cheapest types may include features which you are not likely to use. Digital meters give an
output in numbers, usually on a liquid crystal display. The diagram below shows a digital
multimeter:
Parts of a Digital-Multimeter(DMM):
A multimeter has three parts:
• Display
• Selection Knob
• Ports
The display usually has four digits and the ability to display a negative sign. A few multimeters
have illuminated displays for better viewing in low light situations.
The selection knob allows the user to set the multimeter to read different things such as current
in milliamperes (mA),microamperes (uA)& amperes(A) , voltages in millivolts
(mv),microvolts(uv)& volts (V) and resistance in ohms(Ω), kiloohms (kΩ) & megaohms(MΩ).
Two probes are plugged into two of the ports on the front of the unit. COM stands for common
and is almost always connected to Ground or ‘-’ of a circuit. The COM probe is conventionally
black but there is no difference between the red probe and black probe other than color. 10A is
the special port used when measuring large currents (greater than 200mA). mAVΩ is the port
that the red probe is conventionally plugged in to. This port allows the measurement of current
(up to 200mA), voltage (V), and resistance (Ω).
Measuring Voltage:
To start, let’s measure voltage on a AA battery: Plug the black probe into COM and the red
probe into mAVΩ. Set the multimeter to “2V” in the DC (direct current) range.Connect the
black probe to the battery’s ground or ‘-’ and the red probe to power or ‘+’. Squeeze the probes
with a little pressure against the positive and negative terminals of the AA battery. If you’ve got
a fresh battery, you should see around 1.5V on the display (this battery is brand new, so its
voltage is slightly higher than 1.5V).
If you’re measuring DC voltage (such as a battery) you want to set the knob where the V has a
straight line. AC voltage like what comes out of the wall can be dangerous, so we rarely need to
use the AC voltage setting (the V with a wavy line next to it). If you’re messing with AC,
What happens if you switch the red and black probes? The reading on the multimeter is simply
negative. Nothing bad happens!
Multimeters are generally not auto-ranging. You have to set the multimeter to a range that it can
measure. For example, 2V measures voltages up to 2 volts, and 20V measures voltages up to 20
volts. So if you’ve measuring a 12V battery, use the 20V setting. If you set it incorrectly, you
will probably see the meter screen change and then read ‘1’.
Now let’s construct a simple circuit to demonstrate how to measure voltage in a real world
scenario. The circuit is simply a 1kΩ and LED powered with a Power Supply .Let’s measure the
whole circuit first. Measuring from where the voltage is going in to the resistor and then where
ground is on the LED, we should see the full voltage of the circuit, expected to be around 5V.
Figure 5
We can then see how much voltage the LED is using. This is what is referred to as the voltage
drop across the LED
Overload:
What happens if you select a voltage setting that is too low for the voltage you’re trying to
measure? Nothing bad. The meter will simply display a 1. This is the meter trying to tell you that
it is overloaded or out-of-range. Whatever you’re trying to read is too much for that particular
setting. Try changing the multimeter knob to the next highest setting.
Figure 7: Reading the 5V across this circuit is too much for the 2V setting on the
multimeter
Measuring Resistance:
Normal resistors have color codes on them. If you don’t know what they mean, that’s ok! a
multimeter is very handy at measuring resistance. Pick out a random resistor and set the
multimeter to the 20kΩ setting. Then hold the probes against the resistor legs with the same
amount of pressure you when pressing a key on a keyboard.
Figure 8
The meter will read one of three things, 0.00, 1, or the actual resistor value.
• In this case, the meter reads 0.97, meaning this resistor has a value of 0.97kΩ, or about
1kΩ or 1000 Ω (remember you are in the 20kΩ or 20,000 Ohm mode so you need to
move the decimal three places to the right or 9,900 Ohms).
• If the multimeter reads 1 or displays OL, it’s overloaded. You will need to try a higher
mode such as 200kΩmode or 2MΩ (mega ohm) mode. There is no harm if this happen, it
simply means the range knob needs to be adjusted.
• If the multimeter reads 0.00 or nearly zero, then you need to lower the mode
to 2kΩ or 200Ω.
Measuring Current:
Reading current is one of the trickiest and most insightful readings in the world of embedded
electronics. It’s tricky because you have to measure current in series. Where voltage is measure
by poking at +ive& -ive (in parallel), to measure current you have to physically interrupt the
flow of current and put the meter in-line. To demonstrate this, we’ll use the same circuit we used
in the measuring voltage section.
The first thing we’ll need is an extra piece of wire. As mentioned, we’ll need to physically
interrupt the circuit to measure the current. Said another way, pull out the +ive wire going to the
resistor, add a wire where that wire was connected, and then probe from the power pin on the
power supply to the resistor. This effectively “breaks” power to the circuit. We then insert the
multimeter in-line so that it can measure the current as it “flows” through the multimeter into the
bread board.
We used alligator clips. When measuring current, it’s often good to watch what your system
does over time, for a few seconds or minutes. While you might want to stand there and hold the
probes to the system, sometimes it’s easier to free up your hands. These alligator clip probes can
come in handy.
Figure 9
This circuit was only pulling 1.8mA at the time of measurement.Similar to the other
measurements, when measuring current, the color of the probes does not matter. What happens if
we switch probes? Nothing bad happens! It simply causes the current reading to become
negative.Measuring current can be tricky the first couple of times.
Remember! When you're done using the meter, always return the meter to read voltage (return
the probes to the voltage port, set the meter to read the DC voltage range if necessary). It's
common to grab a meter and begin to quickly measure the voltage between two pins. If you have
left your meter in 'current' mode, you won't see the voltage on the display. Instead you'll see
'0.000' indicating that there is no current between +ive and -ive. Within that split second you will
have connected +ive to -ive through your meter and the 200mA fuse will blow which is not
good.
Continuity:
Continuity testing is the act of testing the resistance between two points. If there is very low
resistance (less than a few Ωs), the two points are connected electrically, and a tone is emitted. If
there is more than a few Ωs of resistance, than the circuit is open, and no tone is emitted. This
test helps insure that connections are made correctly between two points. This test also helps us
detect if two points are connected that should not be.
Continuity is quite possibly the single most important function for embedded hardware gurus.
This feature allows us to test for conductivity of materials and to trace where electrical
connections have been made or not made.
Set the multimeter to ‘Continuity’ mode. It may vary among DMMs, but look for a diode symbol
with propagation waves around it (like sound coming from a speaker).
Now touch the probes together. The multimeter should emit a tone (Note: Not all multimeter
have a continuity setting, but most should). This shows that a very small amount of current is
allowed to flow without resistance (or atleast a very small resistance) between probes.
Warning! In general, turn OFF the system before checking for continuity.
multimeter causing the bread board power supply to burn out. As the current rushes through the
multimeter, the internal fuse will heat up and then burn out as 200mA flows through it. It will
happen in a split second and without any real audible or physical indication that something is
wrong.
Remember that measuring current is done in series. If you try to measure the current with a
blown fuse, you’ll probably notice that the meter reads ‘0.00’ and that the system doesn’t turn on
like it should when you attach the multimeter. This is because the internal fuse is broken and acts
as a broken wire or open.
Breadboard:
Breadboards are one of the most fundamental pieces when learning how to build circuits. you
will learn how to use one. Once you are done you should have a basic understanding of how
breadboards work and be able to build a basic circuit on a breadboard.
To understand this, first you have to understand how a breadboard's holes are electrically
connected. You can see the breadboard in the figure 1 given below on which circuits are build.
two rows of blocks A,D&G of breadboard are internally & separately horizontally connected
from 0 to 30 after that there is no horizontal connection i.e. there is a gap after that, than again
from 31 to 60 these 2 rows are internally & separately horizontally connected as show by arrows
in blocks A,D&G of figure 1,2&3 below. There is no internal connection between these two
rows These two rows are mostly used for power connections when making circuit on breadboard.
Blocks B,C, E&F are internally vertical connected as shown in figure 1,2&3.These blocks are
mostly used to place components in order to complete the circuit while making it on
breadboard.Remember that there is no internal connection between Blocks A,B,C,D,E,F&G.
Figure 11
Figure 12
Figure 13
There are different ways to change the physical layout of a circuit on a breadboard without
actually changing the electrical connections. For example, two circuits in figure 4&5 below are
electrically identical; even though the leads of the LED have moved, there is still a complete path
(called a closed circuit) for electricity to flow through the LED.
Figure 14
Figure 15
However, you can also completely rearrange the components on the breadboard. As long as the
circuit is electrically equivalent, it will still work. Even though the circuit in figure 6 looks
different than the previous two because the components have been rearranged, electricity still
follows an equivalent path through the LED and the resistor.
Figure 16
In-Lab Tasks:
Objectives:
➢ To find the value of a resistor and its tolerance by color coding.
➢ To measure the value of the resistor by Digital Multi-meter (DMM).
Theory:
Resistor values are marked onto the body of the resistor using a series of colored bands. These
The resistance value of the resistor is not the only thing to consider when selecting a resistor for
use in a circuit. The "tolerance" and the electric power ratings of the resistor are also important.
The tolerance of a resistor denotes how close it is to the actual rated resistance value. For
example, a ±5% tolerance would indicate a resistor that is within ±5% of the specified resistance
value. The power rating indicates how much power the resistor can safely tolerate. The
maximum rated power of the resistor is specified in Watts. Power is calculated using the square
of the current ( I2 ) x the resistance value ( R ) of the resistor. If the maximum rating of the
resistor is exceeded, it will become extremely hot and even burn. Resistors in electronic circuits
are typically rated 1/8W, 1/4W, and 1/2W. 1/8W is almost always used in signal circuit
applications.
Task#1:
Select ten resistors (5% tolerance) between 1Ω and 1MΩ. Verify the value of resistance and
tolerance of resistors using color codes, and complete the following table:
Task 02
Resistance value through color Tolerance Range Value of Resistance Error
No.
codes (Ω) (%) (Ω) measured by the DMM (Ω) (%)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Task #2:
This is repetition of lab 4.
Build the circuits given below on the Breadboard and show it to the lab
instructor?
(a): (b):
Post-Lab Task:
Answer the following Questions:functionality of oscilloscope is not mentioned in this lab
(1) Calculate the frequency of waveforms with periods of (a) 10 s, (b) 5 ms, (c) 200 μs.
(2) What is the period of waveforms with frequencies of (a) 20 Hz, (b) 150 kHz,(c) 0.5 Hz.
(3) Find values for the period, frequency, peak amplitude, peak-to-peak amplitude and rms
amplitude for the sine wave shown below:
(4) What are the important features of ammeters, voltmeters and ohmmeters?
(5) What is the value of resistor having colors red, red, yellow and gold?
(6) What is the largest deviation in Table of task 2? Would it ever be possible to find a value
that is outside the stated tolerance? Why or why not?
(7) Do the measured values of Table of task 2 represent the exact values of the resistors tested?
Why or why not?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Objective
➢ To verify Ohm’s law experimentally and to find the relationship between voltage,
current, and resistance in a circuit.
➢ To learn how to create and simulate the circuits in LTSPICE
Equipment Required
Resistors, DMM, breadboard, DC power supply, and connecting wires.
Knowledge Level
➢ Before working on this lab, students should have good understanding of Ohm’s Law.
➢ Students should be able to theoretically solve the circuit shown in circuit diagram.
Pre-Lab Task:
Introduction:
Ohm’s law states that “the voltage v(or potential difference) across a resistor is directly
proportional to the current i flowing through it.” As the current increases the voltage drop also
increases provided that the resistance is kept constant; and the current decreases as the resistance
increases provided that the voltage across the resistor terminals remains the same.
Mathematically,
vi
v = iR
WhereR is the constant of proportionality and is the
resistance of the resistor element.
Task # 1:
Solve the circuit shown in figure below by hand before coming to the lab and find the Current
across the Resistor by varying voltages (from 0.5V to 5V in stepwise manner) for three values of
resistance R1 as show in table 1 below and record these values in table . The values of resistors
should be taken as 1KΩ, 2.2KΩ and 5KΩ. (The values of resistor available in laboratory may
slightly vary.
Task # 2:
INTRODUCTION TO LTSPICE:
LTSPICE is an abbreviation for Linear Technology Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit
Emphasis. It uses mathematical models to describe circuit elements and allows DC and time
transient analysis of nonlinear circuits (transistors, diodes, capacitors, etc., also digital circuitry).
DOWNLOADINGANDINSTALLINGLTSPICE:-
LT spice can be downloaded fromhttp://www.linear.com/designtools/software/ltspice.jspThe
downloaded file is a .exe file which directly installs LTspice.
CREATINGASIMPLECIRCUIT:-
1. Open the LTspicesoftware.
2. ChooseFile->NewSchematic.
3. FromToolsmenu the color preferences can be changed, thegrid can be turned on or
off from the view menu.
4. The tool bar is explained below
5. The component button can be used to put any circuit component on the schematic
diagram. The wire button can be used to connect different components.
6. The label button can be used to give labels to different nodes. Otherwise a default name
isgivento each node.
7. To delete a component from the diagram either use F5 or click the scissors button
and click on the component to be deleted.
10. This window contains a collection of basic component; to make the circuit as shown
above choose the voltage source and place it on the schematic diagram.
11. Place resistors on the schematic diagram and join those using wires to make the
complete circuit. To rotate aresistor so that it can be placed as in the given circuit,
select theresistor and press ctrl+r. Similarly ctrl+eis used to mirror a resistor. Place
the ground at the lower node.
12. The circuit iscomplete. To set the values of observe that each component has two labels
attached to it. One represents the name and other represents the value of the component
.To change the name or the value of any component left click on the corresponding
label e.g. each resistor comes with a label R1, R2 etc that represents its name. Each
resistor is also accompanied by a label R that represents its value. To change the value
of the resistor use left click on the label.Thefollowingwindow appears.
15. Now the DC value and the source internal resistance can be set from this window. The
advanced button can be used to change the voltage source from DC to other types
which shall be explored in other tasks.
4. It shows thepossible type of analyses LTspice can perform. At the momentwe are only
interested in the DC biaspointso click the DC oppntbutton on the top menu of this
window and click ok.
5. The operating pointiscalculated and thefollowing results appear.
6. Since we placed no label on the nodesso they are given names n001 and n002.The node
8. So the node voltages and current through each component are listed.Note that the current
through the resistor R1 is negative. The reason is that R1 was rotated before being placed
in the circuit .LTspicedefines a predetermined direction of current through each resistor.
A negative value shows that the actual direction of current is opposite to the
predetermined assumed direction.Tocheck whatdirectionLTspicehas assumed click
View->Spice Netlist from the top menu. A net-list is at extversionof the schematic
diagram. The following window appears
9. Shows that R1 is connected between nodes N2 and N1 and hence the assumed direction
of current is from N2 to N1. Whereas the actual current flows from N1 to N2 and hence
10. To connect R1 i.e. the assumed direction is from N1 to N2 select the resistor by using the
moveordragbutton (the buttons with the symbol of open or closed hand) from the tool bar
and press ctrl+e to mirror the resistor. Now run the simulation and view the Spice Netlist.
11. The current through Voltage source is negative as it should be by passive sign convention
DC Sweep is a type of simulation in LTSpice where the DC voltage of one or more than one
source(s) is varied in a step-wise manner. At each step the DC bias point is calculated, there
ultsareusually represented in the graphs. This type of analysis is most suitable when plotting the
V-I curves of different devices or when designing a specific DC bias point for a particular circuit.
1. Create a new schematic and draw the following circuit. Remember to label them
asV1andV2 as shown.
2. To perform the DC sweep analysis click the run command and choose the ‘DC Sweep’
button on the window that appears.
3. Provide the name of the DC source which will perform the sweep i.e. V1 in our case.
Provide a start value lets say 0V and an end value lets say 2V and an increment (i.e.
Step) value letssay0.05V.
4. The simulation will be performed and agraphicalwindow would appear.
1. Since the results of the DC Sweep are best viewed using a graphical utility so shall use
the graphical analysis of LTSPICE also called TRACE. When use a DC Sweep analysis
the value of the DC voltage source varies from the initial to the final value in the form of
incremental step, at each step all voltages and currents are measured and stored.Herewe
want to plot the diode current as the value of diode voltage varies.
2. Maximize the graph window;take them cursor over the horizontal axis,Use the ‘right-
click’ button and a window would appear.
3. This window tells us that the quantity plotted on the horizontal-axis is the DC source
voltage V1. It also tells what themaximum and minimum value on the axis is and where
the ticks are placed. We can change all these values .Sincewe want to plot diode current
vs diode voltages we should place diode voltage on the horizontal-axis. To do so change
the value of ‘Quantity plotted’ from ‘V1’ to V(V1)–V(V2).
4. Now move the mouse cursor somewhere on the graphical screen and use ‘left click’,
from the drop-down menu that appears click‘AddTrace’.The following window appears
5. It lists all the voltages and current which have been calculated during the DC sweep
simulation. Choose I(D1) which is the diode current.
6. The V-I curve is plotted on the screen.
7. A number ofmathematical operations can be performed on the graphs. A constant may be
added, subtracted, multiplied or dived from the graph. Two or more graphs may be
added, subtracted,multipliedor divided. Similarly the logarithm or some trigonometric
function of the graph may be plotted as well.
Note: Now you have learn how to simulate the circuits on LTspice and plot Graphs.
Task # 3:
Create the circuit shown in figure 1 below on LTSPICE and simulate using DC Sweep
Analysisby varying voltages (from 0.5V to 5V in stepwise manner) for three values of resistance
R1 and plots the V-I curves of a Resistor R1 before coming to the lab and bring the screen shorts
with you in lab.The values of resistors should be taken as 1KΩ, 2.2KΩ and 5KΩrespectively.
(The values of resistor available in laboratory may slightly vary. Also simulate the circuit using
DC Bias-Point and observe the values of corresponding current ‘Simulated Value’. Record
these values along with calculated in the table below:
Figure 2
In-Lab Task:
Task# 1: Procedure
Task 1 Assemble on the bread-board the circuit shown in Figure 2.6 using the same
voltage setting on the power supply and the same resistor as shown.Set the multi-
meter to measure dc current, make sure that the leads are correctly set for current
measurement.Measure the current flowing through the resistor. Does this value
v
agree with the calculations using Ohm's Law i = ?
R
Task 2 Measure the current flowing through the resistor in the opposite direction. This is
done by reversing the leads of the ammeter. Does this value agree with the
v
calculations using Ohm's Law i = ?. Record these Values and Complete the
R
table shown in Measurements Section
R
1kΩ
10V
Lab Exercise:
Safety Precautions
Measurement Section:Task-1
V R = 1K Ω R = 2.2K Ω R = 5K Ω
(volts)
Calculated
Calculated
Calculated
Simulated
Simulated
Simulated
Measured
Measured
Measured
I (mA)
I (mA)
I (mA)
I (mA)
I (mA)
I (mA)
I (mA)
I (mA)
I(mA)
0.5
1.0
1.5
2.0
2.5
3.0
3.5
4.0
4.5
5.0
Table 1
Post-Lab Tasks:
1. Plot the values Measured in the lab with voltage on x-axis and current on y-axis on graph
paper.
b. What would happen if a wire having no resistance at all (0 Ω) was connected directly
across the terminals of a 6 volt battery? How much current would result, according to
Ohm’s Law?
6V
+
-
c. How would you place a DC current source with downward direction on LTSPICE
schematic?
d. When you simulate the circuit (Figure 2.6) in LTSPICE, the magnitude of current
through all elements is same; however, negative sign appears with current through
voltage source. What is the reason?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
In Lab
Objectives
➢ Learn how to connect the resistors in series and parallel on breadboard.
➢ To measure the equivalent resistance of series and parallel combination of resistors using
digital multi-meter (DMM), and compare with its theoretical value.
➢ To verify that same amount of current flows through each series circuit element.
➢ To verify that equal voltage appears across each parallel circuit element.
Equipment Required
Resistors, DMM, Breadboard, DC Power Supply, Connecting wires
Knowledge Level
Before working on this lab you should have a basic understanding of Ohm’s law and use of
DMM for resistance measurement.
Task(1)
Task 1. Take any three resistors of your choice.
Resistance values are marked onto the body of the
resistor using a series of colored bands. Find their
individual resistance values through color code
identification and record these in Table 3.2.
Task 8. Create the circuits shown in figure 3.1 in LTSPICE. Simulate the circuit and observe all
the branch voltages and currents. Record the values mentioned in measurement tables.
Resistances in parallel
In a parallel circuit voltage across all the resistors remains the same and the supply current or
total current is the sum of the individual currents in different parallel paths. The sum of the
reciprocal of parallel resistances connected in the circuit is equal to the reciprocal of the
equivalent resistance connected in the circuit. If k number of resistors is connected in parallel
then the equivalent resistance Req is given by,
1 1 1 1
= + + ... + (3.3)
Req R1 R2 Rk
Value of R1 (Ω) Value of R2 (Ω) Value of R3 (Ω) Req calculated(Ω) Req measured(Ω)
iT (mA) iT (mA)
V1 (V) measured V2 (V) measured V3 (V) measured
calculated measured
Table 3.1
Task(2)
Task 1. Take any three resistors of your choice. Find
their individual resistance values through color
code identification and record these in Table 3.3.
Task 6. Use DMM being set as voltmeter to measure the Figure 5: Resistors connected in parallel
voltages across the three resistors. Record the values on breadboard
in Table 3.3. All these values should be equal to the
supply voltage. Do the individual resistor voltages
is equal to the supply voltage?
Measurement Tables:
Value of R1 (Ω) Value of R2 (Ω) Value of R3 (Ω) Req calculated(Ω) Req (Ω) measured
iT (mA) calculated iT (mA) measured I1 (mA) measured I2 (mA) measured I3 (mA) measured
Table 3.2
Post lab
Questions
1. Assume that you have a 100 Ω resistor. You want to add a resistor in series with this 100 Ω
resistor in order to limit the current to 0.5 amps when 110 volts is placed across the two
resistors in series. How much resistance should you use?
2. Identify the resistances pairs that are in parallel in the following circuit:
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
Kirchhoff’s Laws
Kirchhoff’s Laws are based on energy and charge conservation. Kirchhoff’s voltage law is based
on energy conservation and states that the algebraic sum of the potential (voltage) drops around a
complete path is equal to zero. For example, in the circuit shown in figure 4.1, the relations
between the circuit elements and resistances for the path ABCDA is:
−V + I1 R1 + I 2 R2 + I 5 R5 = 0 (4.1)
Kirchhoff’s current law is based on charge
conservation, and states that the algebraic
sum of the currents entering a node is zero.
I3 − I 4 − I 6 = 0 (4.3)
Pre-Lab Tasks:
Solve the circuits shown in figure 4.2 and 4.3 before coming to the lab. You can chose any value
for resistors…..and take v as 5 v Calculate the voltages V1 through V5 using Voltage Divider
Rule for figure 4.2 and currents I1 through I3 using Current Divider Rule for figure 4.3. Bring the
results with you.
In Lab
Objective
➢ To study the validity of Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws.
➢ To study the validity of the voltage and current division principles.
Equipment Required
Resistors, DMM, breadboard, DC power supply, and connecting wires.
Knowledge Level
➢ Before working on this lab, students should have good understanding of Kirchhoff’s
voltage and current laws.
➢ Students should be able to theoretically solve the circuit shown in circuit diagram.
➢ Students should know how to simulate the electric circuit using LTSPICE.
Since we are not supposed to use the recipe based lab…hence I think the values of resistors
should not be mentioned here….students should use the pre lab task values here
V = V1 + V2 + V3 + V4 + V5 (4.4)
Table 1
Voltage across element
Element Calculated Measured Simulated
(V)
R1 (Ω) V1
R2(Ω) V2
R3(Ω) V3
R4(Ω) V4
R5(Ω) V5
Table 4.1
Verification of KVL:
Again the values of resistors should not be mentioned here…students should be provided
with a range of values for resistors
Task (2): Validation of Kirchhoff’s Current Law and Current Divider Rule
Task 1.Connect the circuit as shown in figure 4.3 and
make sure all the connections are appropriate.
Task 6. Calculate the equivalent resistance Req of the three resistors used in this circuit. With
supply voltage V and Req, determine the total current Iflowing in the equivalent circuit.
Compare the calculated and measured current values as tabulated in Table 4.2. Do they
agree? What is the reason for the slight variation
Table 2
Current through element
Calculated Measured Simulated
Element (mA)
R1 (Ω) I1
R2(Ω) I2
R3(Ω) I3
Table 4.2
Verification of KCL:
Post Lab
Questions
2. Two resistors R1 and R2 are connected in series. The voltage drop across R1 is larger than R2.
What can we infer about comparative values of the resistances? Is R1>R2 or R1<R2.
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
Theory
A galvanometer is a sensitive device which can measure very small currents accurately. A
galvanometer itself may not be very useful for measuring currents in most of the circuits where
current is usually in milli amperes. However by slight alterations a galvanometer can be
converted into a voltmeter or an ammeter with a reasonably larger range. It is basically a current
measuring device but by knowing its internal resistance and using ohm’s law we can use it to
measure voltage across a circuit element. However such a usage of galvanometer has two serious
limitations. First, since the internal resistance of a galvanometer is usually small it would
seriously affect the voltage reading across the element for which it is used. Second, as
galvanometers can measure only small amounts of current (300 micro amperes) so the range of
voltage which they can measure is very small as well. We can overcome both these limitations
very easily. By connecting a very large resistance in series with the galvanometer we can make
its total resistance significantly large. This would increase the range of measurable voltage and
would decrease the loading effect of the galvanometer as well.
If v = 5V then i = 300µA. Suppose the internal resistance Rm of the galvanometer is 140Ω then
KVL around the closed loop would give the following equation:
v = iR + iRm (5.1)
R = ( v − iRm ) i (5.2)
1) The actual value of the internal resistance (Rm) of the galvanometer is unknown.
2) If found the actual value of internal resistance (Rm) still, it would be really fortuitous if the
calculated value of the resistance R is actually present in the laboratory.
So to overcome these two constraints a circuit as shown in figure 5.1 is build. A variable
resistance (1 MΩ) has to be attached in series with the galvanometer. The value of the variable
resistance is slowly varied until maximum deflection of the galvanometer is achieved, thus our
voltmeter design is complete and calibrated for -5 to +5 volt measurement.
1) Measure the voltage across the sensitive galvanometer (vg) in the circuit shown in figure 5.1
using DMM, and record the value in Table 5.1.
2) Measure the current flowing through the galvanometer (ig) in the circuit shown in figure 5.1,
and record the value in Table 5.1.
3) Write down in the calculated and measured value of the internal resistance Rm.
4) Determine the calculated value of R using eq. (5.2). Use DMM to measure the value of series
resistance R and make a note in Table 5.1.
1000Ω R1
10V
R 5.6Ω G
Ammeter
is = ( Rg / ( Rg + Rs ) ) i (5.3)
(5.4)
Rs = Rg ( i / is ) − Rg
Rs = (140 )(10 / 9.7 ) − 140
R = 4.33
The design of the ammeter as explained in the theory section has two constraints: First, actual
value of the internal resistance (Rg) of the galvanometer is unknown. Second, if found the actual
value of internal resistance (Rg) still it would be really fortuitous if the calculated value of the
resistance Rs is actually present in the laboratory. So we would make a circuit as shown in figure
5.4. A variable resistance R of 1kΩ has to be attachedin parallel with the galvanometer. The
value of the variable resistance is slowly varied until maximum deflection of the galvanometer is
achieved, thus our ammeter design is complete and calibrated for 0 to 10 mA measurement. You
can verify that the designed ammeter can measure current up to 10 mA by finding the total
current flowing through 10V source using the DMM.
Theory:
Any linear electric or electronic circuit or device which generates a voltage may be represented
as an ideal voltage source in series with some impedance. This impedance is termed the internal
resistance of the source. The internal resistance of a source cannot be measured using a
conventional ohmmeter, since it requires a current to be observed. However, it can be calculated
from current and voltage data measured from a test circuit containing the source and a load
resistance. Since both the internal and load resistance (Rv and Rl) are in series with the ideal
voltage source, Kirchhoff’s laws and Ohm’s law give
vl = ( Rv + Rl ) il (5.5)
vl
Rv = − Rl (5.6)
il
Where vl is the voltage and il is the current associated with the load resistance Rl.
In Lab
Objective
➢ To convert a sensitive galvanometer into a voltmeter (measurement range: -5 volts to +5
volts)
➢ To convert a sensitive galvanometer into a ammeter (measurement range: 0 to 10 milli-
amperes)
➢ To verify that voltages and currents measured by designed voltmeter and ammeter are
comparable to that measured by Digital Multimeter
➢ To determine the internal resistance of voltage source
Equipment Required
Galvanometer, Variable resistor / potentiometer, Resistors, DMM, breadboard, DC power
supply, and connecting wires.
Knowledge Level
➢ Before working on this lab, students should have good understanding of how the devices
ammeter, voltmeter and galvanometer work.
➢ Students should be able to theoretically solve the circuit shown in circuit diagrams.
1000Ω
500Ω R2
5V
500Ω R3
R1
1000Ω
500Ω R2
5V
500Ω R3
Measurement Table 1:
V measured by the designed voltmeter %
Value of resistance (Ω) V measured by the DMM (V)
(V) difference
R1 =
R2 =
R3 =
Table 5.2
100Ω
100Ω
1000Ω R1
Ammeter
Measurement Table 2:
Value of Current measured by the Current measured by % difference
resistance (Ω) designed ammeter (A) the DMM (A)
R1 =
R2 =
R3 =
Table 5.3
100Ω
Rx 1kΩ
6V
Measurement Table 3:
0 (short circuit)
100
220
470
1k
3.3k
4.7k
10k
33k
100M
∞ (open circuit)
Table 5.3
Post Lab
Questions:
1. What do you mean by short and open circuit? What are the values of voltages and currents in
open and short circuits?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
Wheatstone Bridge
The Wheatstone bridge gives a precise method to measure resistance against a known standard.
Within a Wheatstone bridge, a comparative device measures two additional relative resistances
from two separate resistors. The relative resistance equals the lengths of a divided wire wound in
a coil of a potentiometer, a device allowing the manipulation of this resistance ration. Thus, the
Wheatstone bridge utilizes repetitive comparisons of potentials to find the potential settings. In
this experiment, a voltmeter is used as the null detector and is placed as shown in Fig. 1. The
Wheatstone bridge achieves balance when the following condition is satisfied and no current
flows through the voltmeter.
𝑅1 𝑅𝑥
=
𝑅2 𝑅𝑠
𝑅1
𝑅𝑥 = 𝑅
𝑅2 𝑠
Figure 1
In Lab
Objectives
➢ To find the value of unknown resistor using Wheatstone bridge.
➢ To verify experimentally the principle of delta-wye and wye-deltatransformation.
EquipmentRequired
Fixed Resistors, Variable Resistor, DMM, Breadboard, DC Power Supply, Connecting wires
Knowledge Level
Before working on this lab you should have a basic understanding of the use of DMM for
resistance meter, ammeter and voltmeter. Student should be able to use voltage divider rule.
Measurement Table 1:
R1 (Ω) R2 (Ω) R3 (Ω) Rx(Ω) using Wheatstone Rx(Ω) Using Error
Bridge DMM (%)
Table 6.1
(a)
(b)
Figure 3
Task 3. Next convert the Delta to its equivalent Wye circuit. For conversion to hold true the
voltage difference between the nodes in the converted circuit must be same as that of the
difference between the nodes of the original delta circuit.
Task 4. Converted circuit as shown in Fig. 6.4 (b) contains a Wye instead of a Delta. Values of
the resistances determined using the relationships mentioned above should be equal to 1kΩ.
Task 5. Determine the voltage across all the resistors and current through them and note the
values in Table 6.4.
Task 6. The voltage difference between nodes in the Wye circuit and corresponding nodes in
delta circuit should be same. Do keep in mind the positive/negative signs while taking the
voltage difference.
Measurement Table 2:
𝑹𝑪𝑫 / 𝑹𝟓
Voltage/ 𝑹𝑨𝑩 Ω 𝑹𝑩𝑪 Ω 𝑹𝑨𝑪 Ω 𝑹𝑩𝑫 (𝑹𝟒 )Ω
(Ω)
Current
E (V)
I (mA)
RCD/ R5
Voltage/ RAB(Ω) RBC(Ω) RAC(Ω) RBD/ R4(Ω)
(Ω)
Current
E (V)
I (mA)
Post Lab
Questions?
1. How is the operation of Wheatstone bridge affected by changes in the input power supply
voltage? Would there be an advantage in using a higher voltage?
3. How much voltage needs to be dropped across resistor R1 in order to make voltage VAB equal
to zero (as shown in Fig. 6.2)?How much resistance must R1 possess in order to drop that
amount of voltage?
Figure 4
4. Is it possible to find the current through a branch or to find a voltage across the branch using
Wye-Delta/ Delta-Wye conversions only? If so, justify your answer.
5. Find the value of 𝑅𝑒𝑞 for the circuit given below when the switch is open and when the switch
is closed?
Figure 5
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
Theory
The node-voltage method uses KCL equations that are written at all non-reference nodes. Recall
that KCL states that the sum of all the currents at a node is zero. The node-voltage method is
comprised of the following steps:
Pre-Lab Task
Students should solve the circuit shown in figure 7.1 using nodal analysis and calculate all the
node voltages. The values of currents through and voltages across all the resistances should also
be calculated.
In Lab
Objective
➢ To implement the Node Voltage method in lab
➢ To verify that measured values of branch voltages and currents are comparable to the values
obtained by solving the circuit using Node Voltage method
Equipment Required
Resistors, DMM, breadboard, DC power supply, and connecting wires.
Knowledge Level
➢ Before working on this lab, students should have good understanding of Node-Voltage
method.
➢ Students should be able to theoretically solve the circuit shown in circuit diagram.
➢ Students should know how to simulate the electric circuit using LTSPICE.
Task (1)
Task 1. Connect the components in figure 7.1 on breadboard. Measure node voltages and branch
voltages and currents. Record all these values in Table 7.1.
Measurement Table 1
Calculated Voltage Measured Voltage Simulated Voltage
Nodes
(V) (V) (V)
R1 =
R2 =
R3 =
R4 =
Post Lab
Questions?
1) What is the difference between Nodal Analysis and Mesh Analysis methods?
2) What is the difference between node and essential node?
3) What is the criterion for selecting reference node out of various essential nodes?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
Norton’s theorem states that any linear two-terminal circuit can be replaced by an equivalent
circuit consisting of a current source IN in parallel with a resistance RN where
Finding IN: Determine the short circuit current ISC flowing through the load terminals. This is
known as the Norton’s current IN.
ISC
a
Circuit Ammeter
A
b
Finding RN:Remove all sources from the circuit, i.e. replace all voltage sources with a short-
circuit and current sources with an open-circuit. Then with the help of a multimeter find the
resistance between the points ‘a’ and ‘b’, denoted by Req.
RN = Req (10.2)
a
Turn-off all
the sources Req Ω Multimeter
b
Please note that RN is exactly the same as RTH and can be determined through many ways as
discussed in the last experiment [Thevenin’s Theorem].
Pre-Lab Task
Students should solve the circuits shown in figure 10.1 and figure 10.7 for the values of IN, RN
using Norton’s theorem and values of VTh, RTh using Thevenin’s theorem.
In Lab
Objective
➢ Determine the value of Norton’s current IN and the Norton’s resistance RN in a DC circuit
theoretically and experimentally
➢ Determine the Thevenin Voltage VTH theoretically and experimentally
➢ Find the Thevenin’s resistance RTH by various methods and compare values.
➢ Verify that the values of current through and voltage across the load resistance are
comparable in original and Thevenin and Norton Equivalent circuits.
➢ Demonstrate that maximum power is delivered to load when its value is equal to RTH
Equipment Required
Resistors, DMM, breadboard, DC power supply, and connecting wires.
Knowledge Level
➢ Before working on this lab, students should have good understanding of Norton’s and
thevenin’s method.
➢ Students should be able to theoretically solve the circuit shown in circuit diagram.
➢ Students should know how to simulate the electric circuit using LTSPICE.
100Ω R1
R3 1kΩ RL 470Ω
10V
b
100Ω R1
R3 1kΩ A
10V
b
Figure 3: Finding IN
1kΩ 470Ω
a
R2 R4
100Ω R1
R3 1kΩ Ω
Figure 4: Finding RN
Table 10.1
Table 2
470
1000
Table 10.2
+
a
Circuit V Voltmeter
b
-
Measurement Table 1
Node Voltages Node Voltages VTH =
VA/ VC(volts) VB/ VD(volts) VA-VB/
Terminals
Calculated
Calculated
VC-VD
Simulated
Simulated
Measured
Measured
Values
Values
Values
Values
Values
Values
(volts)
A–B
C–D
Table 10.3
ISC
a
Circuit A Ammeter
b
a
Turn-off all
Ω Multimeter
the sources
b Req
Task 3. Method C: (By applying known voltage/ test source and measuring source
current)
Apply a known DC voltage (1V) between points A and B. Then using an ammeter find the
current ‘I’ through the test voltage source. Suppose 1 Vis applied as the test voltage then, use
equation 10.5 to find RTH.
Ammeter I
a A
Turn-off all +
- Vtest
the sources Req
b
Task 4. Method D: (By inserting two different resistors and measuring current)
Insert resistors R1 and R2 (between points A and B) one by one, write expression for the current
(measured) through the resistors as given below, and substitute values in equations (10.6)-
(10.7).Simultaneously solving these two resultant equations will give the value of RTH.
1. Determine the Thevenin resistance at terminals A-B and C-D using the four methods
mentioned above. Fill the table 10.4 with calculated and measured values.
2. Compare the values of RTH being found using different methods. Do they agree?
Measurement Table 2
Thevenin Resistance RTH(Ω)
A-B
C-D
Table 10.4
Measurement Table 3
Voltage across load resistance
Current through load resistance (mA)
(volts)
Terminals
IL IL’ VL VL’
A-B
C-D
Table 10.5
Post Lab
Questions:
1) What is the theoretical and practical advantage of using Thevenin and Norton theorem in
circuit analysis?
2) Which theorem is typically used to determine the range of output voltages for a series-
parallel circuit with a variable load?
3) A circuit has a voltage source of 15 volts and three 15 Ω resistors connected in parallel
across the source. What Thevenin resistance (RTH) would a load "see" when connected to
this circuit?
4) Which theorem could be used (along with Ohm's law) to calculate the bridge current in a
Wheatstone bridge?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
Oscilloscope
We should be familiar to the following four things about oscilloscope.
Digital Oscilloscope:
The digital oscilloscope is an indispensable
tool for anyone designing, manufacturing or
repairing electronic equipment. In today's fast-
paced world, engineers need the best tools
available to solve their measurement challenges
quickly and accurately. As the eyes of the
engineer, digital oscilloscopes are the key to
meeting today's demanding measurement
challenges.
Oscilloscope display:
The small description of Oscilloscope display
as below
1. Press Auto-Scale.
2. The oscilloscope turns on all channels that have
waveforms applied and sets the vertical and horizontal
scales appropriately. It also selects a time base range
based on the trigger source.
The trigger source selected is the lowest numbered channel that has a waveform applied
Function Generator:
A function generator is a device that can produce various patterns of voltage at a variety of
frequencies and amplitudes. It is used to test the response of circuits to common input signals.
The electrical leads from the device are attached to the ground and signal input terminals of the
device under test.
Most function generators allow the user to choose the shape of the output from a small number
of options.
➢ Square wave - The signal goes directly from high to low voltage.
➢ Sine wave - The signal curves like a sinusoid from high to low voltage.
➢ Triangle wave - The signal goes from high to low voltage at a fixed rate.
The amplitude control on a function generator varies the voltage difference between the high and
low voltage of the output signal.
The direct current (DC) offset control on a function generator varies the average voltage of a
signal relative to the ground.
The duty cycle of a signal refers to the ratio of high voltage to low voltage time in a square wave
signal.
After powering on the function generator, the output signal needs to be configured to the desired
shape. Typically, this means connecting the signal and ground leads to an oscilloscope to check
the controls. Adjust the function generator until the output signal is correct, then attach the signal
and ground leads from the function generator to the input and ground of the device under test.
For some applications, the negative lead of the function generator should attach to a negative
input of the device, but usually attaching to ground is sufficient.
Following is the diagram and specifications of the function generator, which will be used by
the students in the laboratory.
Description:
1. Menu Mode
2. Graphic Mode
You can enter numbers from the front-panel using one of two methods.
Use the knob and cursor keys to modify the displayed number.
1) Use the keys below the knob to move the cursor left or right.
2) Rotate the knob to change a digit (clockwise to increase).
Use the keypad to enter numbers and the soft keys to select units.
Any circuit configuration that consists only of resistors and capacitors is known as an RC circuit.
An example RC circuit is shown below. For circuits containing more than one resistor or
capacitor, the series- parallel- simplification rules outlined in the textbook can be applied to
reduce the combinations to a single equivalent resistor and a single equivalent capacitor.
a R
t=0
b
vs C
i +
R v C
v(0)=vs
-
dv v
C + =0 (11.1)
dt R
Using elementary calculus, the expression for voltage v(t) can be derived:
Where v (0) denotes the initial voltage on the capacitor i.e. the voltage on the capacitor before
the switch is moved to position ‘b’. It has been already noted, the initial voltage on the capacitor
equals the voltage source voltage vs. Equation 11.2 is termed as the natural response of an RC
circuit.
Time Constant
In this experiment, the time constant τ for a discharging RC circuit will also be measured using
an oscilloscope. The time constant τ is defined as the time required for a physical quantity to
fall to 1/e i.e. 36.8% of its initial value. Time constant for an RC circuit is the product of R and
C. Numerically, 1/e can be approximated, to within a 2% difference, by the fraction ⅜.
vC (t = ) −1 3
vC (t ) = v(0)e −t → =e (11.3)
v(0) 8
= RC (11.4)
In other words, when a time interval equaling the time constant has passed, the voltage across the
capacitor is ⅜ of the initial voltage. The oscilloscope will be used to measure how long it takes
for the voltage to fall to this fraction of the initial voltage. A comparison between theoretical and
experimental values of the time constant will be determined after recording appropriate
measurements of the analyzed circuits.
In Lab
Objective
➢ To experimentally measure time constant of an RC circuit and compare with the theoretical
expression of it.
➢ To analyze the behavior of a first-order RC circuit.
➢ To familiarize students with the usage of oscilloscope to make voltage measurements.
Equipment Required
Resistor (1kΩ), capacitor (1µF), oscilloscope, function generator, breadboard, and connecting
wires.
Knowledge Level
➢ Before working on this lab, students should have good understanding of the concept of
behavior of capacitors and time constant of RC circuit.
➢ Students should be able to theoretically solve the source free RC circuits.
R = 1kΩ
Function Generator
2vp-p – 100Hz C = 1µF
Oscilloscope
Measurement Table 1:
CH1 Status Time Base Status (CH1) CH2 Status Time Base Status (CH2)
Task 3. Measure and record the time constant τ corresponding to the initial voltage at x divisions.
The experimental time constant is determined from the number of divisions along the
horizontal axis where the capacitor voltage drops to 36.8% of its initial value i.e. at x
divisions on the vertical axis.
𝝉𝒆𝒙𝒑
𝒏𝒐 𝒐𝒇 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒔 (11.6)
= (𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒆)
𝟓
Task 4. Calculate the theoretical value of the time constant using values of resistance and
capacitance.
theo = RC (11.7)
Task 5. Calculate the percent difference between the experimental and theoretical values for the
time constant.
Task 6. Repeat the task 2 for R = 2.2kΩ.
Measurement Table 2:
R (Ω) C (µF) τ (theoretical) τ (experimental) % difference
1KΩ
2.2KΩ
Task 2. Calculate the natural response of the experiment RC circuit. Compare it with the
measured response. Do they agree?
Repeat the task 3 for R = 2.2kΩ.
Measurement Table 3:
Calculated: _________________________________
R=______
C=______ Measured: ________________________________
Calculated: _________________________________
R=______
C=______ Measured: ________________________________
Post Lab
Questions?
2. How a square wave having duty cycle of 25% would look like?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
Pre Lab
τ and T1/2
Figure 3
Figure 5
In Lab
Objective
➢ To investigate the behavior of circuits containing combinations of resistors, capacitors and
inductors
➢ To observe the resultant waveforms using an oscilloscope
➢ Measure T1/2 and τ of the RLC circuits
Equipment
The equipment to be used is listed
below; however, the students are advised
to also consult the user manuals for each
piece of equipment.
Task 1. Using the LCR, measure the actual values of the circuit elements:
R = ________________, L = _______________, C = __________________
Task 2. For f = 30kHz, calculate circuit current Is, and element voltages VR, VL and VC.
2.1. ω = 2f = ________________________
2.2. R = ZR= ________________________
2.3. XL = ZL = jωL ________________________ = _______________
2.4. XC = ZC = 1/jωC ______________________ = _______________
2.5. R+J(XL - XC) = Zin = ZR + ZL + ZC = ________________________ = ______
Task 3. For V = 1/0o volts
3.1. IS = V/Zin = _____________/________________ = ______________________
3.2. VR = IS x ZR = ____________________________= ______________________
3.3. VL = IS x ZL = ___________________________ = ______________________
3.4. VC = IS x ZC = ___________________________ = ______________________
Task 4. Using the bread-board, connect the circuit elements ensuring that no connection is loose.
Connect Ch 1 of the oscilloscope across the circuit input (i.e. function generator)
4.1. Using the oscilloscope, ensure that the source output is 1V amplitude (2VP-P) at 30 Khz.
4.2. Using multimeter, measure the source voltage. Note that the multimeter reads rms
voltage = 1/1.414 = 0.707 volts.
4.3. Connect Ch 2 of the oscilloscope across the resistor and select “alt” on the display
selection. Make the appropriate selections for voltage and time scales.
4.4. Measure the amplitude of VR = _______. Measure VR,rms = ___________ using
multimeter.
4.5. Now measure the horizontal distance between the two waveforms. It is best to observe
the difference at the zero crossing of both signals. You need to ensure that the x-axis of
both signals accurately overlaps. This can be done by selecting GND on both channels
and adjusting the up-down knobs.
4.6. Calculate the phase difference between the two signals.
4.7. Phase angle = (measured distance / Time period) x 360o = _______________ =
_________________
4.8. Calculate circuit current I = VR/ZR = __________/_________=_____________
4.9. Measure VL = ____________ Phase angle = _____________ = ___________
4.10. Measure VC = ____________ Phase Angle = _______________ = _________
Post Lab
Questions:
2) What is the behavior of RLC circuit at low frequencies and at high frequencies?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-
In-Lab (5)
Lab (1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
In Lab
Objective
➢ To implement the Mesh Analysis method in lab
➢ To verify that measured values of branch voltages and currents are comparable to the values
obtained by solving the circuit using mesh analysis method
Task 1:
i2
i1 i3
Table:
R1 =
R2 =
R3 =
R4 =
R5 =
R6 =
Post lab
Questions:
Critical Analysis/Conclusion
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-Lab
In-Lab (5)
(1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments:
In Lab
Objectives:
➢ To verify the superposition theorem experimentally for resistances
➢ To verify that superposition theorem does not apply to power (nonlinear quantity
Task 1:
100kΩ
R4
3.3kΩ 3.3kΩ
a b c
R1 R3
R2 10kΩ
10V 5V
Figure 9.1: Example circuit to test the validity of the superposition theorem
Measurement Tables 1
R2=10KΩ R4=100KΩ
Voltage /
Calculated Measured Simulation Calculated Measured Simulation
Current
results results results results results results
v1 =
v2 =
v =
i1 =
i2 =
i =
Post Lab
Questions:
1. The Superposition Theorem works nicely to calculate voltages and currents in resistor
circuits. But can it be used to calculate power dissipations as well? Why or why not?
3. How are dependent voltage and current sources dealt with when using Superposition
Theorem?
4. What is power rating of resistor? A resistor sometimes becomes hot while connected in
the circuit. What can be the reason for this?
Lab Assessment
Total (10)
Pre-Lab
In-Lab (5)
(1) Post-Lab (4)
Comments: