23ECE181/CCE181 Electrical Engineering Laboratory 2024-2025

Experiment 2: Familiarization of measuring equipment

Objective
Introducing the laboratory instruments and familiarizing with the basic instruments.
Pre-Lab Task
Students should know the resistor colour code and gather idea on connecting resistors
in series/parallel combinations in a bread board.
Introduction:
All experiments in the laboratory will be performed at a workbench which has several
basic electronic instruments. They include: (1) A DC power supply. (2) A function
generator. (3) A digital multi-meter (DMM). (4) An oscilloscope (analog/DSO).
On one hand, DC power supplies and function generators are power sources. It means
that they generate power. In other words, they supply us with the power needed to
perform experiments and tests. On the other hand, digital voltmeters and oscilloscopes
are measuring devices that measure different electrical quantities such as voltage,
resistance, current, etc.
DC Power Supply:
The DC power supply output consists of two independent units which can be connected
in different configurations such as series, parallel, or used independently. Some DC
power supplies found in the lab have a third unit which gives a fixed 5 Volts 3 Amperes
that is not adjustable. This dedication of 5-volts unit is important since it is frequently
needed in electronic experiments.

Function Generator:
A function generator is usually a piece of electronic test equipment or software used to
generate different types of electrical waveforms over a wide range of frequencies. Some
of the most common waveforms produced by the function generator are the sine, square,
triangular shapes (See Fig.1). These waveforms can be either repetitive or single-shot
(which requires an internal or external trigger source). Integrated circuits used to
generate waveforms may also be described as function generator ICs.

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23ECE181/CCE181 Electrical Engineering Laboratory 2024-2025

Fig. 1 Different Waveforms generated by a function generator

Digital Multi-Meter:
A DMM is a universal meter which measure voltage and current (both DC and AC) and
resistance, with high precision. Some DMMs measure capacitance, inductance,
frequency, and temperature.
A multi-meter or a multi-tester, also known as a VOM (Volt-Ohm meter), is an
electronic measuring instrument that combines several measurement functions in one
unit. A typical multi-meter would include basic features such as the ability to measure
voltage, current, and resistance. Analog multi-meters use a micro-ammeter whose
pointer moves over a scale calibrated for all the different measurements that can be
made. Digital multi-meters (DMM, DVOM) display the measured value in numerals,
and may also display a bar of a length proportional to the quantity being measured.

Oscilloscope:
An oscilloscope is a type of electronic test instrument that allows observation of
constantly varying signal voltages, usually as a two-dimensional plot of one or more
signals as a function of time. Non-electrical signals (such as sound or vibration) can be
converted to voltages and displayed. Some oscilloscopes can only display one signal at
a time, while others can display up to 2, 3, and 4 channels simultaneously. In our lab
the oscilloscopes have two channels that allow us to display two signals in order to
compare them. Those signals are the input and output voltages. The oscilloscope has
vertical and horizontal scale adjustors that permit us to change the time scale (the
horizontal axis) and the voltage scale (the vertical axis) in order to show the signals
clearly so that the user can read the values displayed on the screen with ease.

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23ECE181/CCE181 Electrical Engineering Laboratory 2024-2025

Lab activity:
1. In the DC power supply, turn the voltage adjustment knob to get several
different voltage values of 1.5V, 14V, 22V. Compare readings on the power
supply display with readings on the DVM. Make sure that the DVM is set for
DC measurements.
2. Generate a DC voltage of 5 V and show it on the oscilloscope.
3. Reverse the order of the terminals at the power supply. What happens to the
signal?
4. Make a series and parallel connections with resistor and measure the potential
at every node using digital voltmeter and multimeter.
5. Record all these observations in your observation note.
6. For a similar circuit shown below, with R1 = 1 k, R2 = 2.2 k, R3 = 3.3 k, and E
= 10 volts, determine the theoretical current and record it in Table shown.
Construct the circuit. Set the DMM to read DC current and insert it in the circuit
at point A. [Remember, ammeters go in-line and require the circuit to be opened
for proper measurement. The red lead should be placed closer to the positive
source terminal]. Record this current in Table. Repeat the current measurements
at points B and C.

I Theory I Point A I Point B I Point C

7. Using the theoretical current found in problem 6, apply Ohm’s law to

determine the expected voltage drops across R1, R2, and R3. Record these
values in the Theory column of the following Table.

Voltage Theory Measured Deviation

R1
R2
R3