LAB Handout No.

01 EE-208112L

EE–208112L Electrical Network Analysis Lab

Lab No: 01

Introduction to Oscilloscope, Function Generator, Power Supply &

Multimeter

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Objectives:
By the end of this lab the student should be able to:
1. Familiar with the controls of a common oscilloscope and be able to use the instrument
to observe periodic waveforms.
2. Understand the block diagram and basic controls of an oscilloscope.
3. Use function generator, power supply and digital multimeter
4. Use an oscilloscope to measure frequency, period, voltage (magnitude,
peak-to-peak, maximum, minimum, and etc), DC offset of the waveform.

Equipment:
1. Function Generator
2. Oscilloscope
3. Digital Multimeter (DMM)
4. Power Supply

1.Oscilloscope
Introduction
An oscilloscope is a test instrument which allows us to look at the 'shape' of
electrical signals by displaying a graph of voltage against time on its screen. It is like a
voltmeter with the valuable extra function of showing how the voltage varies with time.
The display is broken up into so-called horizontal divisions (horizontal div) and vertical
divisions (vertical div). Time is displayed from left to right on the horizontal scale.
Instantaneous voltage appears on the vertical scale, with positive values going upward
and negative values going downward. The graph, usually called the trace, is drawn by a
beam of electrons striking the phosphor coating of the screen making it emit light, usually
green or blue. This is similar to the way a television picture is produced.

Oscilloscopes contain a vacuum tube with a cathode (negative electrode) at one

end to emit electrons and an anode (positive electrode) to accelerate them so they move

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rapidly down the tube to the screen. This arrangement is called an electron gun. The tube
also contains electrodes to deflect the electron beam up/down and left/right.
The electrons are called cathode rays because they are emitted by the cathode and
this gives the oscilloscope its full name of cathode ray oscilloscope or CRO.A dual
trace/channel oscilloscope can display two traces on the screen, allowing us to easily
compare the input and output.

Figure 1: Front Panel of CRO

Oscilloscope Working Principle

An oscilloscope consists of following major parts (see the block diagram) –

 Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) – The CRT displays the quantity being measured. It
generates and accelerates an electron beam, deflects the beam to create the image
and contains a phosphor screen where the electron beam eventually becomes
visible.
 Vertical Amplifier –The vertical amplifier amplifies the waveform of the signal
to be viewed.

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 Horizontal Amplifier – The horizontal amplifier is fed with a saw-tooth voltage

which is then applied to horizontal deflection plates.
 Sweep / Time Base Generator – It produces the saw-tooth voltage waveform,
which is used for horizontal deflection of the electron beam.
 Trigger Circuit – The trigger circuit produces trigger pulses to start horizontal
sweep.
 High & Low Voltage Supply:
o Low Voltage (LV) Supply – It supplies the required operating voltages
(of the order of few hundred volts) to the all circuits of the oscilloscope.
o High Voltage (HV) Supply – It supplies the high voltages (of the order of
few thousand volts) required by CRT, for acceleration as well as relatively
low voltage for the heater of the electron gun, which emits the electrons.
 Delay Line – The purpose of the delay line is to delay the vertical signal enough
to keep it from reaching the CRT deflection plates before the horizontal circuits
are running. This line presents in the vertical amplifiers of high frequency
oscilloscopes.

The signal is to be viewed on the screen being applied across the Y-plates of CRT. To
see the waveform of the input signal, it is essential to spread it horizontally from left to
right, which is done by applying a saw-tooth voltage wave to X-plates. Under these
conditions, the electron beam would move uniformly thereby graphing vertical vibrations
of input signal with respect to time. Due to repetitive tracing of the viewed waveform, a
continuous display is obtained because of persistence of vision. To get a stable stationary
display on the screen, the input signal across the Y-plates must be synchronized with the
horizontal sweeping of the beam.
Controlling Sections

In order to see proper waveform on CRO one must have to get knowledge of following
three controls:
1. Horizontal Scaling

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The horizontal section of the scope controls the time scale on the screen. Like
the vertical system, the horizontal control gives you two knobs: position and
seconds/div
2. Trigger Level
Oscilloscope trigger enables the waveforms to be viewed in a meaningful
manner, otherwise the time base would start at a random point on the waveform
each time the waveform is repeated and the image of the waveform would not be
meaningful. Triggers are the method by which an oscilloscope synchronizes the
voltage and time data of your waveform, enabling you to view your signal fixed
to a voltage/time point. Trigger modes control how your scope will start to sweep
your signal. Following figure will illustrate how to use Trigger level.

3. Vertical Scaling
The vertical section of the scope controls the voltage scale on the display.
There are traditionally two knobs in this section, which allow you to individually
control the vertical position and volts/div. Channels are displayed using either an
alternate or chop mode. Alternate mode draws each channel alternately - the
oscilloscope completes one sweep on channel 1, then one sweep on channel. Chop
mode causes the oscilloscope to draw small parts of each signal by switching back
and forth between them. The switching rate is too fast for you to notice, so the
waveform looks whole. You typically use this mode with slow signals requiring
sweep speeds of 1 ms per division or less.

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Voltage & Time Measurements

Phase Measurements
In some applications, one may need to monitor or compare two or more signals
simultaneously. A typical example can be the comparison of the input voltage with the
output voltage of a two-port (input and output ports) circuit. If the signals that are being
monitored have the same frequency, a time delay may occur between the signals (i.e. one
signal may lead the other or vice versa). Two waves that have the same frequency, have a
phase difference that is constant (independent of t). When the phase difference is zero,

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the waves are said to be in phase with each other. Otherwise, they are out of phase with
each other. If the phase difference is 180 degrees (radians), then the two signals are said
to be in anti-phase. If the peak amplitudes of two anti-phase waves are equal, their sum
is zero at all values of time, t.

Figure 1: In-phase Waves Figure 2: Out of phase Waves

The phase difference is expressed in terms of radians or degrees. In Dual Mode

of the oscilloscope the phase difference can be calculated easily as follows

Figure 3: Two Signals in DUAL Mode

Note that, one has to specify the leading or the lagging signal in order to fully
describe the time difference between the two signals. In the figure above, the signal
represented with dashed curve leads the other. Suppose that the signal represented by the
dashed curve is connected to Channel I of the oscilloscope, and the other one is
connected to Channel II. In such a case Channel I is leading the Channel II with phase
difference equal to angle calculated, and Channel II is lagging the Channel I with phase
difference equal to angle calculated. Determining the leading or the lagging signal may

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be frustrating at first, but note that the dashed curve reaches its maximum value before
the other does.

Lissajous Pattern
The phase difference and frequency between the signals can
also be determined using XY mode of the oscilloscope. In the XY
mode, the x-axis data is taken from one channel, y-axis data is
taken from the other. In that way, Channel I vs Channel II graph
can be obtained, so that the variation of a signal with respect to
another can be observed. Figure attached showing a typical graph
in XY mode, of two signals having a constant phase difference.

Phase difference is equal to,

Then consider the value of y(t) when x(t) is zero volts. It

should be noted that, the center of the ellipsoidal shape (sometimes
circular or linear shapes) on the screen should be at the origin of
CRO unless any DC component is added to one of the signals.
In XY mode, the leading or the lagging signal can not be
determined. One has to switch to DUAL mode in order to specify
the leading signal.

Figure 4: The Graphs in XY Mode for Different Phase Difference Values

2.Function Generator

Introduction

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A function generator is a signal source that has the capability of producing

different types of waveforms as its output signal. The most common output waveforms
are sine-waves, triangular waves, square waves, and saw-tooth waves. The frequencies of
such waveforms may be adjusted from a fraction of a hertz to several hundred kHz.

Features and controls

 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 frequency control of a function generator controls the rate at which output
signal oscillates. On some function generators, the frequency control is a
combination of different controls.
 One set of controls chooses the broad frequency range (order of magnitude) and
the other selects the precise frequency. This allows the function generator to
handle the enormous variation in frequency scale needed for signals.

3.Power Supply

Introduction

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A power supply is an electrical device that supplies electric power to an electrical

load. The main purpose of a power supply is to convert electric current from a source to
the correct voltage, current, and frequency to power the load.Power supplies can be found
in desktop computers and consumer electronics devices. Other functions that power
supplies may perform include limiting the current drawn by the load to safe levels,
shutting off the current in the event of an electrical fault, power conditioning to prevent
electronic noise or voltage surges on the input from reaching the load, power-factor
correction, and storing energy so it can continue to power the load in the event of a
temporary interruption in the source power (uninterruptible power supply).

Block Diagram

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 Transformer - steps down high voltage AC mains to low voltage AC.

 Rectifier - converts AC to DC, but the DC output is varying.
 Filter - smoothes the DC from varying greatly to a small ripple.
 Regulator - eliminates ripple by setting DC output to a fixed voltage.

4.Digital Multimeter
Introduction
The DMM is an instrument which can be used
to measure DC (non-time-varying) voltages and
currents, AC (time-varying) voltages and currents, and
resistance values. The signal is input to the DMM
through two leads (wires), and the value measured is
displayed. The DMM uses an A/D (analog-to-digital)
converter, which converts DC voltages to a digital code.
Therefore, internally the meter can read only DC
voltages. Thus to measure current or resistance, the
signal must be converted into a voltage value. For
current, this is easily done by placing a (very small)
precision resistor in the circuit and measuring the
voltage across the resistor, which will be linearly
proportional to the current (remember Ohm’s Law:
V=IR). Resistance measurements require more circuitry because a resistor is a passive
element, thus a source must be provided in the DMM. In the DMM there is a current
source to force a current through the resistor and the voltage is then measured. From this
information the resistance value may be determined by Ohm’s Law:

How to Use
Digital meters give an output in numbers, usually
on a liquid crystal display. The central knob has many
positions and you must choose which one is appropriate
for the measurement you want to make. The black lead is
always connected into the socket marked COM, short for
COMMON. The red lead is connected into the socket
labeled as V,Ω for voltage and resistance measurements
while for current measurements red lead will be
connected in socket labeled as mA.

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Exercises:
1. Describe the function and use of each of the following controls or sections of the
oscilloscope.
 Focus
 Intensity
 Vertical & Horizontal Position Controls
 Trigger Section
 Vertical & Horizontal Sensitivity
 AC-DC-GND Switch
 Probe

2. By considering the waveform shown below having

Volt/Div=200mV and Time/Div=50ms then
Find:
a) Vp-p
b) Vrms
c) Period
d) Frequency

3. Obtained sinusoidal waveform of amplitude 4Vp-p

having frequency of 1kHz.Its required to keep vertical
sensitivity of the scope to 1V/div.

4. Find out the following parameters for the DC shifted

signal below:
a) DC amplitude of the signal (Volt/Div=1V)
b) DC amplitude of the signal (Volt/Div=500mV)
c) What will be displayed on screen if Volt/Div is
set at 500mV
d) What will be displayed on screen if coupling is
changed to AC
e) What happens to DC part if coupling is set to
AC

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5. Build the given RC circuit and analyze the phase

difference between Vs, Vc and Vr.Set input supply of
6V@50Hz.Resistor and capacitor used will have value
of 1.2kΩ and 3.3uF respectively.

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