User:Randy Jay Lafler/Notebook/Physics 307L/Oscilloscope Lab Summary

Link to my lab notebook
 * My partner was Emran.
 * Purpose
 * Learn how to use an oscilloscope
 * Learn how to write a lab notebook and learn from our mistakes.
 * Understand the difference between AC and DC coupling.
 * Understand what triggering is.

Summary
 * We connected the signal generator to the oscilloscope, and used it to displace sine waves. We set the signal generator to 200Hz, and measured the voltage at different outputs from the signal generator using the grid, the cursor, and the measure function on the oscilloscope.

Fall Time
 * We measured the fall time to be 39.95ms.
 * We did this by using the cursor function to measure the concavity in the square wave.
 * We used the fall time to calculate the RC constant.
 * We used the equation found at this link here to find the RC constant

Error
 * I didn't look up the error in the measurements on the oscilloscope, but according to Nathan at this link the error in the time measurements is +/-0.01ms and the error in the voltage is +/- 0.001V

1) What Did I Learn?
 * How to use an oscilloscope and signal generator.
 * How to determine fall time of an oscilloscope.
 * The difference between AC and DC coupling.

2) What Did I Explore Outside of the Standard Lab Procedure


 * I read through the wiki links about the oscilloscope, triggering, and AC DC coupling.

3) What Could Make the Lab Better Next Year?


 * Explaining better what triggering is. I didn't understand it from the wiki article.

Citings


 * Nathan Giannini for formatting help with my Lab notebook and Lab Summary.
 * Emran for the pictures during our lab.
 * Professor Steve Koch for the Oscilloscope Lab procedure

Acknowledgements
 * To lab TA Katie for explaining the difference between AC and DC coupling as well as what the time constant for the oscilloscope is.