User:Manuel Franco Jr./Notebook/Physics Lab 307/2008/09/10

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 * style="background-color: #EEE"|[[Image:Oscilloscope.gif|128px]] Oscilloscope Lab
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Oscilloscope Lab
For this lab, I became familiar with a digital oscilloscope. I plugged in the BNC cable from the oscilloscope to the function generator. Then, I created a sine graph on the screen. I then took some measurements:

Measuring Data

My first sine graph


 * Peak to peak : 1.60 V
 * (max to min): 780mV to -780mV
 * Freq.: 961.5 Hz
 * Period: 1.040 ms

Other Graphs

1.) Increased the volts:
 * Peak to peak : 4 V
 * (Max to Min 'based on cursor'): 2V to -2V
 * Freq.: 1.03 kHz
 * Period: 974 s---? micro

2.) Decreased volts (lowest voltage on the F.G.):
 * Peak to peak : 616 mV
 * (Max to Min 'based on cursor'): 304mV to -304mV
 * Freq.: 975.5 ?Hz micro
 * Period: 1.025 ms

Note: The function generator could be set at any voltage (voltage only determines amplitude). The frequency at which it's set is very essential. If the frequency is too low, you'll get a condensed off scale sine graph. If the frequency is too high, you will just see a line, or half a sine graph. So I adjusted the frequency according, not too high or too low.

Taking Measurements:

1.) Measure Button - Gives data automatically.

2.) The Grid - Using the boxes on the grid, you can determine voltages and times.

3.) Cursor Button - Set cursors, determine measurements.

Triggering

Triggering enables the user to move along back and forth in the times of the wave.
 * Options on oscilloscope: pulse, video, edge.
 * Edge holds the wave.
 * Pulse holds the wave or moves the wave, based on settings.
 * Video moves the wave based on rise or fall.
 * Rise and Fall
 * Rise oscillates the wave to the right (Increasing).
 * Fall oscillates the wave to the left (Decreasing).

AC Coupling

I applied a large DC voltage of 12V (as instructed),and I decreased the frequency on the function generator substantially down to about 1 X 2.0 Hz. Instead of a round graph, I changed it to square. I adjusted the screen. Then, I measured the fall and rise times by using the measure button, an equation on Wikipedia, and with the cursor button:
 * Fall time: 54.5 ms
 * Fall Time cal.: 45.1 ms
 * | http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/8/5/a/85aaa72e1300ac09649dd6a1e10cc85b.png
 * Fall time w/ cursor: 49.6 ms

I only measured the rise time by the measure button:
 * Rise time: 32.5 micro sec.

The RC constant implies that the time is proportional to the resistance and the capacitance.
 * | http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/a/1/b/a1b36cdf90e9432cbdb31b1177cee515.png

The difference in the calculated time verses the cursor is that it's a little lower. The calculated is more accurate than the cursor.

Lab Summary

Links
 * Physics307L
 * |Lab Notebook
 * Course Page
 * User Page
 * Other notes taken about this lab on another page


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