La Trobe University

Department of Electronic Engineering

ELE12CCT
Assignment 10: Week 10 (Semester 2)
Due: 2:00pm Tuesday 12th October 2004
SOLUTIONS

1. (a) For the circuit below assume an ideal operational amplifier and determine the relationship
between the output and input voltages using node voltage analysis. Treat the positive terminal as
the reference node.
(b) Find the output voltage when the input voltages v1 = 1V, v2 = 2V and v3 = 3V are applied to
the circuit. Assume R1 = 5kΩ, R2 = 10kΩ, R3 = 15kΩ and RF = 20kΩ.
(c) What is the current through RF?
R1
v1
R2 RF
v2
R3
v3
vn
_
vo
vp
+

(a) Labelling the currents into node A as shown below (noting there is negligible current into the
negative terminal of the operational amplifier) we have
i1 R1
v1
i2 R2 RF iF
A
v2
i3 R3
v3
vn
_
vo
vp
+

and applying KCL at node A i1 + i 2 + i3 + i F = 0 (1)

v
where v1 − i1R1 = v n = 0 from which i1 = 1
R1

1
 v2
v 2 − i 2R 2 = v n = 0 from which i2 =
R2
v
v 3 − i 3R 3 = v n = 0 from which i3 = 3
R3
v
and v o − i FR F = v n = 0 from which iF = o .
RF
Substituting for the currents into (1) we obtain
v1 v 2 v3 vo v v v 
+ + + =0 or vo = −R F  1 + 2 + 3  [2 marks]
R1 R 2 R 3 R F  R1 R 2 R 3 
R R R  20   20   20 
(b) Since v o = − F v1 − F v 2 − F v3 = − 1V −  2V −  3V
R1 R2 R3  5   10   15 
= −4V − 4V − 4V = −12V . [1 mark]
(ii) Since vn is a virtual ground the current through RF will be
12V
iF = = 0.6mA . [2 marks]
20kΩ
2. Determine the load current in the circuit below.
+10V

10k Ω
R L= 560 Ω
_

10k Ω

Noting that the negative terminal is a virtual ground and redrawing the negative terminal input
circuit we have
+10V

i 10k Ω

10k Ω

and so the current i is

10V
i= = 1mA .
10kΩ
Returning to the original circuit this must also be the load current since there is no voltage across
and therefore current through the lower 10kΩ resistor and the current into the operational amplifier
terminal is negligible.
[2 marks]
3. Show that when the ideal operational amplifier below is operating in its linear region
2
 2vg
ia = .
R
2R

+
3R
vg

ia Ra

Defining the current i in the left side resistor and noting that since the current into the negative op
amp terminal is negligible this will be the same current in the upper resistor we have

_ 2R +

i
_
+
i R
_
+ _
i-ia 3R
vg
+

+
ia Ra
_

Applying KCL at node a when the current into the positive terminal is negligible has yielded the
current through the RH resistor. Employing KVL in a clockwise direction around the outer loop
from node a we then have

iR + 2iR + 3(i − ia )R = 0
from which

3
 i
6iR − 3i a R = 0 and so i = a .
2
Then using KVL from ground to each of the op amp terminals we have

i a R a + vg = v p
and ia R a + iR = v n
and since the input terminals must be at similar voltages we have

vp ≅ vn or ia R a + vg = ia R a + iR
i 2vg
and so vg = iR = a R from which ia = . [3 marks]
2 R