ELEC1010 Tutorial 3

Signals as sum of sine waves

Represent signals in frequency domain
Electromagnetic Waves
 Fundamental Frequency and Harmonics
• We introduced the fact that our ears basically respond to the sine
waves in sound signals.

For any sinusoidal signal with frequency f,

sinusoidal signals with frequencies of “integer x f” are
known as its harmonics.

(e.g. f = 250 Hz, 2f = 500 Hz, 3f = 750 Hz, 4f = 1000 Hz)

(e.g. 375 Hz = 1.5f is not a harmonic of f)

Sinusoidal signal with frequency “f” is the “1st harmonic.”

(“f” is also known as the “fundamental frequency.”)

Sinusoidal signal with frequency “2f” is the “2nd harmonic.”

Sinusoidal signal with frequency “3f” is the “3rd harmonic,” and so forth.
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 Fundamental Frequency – Sum of sine waves

The fundamental frequency of a signal is the Greatest

Common Divisor (GCD) of all the frequency components
contained in a signal.

Example 1 – Find the fundamental frequency of:

• The frequencies of the three terms are: 10, 20 and 30 Hz

• The fundamental frequency: 10 Hz

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Signal as a Sum of Harmonics - Exercise
A signal is composed of its 2nd, 4th and 7th harmonics, the second
harmonic is 2 Hz. The 2nd harmonic, 4th harmonic and 7th
harmonic have amplitude of 10, 14, and 7 respectively.
i. Express the signal in time domain as a sum of sine function
ii. What is the fundamental frequency and the corresponding
period of this signal?

Answer:
i. S (t )  10 sin(2 2t )  14 sin(2 4t )  7 sin(2 7t )
ii. f = 1Hz, T = 1s

The sum of different harmonics will create complex periodic patterns.

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Time & Frequency Domain Representation
amplitude
 Time Domain Representation axis

• Time axis & amplitude axis

• Describe the amplitude change
of a signal with time
time axis

Amplitude
amplitude axis
 Frequency Domain Representation
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• Describe the amplitude of the
signal at different frequencies.

1 f/Hz
frequency axis
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Why To Describe Signals in the Frequency Domain?
 Provides an easy way to analyze frequency components of a signal
amplitude
14

10
7

2 4 7 f/Hz

 Many systems respond primarily to frequencies contained in

signals.
• The tones we hear are acoustic waves at different frequencies.
• The colors we see are lights at different frequencies.
 Modern communication systems are often based on manipulations
in the frequency domain.
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Representing signals in frequency domain – Exercise 1
The frequency domain representation of a signal is shown below:
i. What are the fundamental frequency and the corresponding period
of this signal?
ii. Express the signal as a sum of sine functions.
2 can be divided by 1, 2
3 can be divided by 1, 3
5 can be divided by 1, 5
9 can be divided by 1, 3, 9
The greatest common divisor of 2, 3, 5 and 9 is 1
Therefore, the fundamental frequency f is 1 Hz
2Hz is the 2nd harmonic
3Hz is the 3rd harmonic
5Hz is the 5th harmonic
Answer: 9Hz is the 9th harmonic
i. f = 1Hz, T = 1 s
ii. S (t )  6sin  2 2t   3sin  2 3t   4sin  2 5t   9sin  2 9t 
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Representing signals in frequency domain – Exercise 2
Draw the frequency domain representation and find the period of the
following signal:
S (t )  2 sin 2 1000t  3 sin 2 2000t  4 sin 2 3000t  5 sin 2 4000t
Amplitude

Answer:
5
4
3
2
f/kHz
1 2 3 4

f =1kHz, T = 1ms

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Electromagnetic Waves
 Self – propagating waves
 Travel at the speed of light (3×108 m/s)
 Repeat itself over a certain distance
 The distance is called wavelength

Wavelength (λ) ×frequency (f) = speed of light (c =3×108 m/s)

Note: This formula will be given during the midterm and final exams.
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Electromagnetic Waves – Radio Wave
Radio Wave: TV & radio broadcasting, cell phone communication

Radio wave has been used by human beings to transmit

information for more than 100 years.
Radio wave is not free.

Radio spectrum is controlled by the government.

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Electromagnetic Waves - Exercise
We can use a loop antenna to receive an electromagnetic wave. The
length of the antenna is 1/4 of the wavelength. If the length of the loop
antenna is 3m (3 meters), what is the frequency of the electromagnetic
wave?

Answer: 1
3𝑚 = 𝜆
4
  4  3  12m
 f c
12m × f = 3 × 108 m/s

f = 25 MHz

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 Extra example:
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20𝜋 10𝜋
sin 𝑡 + sin 𝑡
6 8

f1 = 10/6, f2=5/8
GCD = 5/24 => T=24/5=4.8 s