RC FILTERS FOR NOISE REMOVAL

1. BACKGROUND
• Almost always “noise” corrupts measurement
• A multitude of sources contribute to noise in a measurement
• In this experiment, we will learn how RC filters help in removing “Electronic
Noise” that frequently shows up in measuring systems.
• Roughly speaking, the origin of electronic noise is random motion of electrons
• A useful model for electronic noise is the additive model

Ym = Yac + n

Where Ym is the measured signal, Yac is the “true” signal (often simply called the
signal), n is electronic noise
• It is often the case that Yac contains significant low-frequency content and n
contains significant high frequency content
• This assumed separation in the frequency content is exploited by passing Ym
through a suitably designed low-pass filter which would allow Yac to pass
through and n to be attenuated
• RC filters low-pass filters that attenuate high frequency signals. If voltage Ym is
applied to R-C in series and voltage Ymf is measured across the capacitor, Ymf
and Ym would be related as:

Ymf = 1/(RC jω+1), Ym. For large ω, |Ymf| goes to zero & for small ω Ymf ≈ Ym

Ymf ≈ Yac (if frequency separation assumption is valid)

2. OBJECTIVES OF EXPERIMENT
• Become familiar with PC oscilloscope, function generating feature, multimeter
• Observe low-pass action of RC filter; Understand frequency response of filter
• Understand how choice of R and C values dictate bandwidth of low pass action
• Understand choice of R and C depending on output impedence of sensor (pot)

3. APPARATUS REQUIRED
• PC oscilloscope with function generating feature
• Bread board, Rs and Cs

4. PROCEDURE
• Construct RC series circuit
• Provide 2V sinusoid using function generator on PC oscilloscope to RC input
• Measure voltage across capacitor
• Superimpose input and output voltages on oscilloscope “screen”
• Obtain freq response of RC filter by exciting filter with different freq sinusoids
• Replace voltage input with output of a 10K potentiometer
• Perform RC action on potentiometer output