Experiment 02

Measurement of true RMS value of voltage for sin, square and rectangular wave shapes

Objectives:

The objective of this lab is to measure the true RMS value of voltage for sin, square and
rectangular wave shapes

Equipment:

 Function Generator
 Oscilloscope
 Connecting wires

Introduction:

The term “RMS” stands for “Root-Mean-Squared”. Most books define this as the “amount of
AC power that produces the same heating effect as an equivalent DC power”, or something
similar along these lines, but an RMS value is more than just that.
The RMS value is the square root of the mean (average) value of the squared function of the
instantaneous values. The symbols used for defining an RMS value are VRMS or IRMS.
The term RMS, ONLY refers to time-varying sinusoidal voltages, currents or complex
waveforms were the magnitude of the waveform changes over time and is not used in DC
circuit analysis or calculations were the magnitude is always constant.
When used to compare the equivalent RMS voltage value of an alternating sinusoidal
waveform that supplies the same electrical power to a given load as an equivalent DC
circuit, the RMS value is called the “effective value” and is generally presented as: Veff or Ieff.
In other words, the effective value is an equivalent DC value which tells you how many volts
or amps of DC that a time-varying sinusoidal waveform is equal to in terms of its ability to
produce the same power.
Function Generator:
A function generator is usually a piece of electronic test equipment or software used to
generate different types of electrical waveforms over a wide range of frequencies. Some of
the most common waveforms produced by the function generator are the sine wave, square
wave, triangular wave and sawtooth shapes. These waveforms can be either repetitive or
single-shot (which requires an internal or external trigger source).
Oscilloscope:

An oscilloscope (informally a scope) is a type of electronic test instrument that graphically

displays varying electrical voltages as a two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a
function of time. The main purposes are to display repetitive or single waveforms on the
screen that would otherwise occur too briefly to be perceived by the human eye. The
displayed waveform can then be analyzed for properties such as amplitude, frequency, rise
time, time interval, distortion, and others. Originally, calculation of these values required
manually measuring the waveform against the scales built into the screen of the instrument.
[1]
 Modern digital instruments may calculate and display these properties directly.
Oscilloscopes are used in the sciences, medicine, engineering, automotive and the
telecommunications industry. General-purpose instruments are used for maintenance of
electronic equipment and laboratory work. Special-purpose oscilloscopes may be used to
analyze an automotive ignition system or to display the waveform of the heartbeat as
an electrocardiogram, for instance.
Voltage RMS value of Sin Wave:

The rms value of a sinusoidal voltage or current waveform is 70.7 percent or 0.707 of
its peak amplitude value.
Erms=0.707Epeak

Irms=0.707Ipeak

That is, as shown in Figure 2.5, a sinusoidal voltage with a peak amplitude of 1 volt has the
same effect as a dc voltage of 0.707 volts as far as its ability to reproduce the same amount
of heat in a resistance. Because the ac voltage of 1 volt peak or 0.707 volts rms is
as effective as a dc voltage of 0.707 volts, the rms value of voltage is also referred to as
the effective value.
Procedure:
 Turn on function generator set the function of function generator to sin wave.
 Generate a sin wave of 500mV peak to peak through function generator.
 Note the amplitude of sin wave from Oscilloscope
 Calculate the RMS value
Calculation:

V rms =0.707 V pk

V rms =0.358 V

Voltage RMS value of Square Wave:

The RMS value stands for Root Mean Square value. It is a way of expressing an AC quantity
of voltage or current in terms functionally equivalent to DC. It can be mathematically
calculated as
Procedure:
 Turn on function generator set the function of function generator to square wave.
 Generate a square wave of 1V peak to peak through function generator.
 Note the amplitude of square wave from Oscilloscope
 Calculate the RMS value
Calculation:

V rms =V pk

V rms =1.09 V

Voltage RMS value of Triangle Wave:

Consider a triangular voltage waveform that is bi-polar, has a 50% duty-cycle (symmetrical
about V=0), and a frequency f. Let the maximum voltage be Vp, and the minimum voltage
be –Vp. Because of the symmetry, integrate from (0 – τ/ 4) to calculate the RMS value:

Procedure:
 Turn on function generator set the function of function generator to triangular wave.
 Generate a triangular wave of 800mV peak to peak through function generator.
 Note the amplitude of triangular wave from Oscilloscope
 Calculate the RMS value
Calculation:

V rms =0.577 V pk

V rms =0.466 V

Conclusion:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________