Practical experiment – The transistor

Equipment and Components required:

Equipment: Variable DC supply, DMM, CRO, Funct. Generator

Resistors : 1kΩ, 2.2kΩ, 3.9kΩ, 10kΩ, 100 kΩ, 680 kΩ
Electrolytic Capacitors: 100μF (x2), 470μF
Bi-polar NPN transistors: 2N3904, BC 237, BC547, BC108, 2N3906

(1). Transistor operating regions:

1. Construct the circuit shown in Fig. 1 above using a 2N2904 transistor.

Connect to a 15V dc supply. Apply power to the circuit.

2. Now measure and record the values listed in Table 1.

Transistor V ce V be Ib Ic Ie V R1
2N3904

Table 1

Subject: Electronics Lab (Analog) Page: 1

3. From the results you may note that here the transistor is operating in the
active region. There is a voltage drop between Collector and Emitter
(Vce), which means the Collector to Emitter junction has a value of
resistance. Calculate this resistance by doing Vce/Ic

Rce (Transistor in active region) = _________________

4. Now switch off the supply and replace R2 with a 10k resistor. Switch
power back on. Repeat the measurements taken in step 2. Record the
results in Table 2.

Transistor V ce V be Ib Ic Ie V R1
2N3904

Table 2

5. From the results you may note that here the transistor is operating in the
saturation region. The voltage drop between Collector and Emitter (Vce) is
almost 0V, which means the Collector to Emitter junction value of
resistance is almost zero. Calculate this resistance by doing Vce/Ic.Here
the transistor is said to be ON.

Rce (Transistor ON) = _________________

6. Switch off again the supply and remove resistor R2 from the circuit. Switch
power back on. Repeat the measurements taken in steps 2 and 4. Record
the results in Table 3.

Transistor V ce V be Ib Ic Ie V R1
2N3904

Table 3

7. From the results you may note that here the transistor is operating in the
cut-off region region. The values of currents are all zero and the voltage
drop between Collector and Emitter (Vce) is maximum (Supply value),
which means the Collector to Emitter junction value of resistance infinite.
Calculate this resistance by doing Vce/Ic. Here the transistor is said to be
switched OFF.

Rce (Transistor OFF) = _________________

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(2). The transistor amplifier action:

1. Using the 2N3904 transistor (or equivalent), construct the circuit as shown in fig 2
and connect to a 10V dc supply.

2. Before applying any ac signal, using the DMM, measure the circuit dc conditions
as indicated in Table 4. Complete Table 1 with the results

Base Voltage (Vb) – (Base w.r.t. GND)

Base to Emitter Voltage (Vbe) - (Base w.r.t. Emitter)
Collector Voltage (Vc) – (Collector w.r.t. GND)
Emitter Voltage (Ve) – (Emitter w.r.t. GND)
Voltage drop across R3
Collector Current (Ic)

Table 4

3. From the results in Table 4 we can see that the transistor here is operating in the
active region since we have a voltage drop across the Collector to Emitter
junction at approximately half the value of the supply voltage.

4. Now adjust the signal generator to produce signal of 20mV peak-to-peak at

1kHz. Connect the signal generator to the input of the amplifier (i.e. Between C1
negative plate and GND – where marked ‘AC signal input’))

5. Set the oscilloscope on ac and dual-trace. Connect CRO channel 1 to the input
of the amplifier and channel 2 to the output of the amplifier (i.e. Between
C2 positive plate and GND – where marked ‘Amplified AC signal output).

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4. Using the CRO measure the values listed in Table 5. Complete Table 5 with the
results. Using these measurements, calculate the ac voltage gain of the
amplifier.

Input voltage peak to peak (CRO channel 1)

Output voltage peak to peak (i.e. on the Collector – CRO channel 2)
Input frequency (CRO channel 1)
Output frequency (CRO channel 2)
Phase shift between Input and Output

Table 5

5. Using the values of Input voltage and Output voltage listed in Table 5, obtain the
voltage gain of the Amplifier by doing the calculation Vout/Vin

Voltage gain: ____________________

6. Now remove capacitor C3 from the breadboard and measure the values listed in
Table 6. Complete Table 6 with the results. You should note a decrease in the
Voltage gain of the amplifier.

Input voltage peak to peak (CRO channel 1 )

Output voltage peak to peak (CRO channel 2)

Table 6

7. Using the values of Input voltage and Output voltage listed in Table 5, obtain the
voltage gain of the Amplifier by doing the calculation Vout/Vin. Here you should
note that there is a drastic decrease in voltage gain since there is some form of
negative feed back which reduces the value of Vout. With C3 the negative
feedback is shorted out to GND.

Voltage gain: ____________________

Student Name: _________________________

Subject: Electronics Lab (Analog) Page: 4