111Equation Chapter 1 Section 1 Module EL026

Practical Y1 – Introduction to the Oscilloscope

A formal report is not required for this experiment. The answer sheet for this expt. should
be completed and submitted on-line.
Introduction

The aim of this practical is to introduce you to the use of an oscilloscope to allow you to measure time
varying voltages. Your familiarity with the equipment will build up over the following stages.

Stage one:

The large number of control buttons on the front panel of the oscilloscope will be set and
the scope and its probe tested using the test signal supplied on the scope itself.

Stage two:

The output from a function generator will be displayed on one trace of the oscilloscope
and its amplitude and frequency measured by the oscilloscope.

Stage three:

This signal will be connected through a filter circuit and the output from the filter displayed
on the second trace of the oscilloscope. The amplitude and phase of this output can then
be measured.

Stage four:

The measurements of stages 2 and 3 are repeated for different frequencies.

The scopes that you will be using are advanced instruments which are of industry standard and many of
the measurements of amplitude, frequency and phase can be done automatically by these scopes.
However, all engineers should be aware and able to perform these basic measurements without automatic
facilities.

1 © University of Kent
Stage 1 – Setting up and testing the oscilloscope equipment

Introduction
The following check on your equipment does not take more than a few minutes and is extremely useful. Not
only does it make sure the calibration of the display is accurate but also, and this is probably a greater use,
it makes sure all the probe cable and connections are functioning.
The oscilloscope is provided with a Calibration waveform output to make this check. At default setting, the
waveform is rectangular in shape with a repetition frequency of about 100 kHz and an amplitude of 2.5 V
peak-to-peak.

Apparatus

slide switch on barrel of

probe

Method

At the start, return the oscilloscope to its default setting. First press the SAVE/RECALL button and then
from the soft menu select DEVICE SETTINGS and then DEFAULT SETT. You may use this sequence at
any time if you are unsure about the current settings.
Connect a probe to the CH1 input on the front of the oscilloscope as shown above.

Set the slide switch on the barrel of the probe to the ×1 position.

Clip the probe tip to the PROBE COMP’s S0 signal point below the screen on the oscilloscope.

Set the time-base (TB) to 5 µs/DIV.

Set the CH1 sensitivity to 500 mV/DIV.

2 © University of Kent
You may use the VERTICAL and HORIZONTAL POSITION controls in order to align the trace to the grids
on the display for accurate measurements.

Since the frequency is 100 kHz, which corresponds to a period of 10 µs, this display can be used to check
the time-base calibration. There should be two horizontal divisions per cycle of the waveform. By careful
adjustment of the POSITION controls you should be able to approximately position the trace such that its
rising and falling edges lie on the vertical graticule lines and its horizontal edges are separated vertically by
approximately five divisions.

Measure the exact time for four complete oscillations of this waveform. Use the central horizontal graticule
line to measure the number of main divisions and the fraction. Record the result in your Answer Sheet.

1.1
Calculate the corresponding frequency.

1.2
And comment on how accurately this agrees with it being 100 kHz.

1.3
Since the peak-to-peak value of the test signal is accurately 2.5 V, it should span a vertical distance of five
divisions when the CH1 sensitivity is set to 500 mV/division. Measure the actual amplitude (in the y-
direction) of this waveform by using the central horizontal graticule line to measure the number of main
divisions and the fraction.

[ Note: A convenient way of measuring vertical distances makes use of the POSITION control. Adjust this
until one of the upper waveform peaks lies exactly beneath the central vertical graticule line. You

3 © University of Kent
 should be able to estimate its intersection with the trace to a resolution of better than 0.1 divisions.
Note this point of intersection.

Now readjust the horizontal POSITION control until one of the lower waveform peaks lies beneath
the central vertical graticule line and again estimate the intersection point with the trace. The
difference between these two intersection points is the required vertical distance, in units of
graticule divisions. ]

Record your results in the Answer Sheet.

1.4
Multiply this measure of divisions by the sensitivity 500 mV/DIV to give the peak to peak amplitude.

1.5
Calculate the error between this value and the true value of 2.5 V.

1.6
The next check is on the probe. Set its slide switch to the ×10 position. In effect, you have reduced its
sensitivity by a factor of 10; thus, it will now require a voltage 10 times larger to achieve the same deflection
of the trace on the screen.

You should observe exactly the same waveform as before but much smaller amplitude. Adjust the CH1
sensitivity to a suitable value to obtain a large enough trace to measure the peak to peak amplitude
accurately. [You need to multiply this value by 10 to get the true peak to peak voltage V pp.] Compare the
results you obtained.

1.7
When you have completed these checks, disconnect the probe from the test signal point, and restore the
probe switch to the ×1 position.

Conclusion

You have obtained the systemic error in amplitude measurements when using the equipment. If you require
an accurate result, this correction should be applied to all amplitude measurements made with your scope.

4 © University of Kent
Stage 2 ─ To measure the amplitude and frequency of the signal from the Function Generator

Introduction

The signal from the Signal Generator is to be set at 1 kHz sinusoidal with peak amplitude of 1 volt as
measured on the oscilloscope display. There is an adjustable signal generator embedded in the HMO 1002
oscilloscope which will be used for this experiment. To set it up for the desired signal, press the UTIL button
first. Then in the soft menu, select FUNCTION GEN. In the subsequent menu, select FUNCTION
(=Sinusoidal), FREQUENCY (=1000 or 1k), AMPLITUDE (=2 Vpp) and OFFSET (=0 v). You can use the
SELECT dial to choose the appropriate values or, for numeric entries, you may press the KEYPAD button
for an onscreen keyboard for your inputs.

Apparatus

Method

Connect up the circuit as shown, using a BNC to BNC cable between the signal generator output
(AUX OUT) and CH1 input of the scope.

On the oscilloscope, set the gain for the CH1 input to 500 mV/DIV. Set the time-base switch to 200 µs/DIV.
Make sure that the CH1 coupling switch is set to AC using the soft menu.

Inspect the oscilloscope trace. If you can’t see anything at first, you’ll need to adjust the oscilloscope
controls.
Align this trace on the central horizontal graticule line, using the verticle POSITION control. (A tiny arrow
will show where the 0v line lies.) Aim to obtain a trace something like that shown above.

5 © University of Kent
To determine how accurately the oscilloscope can measure this frequency

The period of a waveform is obtained by taking the reciprocal of the frequency. So, for example, for a
frequency of 1000 Hz, this period is 1 ms (millisecond) which corresponds to five divisions on a scale of
200 µs/DIV.
Adjust the POSITION controls to align the trace with the central horizontal graticule line. Read off the
number of divisions where the trace next crosses it, going in the same direction, along the central
horizontal scale. Convert this to time, thus giving the period of the waveform. Hence calculate the
frequency as measured by the oscilloscope.

2.1
Estimate the uncertainty in this result due to the thickness of the bright line itself.
2.2
Note that the oscilloscope is no match, in either accuracy or resolution, for even the simplest of modern
counter-timer types of frequency meter but is useful when a rough estimate only is required of a signal’s
frequency. What is the percentage error in the oscilloscope reading compared with that of the Function
Generator?

2.3
To set the required amplitude

A peak amplitude of 1 V means a peak to peak amplitude of 2 V. For a setting of 500 mV/DIV, 4 divisions of
the graticule is required to give this 2 V swing. Adjust the amplitude control on the Signal generator to give
this peak-to-peak vertical distance on the screen.
Make an estimate of the uncertainty in your voltage measurements. The fact that the trace has a finite
thickness, as well as some fuzziness in its definition, is cause for some uncertainty. Express your estimate
as percentages of the measured values.

2.4
A good way to reduce this uncertainty is to try always to view the trace from exactly the same position.
Also, estimate the graticule intersections at what you judge to be the centre of the trace. This may need a
little practice.

Conclusion

The signal from the Function Generator now has the required frequency and amplitude to within the
estimated accuracies.

6 © University of Kent
Stage 3 ─ To measure the amplitude and phase of the sinusoidal signal out of the filter
Introduction
Most oscilloscopes can simultaneously display two input signals. The twin-channel time-base mode is used
when comparing two voltage waveforms and will be used to measure the phase difference between two
sinusoidal waveforms. In the following experiment, the signal from the function generator will be connected
to a filter circuit and the output from the filter displayed on the second trace of the oscilloscope. The
amplitude and phase of this output can then be measured.

Apparatus setup

Signal generator output

CH1 CH2

Phase shifting
filter circuit
IN OUT

7 © University of Kent
Method

Connect up the circuit as shown, using BNC to BNC cables between the function generator and both the
scope and the filter input and between the filter output and the input to CH2 of the scope.
A second trace should now appear on the screen. You can adjust its vertical position using the POSITION
control. Set CH2 to 50 mV/DIV. Set the time base to 200 µs/DIV. Make sure that the CH2 coupling switch
is set to DC. By further adjusting the POSITION controls, the following display should be obtained:

5 divisions

Make sure both traces are aligned horizontally to be symmetrical about the central horizontal graticule axis.
On this central horizontal axis, measure accurately the scale divisions, d, between when the first wave
crosses the axis and when the corresponding part of the second wave cuts the axis.

3.1
As 5 major graticule divisions corresponds to 360 degrees phase shift on the input waveform. The phase

shift between the two waves is, therefore, . Hence calculate the phase difference
between the waves being displayed.

3.2

8 © University of Kent
You should also measure and record the peak to peak amplitude of the second waveform by the same
methods as for the previous stage.

3.3
Conclusion
You now have a measure of the phase shift between the filter input and output at this frequency. You have
also shown that the output signal is reduced in amplitude.

Stage 4 ─ To repeat these measurements at different frequencies

Method

Using the rig set up as at the end of Stage 3, repeat the experiment at a frequency of 100 Hz by adjusting
the Function Generator settings to give the required frequency.
Set both CH1 and CH2 to 500 mV/DIV and the time-base now to 2 ms/DIV so that 5 major graticule
divisions again corresponds to 360 degrees
Measure the scale divisions along the scope graticule between the corresponding points on the input and
output waves.

4.1

Calculate the phase difference using the same equation as before.

4.2

Repeat the experiment at a frequency of 10 Hz using a time-base setting of 10 ms/DIV. On this setting, 10
major graticule divisions corresponds to 360 degrees.

4.6-4.7

Inventory of apparatus

1 Oscilloscope
Probe for the above
Low Pass or High Pass Filter card In house

3 BNC to BNC lead

1 T junction

9 © University of Kent