Laboratory Work # 10: Operational Amplifiers

1. To study operational amplifier (op amp) and its applications.

2. To use PSpice to analyze the circuits and to generate and plot the output files.
Equipment and Components
 Function Generator
 Oscilloscope
 DC voltage source (0-15V)
 Multimeter
 Breadboard
 Connecting leads
 PSpice Programming
Background Material
LM 324 operational-amplifier array will be used as the central component in several circuits for
this lab. The LM 324 op amps are general purpose amplifiers, with moderately decent
specifications in most of the parameters that characterize op amps. A data sheet for LM 324 can
be on D2L for your use if needed. There are a number of different types of packages for
integrated circuits and the package to be used here is the 14-pin DIP (dual in-line package),
which plugs easily into the breadboards. Note that there is no specific ground connection. The
ground for an op amp circuit is defined by the common connection for the power supplies (or in
some cases, single power supply).

v+ (3)

v– (3)

vo (3)
v+ (4)
v– (4)
vo (4)

Vneg
The pin out arrangement for the LM 324
package is shown at right. It can also be 14 13 12 11 10 9 8
seen in the data sheet. Each chip package
has an orientation mark – either a semi-
circular cut-out along a short side or – –
small circular mark in one corner. Both 4 + + 3
are indicated in the figure. Viewed from
the top (with the pins pointing away from
you) with the marks on the left-hand + +
side, the pins are numbered as shown. 2
1 – –
It is important to make certain that you
do not mix up the power supply
connections. If the supply polarities are 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
backwards, there is a good chance that
v+ (1)

v+ (2)
v– (1)

v– (2)
vo (1)

vo (2)
Vpos

the op amps will burn out.

Wire up each of the five circuits described below and apply the required input voltage(s). In
each circuit, use power supply voltages of +15 V and –15 V for the op amps. (For the first
couple of circuits, you may want to have the Laboratory Assistant check the connections
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before you turn on the power supply.) Bring a flash drive so that you can save copies of
waveform traces to include in your laboratory report. (You may also want to review
oscilloscope and function generator operations, since we have not used them in the laboratory
so far.) Finally, when setting up the function generators, don’t forget to set the output to “High
Z” and the units to VRMS.
Procedure
1. Noninverting amplifier

Using one of the op amps from the LM 324 array, +

vo
build the noninverting amplifier circuit shown on –
the right. Measure the resistors, so that you know R2
vS
their precise values. – 10 kΩ
For vS, use the function generator set to a sinusoid
with frequency of 1000 Hz and amplitude of 0.5
VRMS.
Then follow the steps outlined below.
a. Calculate the expected gain, G = vo/vs for the circuit.
b. Measure the gain by measuring the output voltage and input voltage with the multimeter
and calculating the ratio.
c. Observe the input and the output together on the oscilloscope. Adjust the vertical scales
so that you can clearly see the input sinusoid and the amplified output sinusoid. Save a
copy of a clear trace to put in your laboratory report.
d. Increase the amplitude of the input sinusoid to 1 VRMS. Observe the input and output
together on the oscilloscope again. Note the differences in the output from part c. Save a
copy to put into your report.

2. Inverting amplifier R2

Build the inverting amplifier circuit shown on the

right. Measure the resistors, so that you know their
precise values.
vo
For VS, use the function generator set to a sinusoid vS
with frequency of 1000 Hz and amplitude of 0.25
VRMS.
a. Calculate the expected gain, G = vo/vs for the circuit.
b. Measure the gain by measuring the output voltage and input voltage with the
multimeter and calculating the ratio.
c. Observe the input and the output together on the oscilloscope. Save a copy of a clear
trace to put into your report.

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 3. Summing amplifier
Build the summing amplifier circuit shown RF
on the right. Measure the resistors, so that
you know their precise values. Ri1 1 kΩ
VAC1 10 kΩ
For both VAC1 and VAC2, use the function
generator set to a sinusoid with frequency VAC2 vo
of 1000 Hz and amplitude of 0.5 VRMS. +
Ri2 10 kΩ
a. Calculate the expected output function for the circuit.
b. Observe the input and the output together on the oscilloscope. Save a copy of a clear trace
to put in your report.
c. Measure the gain of the VAC1 path by setting VAC2 to 0 V (connect it to ground), and
measuring the output and the AC input (VAC1) and calculating the ratio.

R2 10 kΩ
4. Difference amplifier
Build the difference amplifier circuit shown on the R1 1 kΩ
right. Measure the resistors, so that you know vb –
their precise values.
va vo
+
For the source voltage, use the function
generator set to a sinusoid with frequency of R3 3 kΩ R4
1000 Hz and amplitude of 0.5 VRMS. 22 kΩ

a. Calculate the expected output for the circuit, in terms of the two input voltages and the
resistors.
b. Set vb to 0 V (connect it to ground) and connect the source to va. Measure the difference-
mode gain, Gd = vo/va by measuring the output voltage and input voltage with the
multimeter and calculating the ratio. Observe the input and the output together on the
oscilloscope. Save a copy of a clear trace to put in your reports.
c. Swap the inputs (connect va to ground and vb to the sinusoid). Measure the gain in this
case. Observe the input and the output together on the oscilloscope. Note the difference
between this trace and the one seen in part b. Save a copy of a clear trace.
d. Lastly, connect va and vb both to the sinusoidal source and increase the source amplitude to
5 VRMS. Measure the output voltage. (What happened to it!?). Calculate the common-
mode gain, Gc = voc/vs and the common-mode rejection ratio, CMRR = Gd/Gc. (Gc should
be small and CMRR should be big.)

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 5. Cascaded amplifiers
Using two op-amps, build the cascaded amplifier circuit shown below. Measure the resistors, so
that you know their precise values.

1 2
R4

68 kΩ
+ R3
–
– 10 k vo
+ R2 +
vS
–
3 kΩ
R1 1 kΩ

For VS, use the function generator set to a sinusoid with frequency of 1000 Hz and amplitude of
1.25 VRMS.
a. Calculate the expected gain, G = vo/vs for the circuit.
b. Measure the gain by measuring the output voltage and input voltage with the multimeter
and calculating the ratio. Also, measure the gain for each stage independently.
c. Observe the input and the output together on the oscilloscope. Save a copy of a clear trace
to put in your report.

d. Finally, swap the order of the amps – amp 2 will be connected to the source and amp 1 will
be the output. Measure the total gain using the multimeter or oscilloscope again. Has it
changed?

6. PSpice
Analyze all the circuits above using PSpice and compare your results to the experimental and
calculated results.