Lab 6: Experimental procedure

Please complete all the tasks given in this section during the lab session. Do not forget
to watch the related lab videos and guides that are suggested for this lab experiment.

Required components
In this experiment you will be required to use the following components:

 A breadboard.

 470 Ω, 1 kΩ, 10 kΩ , 15 kΩ , 100 kΩ and 1 MΩ resistors.

 Op Amp LM741.

 1 nF and 4.7 nF capacitors.

I. Inverting amplifier
Section I uses the remote lab practical setup in Figure 6.1. You will use this practical
setup to remotely configure the circuit in Figure 6.2.

Figure 6.1: Remote lab setup for Section I of Lab Experiment 6.

 Figure 6.2: Inverting amplifier circuit with Op Amp and AC sinusoidal input voltage.

1 In the circuit of Figure 6.2, find the feedback resistor Rf such that the amplifier gain is equal
v out
to 15, i.e., =15 .
v¿

Rf = 15 kOhms.

Configure the DC power supply into series mode to obtain the ± 15V DC to be
supplied to the Op Amp. Make sure that 30 V is measured across the positive and
negative power supply rails using the digital multimeter. This is a good way to ensure
that you have configured the power supply correctly. Do not yet close the relays to
supply power to the op-amp.

Program the signal generator to provide the input voltage v ¿ with 1 V peak-to-peak and a
frequency of 1 kHz . Select sine wave. Note that the oscilloscope has been configured so that
the input signal v ¿ is displayed on CH1 and the output signal v out is displayed on CH2.
Configure the inverting amplifier circuit shown in Figure 6.2 in the remote lab setup with the
R f resistance that you calculated from the previous step by opening/closing the relevant
relays. Observe the input and output voltage waveforms and sketch them in the provided
space. Clearly label the peak values and the fundamental time-period or frequency of the
waveforms on the graphs.

Note that +15 V DC voltage supply is connected to pin 7 and −15 V to pin 4
according to the LM741 layout given in Error: Reference source not found.
Make sure that the peak-to-peak value of v ¿is correct when connecting the signal
generator.
v ¿ (CH1)
 Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

v out (CH2)

Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

Use theoretical calculations to find the peak value of the output voltage v out in the
circuit of Figure 6.2 and then compare it with the experimental results you obtained
in the previous question.

Peak value obtained from signal generator was 7.5V. This is 15 times the peak
value for Vin, which was 0.5V. This confirms the theoretical gain of 15 as Rf/R in =
15.
II. Non-inverting amplifier
ASK YOUR DEMONSTRATOR TO COME CHANGE THE LAB PRACTICAL SETUP NOW

Section II uses the remote lab practical setup in Figure 6.3. You will use this practical setup to
remotely configure the circuit in Figure 6.4 by opening/closing the relevant relay switches.

Figure 6.3: Remote lab setup for Section II of Lab Experiment 6.

Configure the non-inverting amplifier circuit shown in Figure 6.4 using the remote
lab setup. Use the same settings for DC power supply, signal generator, and
oscilloscope as in question Error: Reference source not found. Observe the input
and output voltage waveforms ( v ¿ and v out , respectively) and sketch them in the
provided space. Clearly label the peak values and the fundamental time-period or
frequency of the waveforms on the graphs.

Figure 6.4: Non-inverting amplifier circuit with Op Amp and AC sinusoidal input voltage.

v ¿ (CH1)
 Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

v out (CH2)

Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

Use theoretical calculations to find the peak value of the output voltage v out in the
circuit of Figure 6.4 and then compare it with the experimental results you obtained
in the previous question.

Theoretical gain: Vout/Vin = 1 + Rf/Rin

= 1 + 15

= 16.

Peak value on graph = 8V. This is 16 times the peak value for input voltage so the
experimental results support theoretical results.

Increase the input voltage signal v¿ by 20 percent and observe the response of the
non-inverting amplifier. Explain what happens to the output v out of the amplifier.

Nothing happened. The output cannot exceed supply.

If you were asked to do the same thing on the inverting amplifier of Figure 6.2, would
you expect to observe a similar result? Explain your answer.
 Yes, for the same reason as Q6.

III. Differentiator
ASK YOUR DEMONSTRATOR TO COME CHANGE THE LAB PRACTICAL SETUP NOW

Sections III and IV use the remote lab practical setup in Figure 6.5. You will use this practical
setup to remotely configure the circuits in Figure 6.6 and Figure 6.7 by opening/closing the
relevant relay switches.
NEVER close relays S15 and S16 at the same time.

Figure 6.5: Remote lab setup for Section III of Lab Experiment 6.
 Figure 6.6: Practical differentiator circuit using Op Amp and AC triangle input voltage.

The circuit shown in Figure 6.6 is the practical form of an Op Amp differentiator
circuit. Unlike the standard form of the circuit seen in the lecture, it contains a
resistance R s in series with the capacitance C to avoid high frequency noise and
stability problems.

Configure the practical Op Amp differentiator in Figure 6.6 by opening/closing the relevant
relays with C=4.7 nF , R f =10 kΩ , and R s=470 Ω. Use the signal generator to provide an
input voltage v ¿ with 1 V peak-to-peak and a frequency of 1 kHz , and select ramp wave
output. Supply the Op Amp with ± 15V DC voltage by configuring the DC power supply.
Configure the oscilloscope so that the input signal v ¿ is displayed on CH1 and the output signal
v out
is displayed on CH2. Observe the input and output voltage waveforms and sketch them in
the provided space. Clearly label the peak values and the fundamental time-period of the
waveforms on the graphs.

v ¿ (CH1)

Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

v out (CH2)
 Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

What is the noticeable difference between the experimental output signal of the
practical Op Amp differentiator and the theoretical output signal?

The theoretical gain is slightly different to the experimental gain – this can be
attributed to the tolerance of the resistors used.

Based on your understanding of capacitor behaviour against sudden voltage changes

and the results from the previous question, explain why it is not practical to use the
ideal/standard Op Amp differentiator circuit (refer to your answer in Error: Reference
source not found question Error: Reference source not found), and how adding
the series resistor R s can fix the problem.

At high frequency, the impedance of the capacitor will be low. This in essence
makes it a short circuit which means the differentiator is no longer a differentiator
and is now an inverting amplifier. The resistor will ensure that there is some
resistance present as the capacitor will not supply enough.

IV. Integrator

The circuit shown in Figure 6.7 is the practical form of an Op Amp integrator
circuit. Unlike the standard form of the circuit seen in the lecture, it contains a
resistance R p in parallel with the capacitance C to limit the gain of the integrator at
low frequencies.
 Configure the practical Op Amp integrator circuit shown in Figure 6.7 by opening/closing the
relevant relays, with C=1 nF , R1=100 kΩ, and R p =1 MΩ . Use the signal generator to
provide an input voltage v ¿ with 1 V peak-to-peak and a frequency of 1 kHz , and select
square wave output. Supply the Op Amp with ± 15V DC voltage by configuring the DC
power supply. Observe the input and output voltage waveforms and sketch them in the
provided space. Clearly label the peak values and the fundamental time-period of the
waveforms on the graphs.

Figure 6.7: Practical integrator circuit using Op Amp and AC square-wave input voltage.

v ¿ (CH1)

Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

v out (CH2)

Horizontal scale:---------- Vertical scale:----------

 Based on your observation from the previous questions and the behaviour of
capacitors against low frequency signals (such as DC signals), explain why it is not
practical to use the ideal/standard Op Amp integrator (refer to your answer in Error:
Reference source not found question Error: Reference source not found), and how
adding the parallel resistor R p can fix the problem.

The parallel resistor reduces the low frequency gain of the op amp. When the
resistance is very large (in this case 1 MOhm), its effects are negligible when
calculating the gain of the integrator.