Lab 3: Thermocouples

Tyler Zeller
Jacob Diemer
Brian Siaw
Jared Wachowiak
Voltage Range: -5V to 5V Room Temperature

Voltage Range: -5V to 5V Hot Water (70 °C)

Voltage Range: -1V to 1V Room Temperature

Voltage Range: -1V to 1V Hot Water (70 °C)

Voltage Range: -0.1V to 0.1V Room Temperature

Voltage Range: -0.1V to 0.1V Hot Water (70 °C)

Voltage Range: -0.01V to 0.01V Room Temperature

Voltage Range: -0.01V to 0.01V Hot Water (70 °C)

Voltage Range: -0.004V to 0.004V Room Temperature

Voltage Range: -0.004V to 0.004V Hot Water (70 °C)

Voltage -5,+5 -5,+5 -1,+1 -1,+1 -0.1,+0.1 -0.1,+ -0.01,+0.01 -0.01,+0. -0.004,+0.004 -0.004,+
Range 0.1 01 0.004

Temperature Room Hot Room Hot Room Hot Room Hot Room Hot
Temperature Water Temperature Water Temperature Water Temperature Water Temperature Water

Mean -0.57831 1.38527 -0.34933 1.70317 -0.31242 1.7962 -0.34383 1.78212 -0.34242 1.80156
9

SD 0.19461 0.20381 0.106175 0.15488 0.09852 0.1181 0.07672 0.1015 0.07563 0.09723
3

Min -1.06921 1.02313 -0.60718 1.2599 -0.51585 1.3890 -0.63791 1.57853 -0.52549 1.5175
1

Max 0.05743 2.14978 0.03664 2.22564 0.03986 2.1471 -0.0147 2.16316 -0.01474 2.10534

Voltage Range M value EFSR A/D Converter

Resolution

10V 16 10V 1.526x10-4V

2V 16 2V 3.052x10-5V

0.2V 16 0.2V 3.052x10-6V

0.02V 16 0.02V 3.052x10-7V

0.008V 16 0.008V 1.221x10-7V

As can be seen by the chart, the Voltage Range of 10V has the largest A/D Converter Resolution at a
value of 1.526x10-4V. The Voltage Range with the smallest A/D Converter Resolution is 0.008V with a
value of 1.221x10-7V. This means that as the voltage range decreases so does the A/D converter
Resolution.
R1200 3V
R1200 9V
R6600 3V
R6600 9V
Discussion:
1. The resistance of a thermistor can be changed either by external temperature changes or by
changes in temperature caused by an electrical current flowing through them. For instance, as the
temperature increases, its resistance decreases, causing more current to flow. When the resistance
of the thermistor changes due to changes in temperature, the fraction of the supply voltage across
the thermistor will also change producing an output voltage that is proportional to the fraction of
the total series resistance between the output terminals.
2. According to Ohm’s Law, V=IR, voltage is directly proportional to resistance. When the
resistance of the thermistor changes due to changes in temperature, the fraction of the supply
voltage across the thermistor will also change producing an output voltage that is proportional to
the fraction of the total series resistance between the output terminals.
3. For the tests with 3V and different resistances, the test with the 6600Ω resistor had a larger
change in the sensor output than the 1200Ω resistor on the voltage across the resistor graphs,
while also having a larger change in the sensor output on the thermistor resistance graph. In the
9V tests, there is a much larger change in the sensor output for the voltage across the resistor on
the 6600Ω test compared to the 1200Ω test. On the thermistor resistance graphs, there is less of a
change in the sensor output compared to the voltage across the resistor graphs, but there is still a
bigger change in the sensor output on the 6600Ω test than the 1200Ω test. The resistor that you
should choose is the 6600Ω resistor since there are bigger changes in the sensor output for both
the 9V and 3V tests compared to the 1200Ω resistor.