University of Tripoli

Faculty of engineering
Electrical and electronic engineering department

EE201 Electrical laboratory

Report of experiment #2
The Oscilloscope and The Function Generator

Instructor: Eng. Zeyad Abdulhamid

Name: Moayed Mostafa Bin ID number: 2180205706

Group: A
Experiment date: 10/5/2022 hand over date: /2022
1 Abstract
AC (alternating current) signals have a time-varying magnitude. Common AC signals in
electrical engineering are periodic oscillations used for communications and electrical
power transmission. Because AC signals vary with time, engineers have developed a
test instrument called the oscilloscope that can display AC signal measurements as a
voltage vs. time graph. After completing this experiment you should:

(1) Be able to determine the value of a capacitor using the standard three-
digit code,
(2) Be able to use an oscilloscope to make a DC voltage measurement,
(3) Be able to use a function generator to establish an AC signal with a
Specified amplitude and frequency,
(4) Be able to use an oscilloscope to identify the properties (amplitude, frequency,
period and phase shift) of AC waveforms, (5) Be able to calculate
the phase shift between two AC waveforms given their period (or frequency) and their
time offset.

2 Introduction
So many of the experiments in the advanced labs make use of oscilloscopes and
function generators that it is useful to learn their general operation. Function generators
are signal sources which provide a specifiable voltage applied over a specifiable time,
such as a “sine wave” or
“Triangle wave” signal. These signals are used to control other apparatus to, for
example, vary a magnetic field (superconductivity and NMR experiments) send a
radioactive source back and forth (Mossbauer effect experiment), or act as a timing
signal, i.e., “clock” (phase-sensitive detection experiment).

Oscilloscopes are a type of signal analyzer—they show the experimenter a picture of

the signal, usually in the form of a voltage versus time graph. The user can then study
this picture to learn the amplitude, frequency, and overall shape of the signal which may
depend on the physics being explored in the experiment. Both function generators and
oscilloscopes are highly sophisticated and technologically mature devices. The oldest

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forms of them date back to the beginnings of electronic engineering, and their modern
descendants are often digitally based, multifunction devices costing thousands of
dollars. This collection of exercises is intended to get you started on some of the basics
of operating ’scopes and generators, but it takes a good deal of experience to learn how
to operate them well and take full advantage of their capabilities.

Generally speaking, a multimeter links a voltmeter, an amperemeter and an ohmeter.

We limit ourselves to these three kinds of measurement because they can be organized
easily around the same unit: the analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The three
measurements listed above are often based on the numerization of one voltage. The
measurement results are converted and displayed in the form of digital values. The ADC
unit and its display constitute what we call the ideal voltmeter, “idVm”

3 Function generator basics

Function generators, whether the old analog type or the newer digital type, have a few
common features:

 A way to select a waveform type: sine, square, and triangle are most common, but
some will give ramps, pulses, “noise”, or allow you to program a particular arbitrary
shape.
 A way to select the waveform frequency. Typical frequency ranges are from 0.01
Hz to 10 MHz
 A way to select the waveform amplitude.
 At least two outputs. The “main” output, which is where you find the desired
waveform, typically has a maximum voltage of 20 volts peak-to peak, or ±10 volts
range. The most common output impedance of the main output is 50 ohms,
although lower output impedances can sometimes be found. A second output,
sometimes called “sync”, “aux” or “TTL” produces a square wave with standard 0
and 5 volt digital signal levels. It is used for synchronizing another device (such as
an oscilloscope) to the possibly variable main output signal.
 A wide variety of other features are available on most modern function generators,
such as “frequency sweep”—the ability to automatically vary the frequency

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 between a minimum and maximum value, “DC offset”—a knob that adds a
specified amount of DC voltage to the time-varying waveform, and extra inputs or
outputs that can be used to control these extra features by other instruments.

4 Oscilloscope basics
All oscilloscopes share certain basic features. Refer to Fig. 1 to see where typical
controls may be found.

 The most recognizable feature: a screen. On older analog scopes this is a cathode-
ray tube or CRT; the signal creates a moving dot or “trace” across the screen. On
newer digital scopes the screen is a CRT or flat-panel display that operates like a
computer monitor. The basic use of the screen is to display the signals in a voltage
versus time graph. The screen usually has a graticule on it of about 1 cm squares.
 At least two (maybe more) signal inputs, or “channels”, typically called “CH1”, “CH2”,
etc., and one external “trigger” input, typically called “EXT TRIG”.
 A collection of controls related to vertical part of the display associated with the input
signals. These control the kind of coupling to the input: direct—“DC”, through a
capacitor—“AC”, or disconnected—“GND”. The amount of amplification applied to
the signal is controlled by a knob, and is specified in terms of screen units: a
“10mV/div” setting means that a 10 millivolt change in the input signal will move the
trace vertically by one major division.
 A collection of controls related to the horizontal part of the display. These controls
set the time axis and are calibrated in seconds per division, e.g., 1µs/div means that
one major division corresponds to 1 microsecond. The horizontal controls are
sometimes called the “time base” and the setting is called the “sweep rate”.
 A collection of controls called the “trigger” that are used to synchronize the input
signal to the horizontal display. Because there is no fixed relationship between an
external signal and the internal time base, the trigger makes the scope wait until
some prescribed level in an input is reached before beginning its display. Triggering
controls are discussed in more detail on page 6. In addition to the above features
which are common to both analog and digital varieties, digital oscilloscopes typically

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 come with the ability to save data and control settings to memory, perform
mathematical operations on data traces, average many cycles together to reduce the
effect of random fluctuations, and carry out automatic measurements of frequency
and amplitude of the input signals. One can also make printouts of the display
screen to keep a paper record of the measurement. The basic and advanced
features of oscilloscopes will be explored in the following exercise

Figure 1

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 Figure 2

5 Multimeter basics:
A multimeter is a measuring instrument that can measure multiple electrical
properties. A typical multimeter can measure voltage, resistance, and current, in
which case it is also known as a volt-ohm-milliammeter (VOM), as the unit is
equipped with voltmeter, ammeter, and ohmmeter functionality. Some feature the
measurement of additional properties such as temperature and volume.

Figure 3

The potential difference between two points can be measured by simply

connecting the leads of the meter across the two points, as indicated in the
Figure. An up-scale reading is obtained by placing the positive lead of the meter
to the point of higher potential of the network and the common or negative lead to

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the point of lower potential. The reverse connection results in a negative reading
or a below-zero indication.

Figure 4

Ammeters are connected as shown in Fig. 4. Since ammeters measure the rate
of flow of charge, the meter must be placed in the network such that the charge
flows through the meter. The only way this can be accomplished is to open the
path in which the current is to be measured and place the meter between the two
resulting terminals. For the configuration in Fig4, the voltage source lead (+) must
be disconnected from the system and the ammeter inserted as shown. An up-
scale reading will be obtained if the polarities on the terminals of the ammeter are
such that the current of the system enters the positive terminal.

Figure 5

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6 Measuring the phase angle between various voltages:
An oscilloscope can also be used to make phase measurements between two sinusoidal
waveforms. Virtually all laboratory oscilloscopes today have the dual-trace option, that is, the
ability to show two waveforms at the same time. It is important to remember, however, that both
waveforms will and must have the same frequency, see figure (3) to know how the screen will
look like after you add another input to the oscilloscope.

Figure 6

an oscilloscope is being used to find the phase relationship between the applied voltage and
the voltage across the inductor. Note again that each channel shares the same ground
connection. The resulting pattern appears in Fig. (4) with the chosen sensitivities. This time,
both channels have the same sensitivity, resulting in the following peak values for the
voltages:

Figure 7

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The phase angle is determined by this relation:-

EX:-

And this how we can put the oscilloscope in our circuit:-

7 Definitions
Some basics things about the waveforms:-

Waveform: The path traced by a quantity, such as the voltage in Fig. (5), plotted as a
function of some variable such as time , position, degrees, radians, temperature, and so
on.

instantaneous value: The magnitude of a waveform at any instant of time; denoted

by lowercase letters (e1, e2 in Fig. 5).

Peak amplitude: The maximum value of a waveform as measured from its

average, or mean, value, denoted by uppercase letters [such as Em (Fig. 5) for

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sources of voltage and Vm for the voltage drop across a load]. For the waveform in

Fig. 5, the average value is zero volts, and Em is as defined by the figure.

Peak value: The maximum instantaneous value of a function as measured from

the zero volt level. For the waveform in Fig.5, the peak amplitude and peak value

are the same, since the average value of the function is zero volts.

Peak-to-peak value: Denoted by Ep-p or Vp-p (as shown in Fig. 5), the full
voltage between positive and negative peaks of the waveform, that is, the sum of

the magnitude of the positive and negative peaks.

Periodic waveform: A waveform that continually repeats itself after the same

time interval. The waveform in Fig. 5 is a periodic waveform .

Period (T): The time of a periodic waveform.

Cycle: The portion of a waveform contained in one period of time.

The cycles within T1, T2, and T3 in Fig. 5 may appear different in Fig. 6, but they

are all bounded by one period of time and therefore satisfy the definition of a

cycle.

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 Figure 8

Figure 9

8 Apparatus
- A function generator.
- Oscilloscope.

9 Objectives
In this LAB we will learn how to use the oscilloscope to measure the waveforms and we
will create this waveforms by the “function generator”

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10 Procedure

Figure 10 FUNCTION GENERATOR LM4501

- Switch on the function generator

- We choose the type of the wave(sine, triangle or square wave)

- Turn on the Oscilloscope “the red button”

- Adjust the intensity and focus to get sharp bright spot

- Use the “POS” control the wave on x-axis and y-axis

- We put the wire into CH1 of the Oscilloscope

- We choose the best volt by division for the wave

- And use time scale from the time by division knob

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Results and Data

Drawing the waveforms(from the experience) of the “Oscilloscope” from website:-

https://academo.org/demos/virtual-oscilloscope/

Sine wave of 10KHz , 3Vpp

Volt/Div = 1V

Time/Div=50µs

Figure 11

Sine wave of 1KHz , 1Vpp

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Volt/Div = 0.5V

Time/Div =0.5ms

Figure 12

Sine wave of 100KHz , 3Vpp

Volt/Div=1v

Time/Div=5µs

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Figure 13

Square wave of 10KHZ, 3Vpp

Volt/Div=1V
Time/Div=50µs

Figure 14

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 Waveform Volt/Div HIEGHT VOLTS
DIVISIONS PEAK-
TOPEAK
sine wave 1Vpp 0.5V 2 1
sine wave 3Vpp 1V 3 3
sine wave 5Vpp 1V 5 5
square wave 1V 3 2
3Vpp

TABLE-1

Signal
Waveform Time/Div 1Cycle Periodic Calculated generator
occupies time T frequency frequency
divs
F=1/T Hz setting Hz
sine wave
1KHz 0.5ms/div 2divs 1ms 1KHz 10KHz*0.1
sine wave
10KHz 50µs/div 2divs 100µs 10KHz 10KHz*1

sine wave
100KHz 5µs/div 2divs 10µs 100KHz 10KHz*10
square
wave 50µs/div 2divs 100µs 10KHz 10KHz*1
10KHz

TABLE-2

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 11 Conclusion
The function generator is to generate an AC voltage. The oscilloscope is an electronic
device used to display voltages as a function of time.

And we learned how to use this device and use 4 type of waveforms.

And another thing we learned it that, We can control the Volt/Div by the Volt/Div switch
so we can adjust the height of the wave. And we can control the Time/Div by the
Time/Div switch so we can adjust the width of the wave. There’s a switch to control the

shape of the wave. We can see that when frequency is big the period time is small. also,
when frequency is big it shows fewer cycles in the display.

12 References
- Robert L. Boylestad "Introductory circuit analysis-Eleventh edition
“Published by: Library of congress cataloging".
- The Oscilloscope and the function generator, prepared by D. Pengra.
- Used this site to draw the waveforms of the Oscilloscope
https://academo.org/demos/virtual-oscilloscope/
- Fundamentals of Electric Circuits Charles K. Alexander.
- Introduction to Electronic Instruments and Measurements Bonnie Stahlin.

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