The Oscilloscope

For the measurement of voltage: AC and DC

The Oscilloscope
It is an instrument used to measure voltage across two points connected to its YA entry and M mass terminals. The symbol of YA is The symbol of Mass M is The Mass M acts like the com of a multimeter The oscilloscope allows us to visualize the voltage as if it were a graph of Voltage versus time.

What it looks like

What it does
The oscilloscope plots and displays a graph of variation of voltage across the connected points, as time passes. The display of an oscilloscope is similar to: U (V)

t (s)

The Screen

Two control knobs

Vertical sensitivity Sv Volts/div or m Volts/div

Horizontal sensitivity Sh (or time base Vb Time/div s, ms, or s /div This knob is used only in AC voltage mearsurement

At the start
The oscilloscope is zeroed, such that the horizontal blue luminous line appears at the base position, in the center.

The terminals of the oscilloscope are connected across 2 points in a circuit. The blue luminous line is noticed to displace. The number of divisions between the new position of the luminous line its base position is referred to as y.

Formula
The measured voltage is calculated by multiplying: * The value of y (number of divisions the luminous line was displaced by) by * The chosen Sv (vertical sensitivity in volts per division) this is similar to the scale on a graph.

U = y x Sv
(V) (div) (V/div)

Oscilloscope- DC voltage A sample question 1

The YA and M terminals of an oscilloscope are connected to the P and N terminals of a battery. The vertical sensitivity is set to 5 volts per division, determine the voltage of supplied by the battery.

Oscilloscope- DC voltage A sample question- solved

From the screen we see that the signal is a flat horizontal line. It was displaced upwards. The luminous line is 1.3 divisions above the base horizontal position.
=> y = 1.3 div

Oscilloscope- DC voltage A sample question- solved

=> y = 1.3 div

And given that Sv = 5 V/div U PN

Sv x y = 5 V/div x 1.3div = 6.5 V

Note
If the measured voltage is negative, then the luminous line is displaced below the base horizontal position the value of y (number of divisions the luminous line was displaced by) is negative, and :
Then y appears below the base horizontal position and is negative in value.

If U is negative due to connection

U = y x Sv
(V) (div) (V/div)

DC and AC voltages

DC versus AC voltages
(DC = Direct Current, AC = Alternating Current)

A DC source sends into The current resulting a circuit a current that from an AC source flows in one direction. doesnt have one The DC voltage remains direction, its charged constant in value and in particles vibrate and sign. collide. The signs of the terminals alternate Thus this voltage is many times per second. known as Direct (one direction, one sign) and Such voltage is said to continuous (one value) be alternating (in sign) and variable( in value)

DC versus AC voltage: Oscilloscope displays

+
Direct and continuous voltage (Direction) (Value)

Alternating and variable voltage (Direction) (Value)