COURSE

CODE
TUTORIAL 5

: ELECTRONIC INSTRUMENTS AND MEASUREMENTS

: BEF 24002
: ANALOG FILTERS

Review Questions
1.
Explain the difference between active and passive filters and list three advantages
of active filters.
2.
With respect to high pass filters, explain the terms roll-off rate and bandwidth
giving the units of each.
3.
Using diagrams, distinguish between bandpass and bandstop filters and show how
they can be made using a combination of high pasa and low pass filters.
4.
Draw a simple schematic diagram of a single pole (1st-order) low pass filter and a
single pole high pass active filter. Briefly describe their operation showing that you
understand why they produce different frequency responses.
5.
Using a qualitative arguments,
(a) describe the effect of a highpass filter on a square wave in the frequency
domain.
(b) describe the effect of this filter in the time domain.
Problems
1.
For the first-order, passive, low-pass, RC filter shown in Figure 1,
(c)
plot its graph of gain, Vo / Vi , against frequency,
(d)
determine from the graph plotted its 3 dB cut-off frequency.

Figure 1
2.

A low-pass RC filter has fc = 3.5 kHz. Find the attenuation of a 30-kHz signal.

3.

The filter circuit in Figure 2 is designed so that Vo has a phase angle of -60o.
What capacitance is needed?
R = 2 k

Vi = 2 0o V

4.

Vo

Figure 2
Develop a low-pass RC filter to attenuate 0.5 MHz noise by 97%. Specify the
critical frequency, values of R and C, and the attenuation of a 400-Hz input signal.

5.

A measurement signal has a frequency < 1 kHz, but there is unwanted noise at
about 1 MHz. Design a low-pass filter that attenuates the noise to 1 %. What is the
effect on the measurement signal at its maximum of 1 kHz?
[Ans. fH = 10 kHz; = 1591 for C = 0.01 F. Using practical value of R = 1.5 k,
fH = 10.6 kHz, and |Vo/Vi| = 0.996 at 1 kHz]

6.

The circuit in Figure 3 is used to accentuate a 1 kHz signal voltage and reject a 5
kHz signal. Determine the resistor and capacitor values needed.
R

Vi

Vo

Figure 3
7.

If the passive, low-pass, RC filter in Figure 4 has a 3 dB cut-off frequency of 1125

Hz and its input is connected to a 500 mV variable frequency signal, estimate the
voltage output from the filter at: (a) 100 Hz, (b) 1 kHz, and (c) 2 kHz.

Figure 4
8.

Determine the resistor and capacitor values of a practical first-order RC low-pass

filter to provide a 10 percent attenuation of the input signal at 100 Hz. Assume that
the filter is to be inserted between a source of 600 impedance and a load of 10 k
impedance.

9.

For the first-order, passive, high-pass, RC filter shown in Figure 5,

(e)
plot its graph of gain, Vo / Vi , against frequency,
(f)
determine from the graph plotted its 3 dB cut-off frequency.

Figure 5
10.

If the passive, high-pass, RC filter in Figure 6 has a 3 dB cut-off frequency of 2

kHz and its input is connected to a 500 mV variable frequency signal, estimate the
voltage output from the filter at: (a) 100 Hz, (b) 1 kHz, and (c) 15 kHz.

Figure 6
11.

A high-pass RC filter is found to attenuate a 1-kHz signal by 20 dB. What is the

lower cut-off frequency?

12.

Pulses from a stepping motor are being transmitted at 2000 Hz. Design a filter to
reduce 50 Hz noise but reduce the pulses by no more than 3 dB.

13.

For the passive, band-pass, RC filter circuit shown in Figure 7,

(g)
plot its graph of gain, Vo / Vi , against frequency,
(h)
determine from the graph plotted its 3 dB cut-off frequencies.
Assume that there is no loading effect between the low-pass and high-pass filter
sections.

Figure 7

14.

For the passive, band-pass, RC filter circuit shown in Figure 8,

(i)
plot its graph of gain, Vo / Vi , against frequency,
(j)
determine from the graph plotted its 3 dB cut-off frequencies.
Assume that there is no loading effect between the low-pass and high-pass filter
sections.

Figure 8
15.

For the passive, band-pass, RC filter circuit shown in Figure 9

a.
plot its graph of gain, Vo / Vi , against frequency,
b.
determine from the graph plotted its 3 dB cut-off frequencies.
Assume that there is no loading effect between the low-pass and high-pass filter
sections.

Figure 9
16.

A second order, low-pass filter with a Butterworth response and a 3 dB cut-off

frequency of 20 Hz is required. The filter circuit in Figure 10 ito be used with close
tolerance capacitors of values 0.001 F and 0.002 F.
Calculate:
(a) The values of resistors that are required; and
(b) The frequency at which the filter gain will have fallen to half its d.c. value.

Figure 10
17.

It is required to produce a unity gain, low-pass Butterworth active filter based on

the circuit shown in Figure 10. If the filter input resistance is to be 20 kHz and the 3
dB cut-off frequency 1 kHz, suggest suitable values for the capacitors and resistors.