AC Measurements and Diodes and Diodes Circuits

Castro, Jenina Margareth1 and De Guzman, Jessa1

1
Department of Chemical Engineering
METHODOLOGY
The experiment was divided into two parts: performing of AC measurements and analysis of diodes and diode
circuits. For AC measurements, materials such as analog oscilloscope with its 2 probes, signal generator and its
probe, 500- resistor,

10 x 104 pF ceramic capacitor and 121.2 H-inductor are prepared. Using the signal

generator, we set its frequency at 1 kHz and V rms=2 V, without DC offset. We used the oscilloscope to verify this
output sinusoidal waveform from the signal generator. Next, we analyzed the waveform produced for the circuit
below:

Figure 1. AC circuit 1
We set Vs as the generated waveform from the first step. We measured V r and Vc by placing the negative
terminal of oscilloscopes probe A and probe B to point n. On the other hand, the positive terminal of probe A
was attached to the (+) side of Vr while the positive side of probe B was placed at the (-) side of V c. We verify
the generated waveforms of the circuit in the oscilloscope by inverting the CH2 display. The generated
waveforms of Vr and Vc were then added using the ADD function of the oscilloscope. We next performed AC
analysis in inductive loads. We replaced the capacitor with an inductor in circuit 1 (Figure 1) and label it V L.
Repeating the same procedure in measuring V r and Vc, we obtained the generated waveforms for the inductor
and resistor and also added them together using the ADD function of the oscilloscope.
For diodes and diode circuits experiment, materials such as oscilloscope, function generator, breadboard, 1.0-F
capacitor, 10 and 1-k resistors, and four 1N4001 diodes are prepared. The V-I characteristic of a diode was
first analyzed using the circuit below:

Figure 2. AC Circuit 2

We set the frequency of the signal generator to 1 kHz to produce V s and by using the dual display capability of
the oscilloscope, we displayed Vr and Vd using the same procedure as in measuring Vc and Vr from part A of this
experiment. We obtained the diodes V-I characteristics by setting oscilloscope time-base to X-Y and vertical
mode to CH2. A sketch of Id (y-axis) vs. Vd was then obtained where Vr represents Id. On the other hand, to show
clipping and rectification, we constructed the circuits below.

Figure 3B. AC Circuit 4

Figure 3A. AC Circuit 3

We created the AC voltage source for these circuits using the sine wave output with frequency as 1kHz in the
function generator. The amplitude was adjusted to 4V peak-to-peak. With R=1 k, we displayed using the
oscilloscope the input voltage (Vin @ CH1) and output voltage (V o @CH2) with the coupling set to DC of each
circuits. For full-wave bridge rectifier analysis, we constructed the circuit in Figure 4 with R=10k.

Figure 4. AC Circuit 5

For the AC voltage source, we set the function generator in sine wave output with frequency equal to 1 kHz and
amplitude of 10 V peak-to-peak. We obtained the sketch of the generated input and output waveforms as
displayed by the oscilloscope. A clamper circuit (shown in Figure 5) was next analyzed with V DC first set to 0V.
Using a 4V peak-to-peak and 1kHz sinusoidal source, we displayed the input signal in the oscilloscope using
CH1 while the signal across the resistor using CH2 observing proper polarity connection of the probes. The two
signals were plotted and the input was then varied from 0 to 2 V.

Figure 5. AC Circuit 5: Clamper circuit

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Voltage(V)

1kHz
2Vrms
Waveform:
VOLTS/DIV=5.00V
TIME/DIV=
200s
Vpp=7.20V
Amp=3.60V

Time(s)
Figure 6. Sinusoidal Waveform (No DC Offset)

Voltage(V)

VrYellow
VcBlue
VOLTS/DIV=1.00V
TIME/DIV=200s
Vr+VcViolet
VOLTS/DIV=1.00V
TIME/DIV=200s
Vpp=7.2Vc

Time(s)
Figure 7. Vr and Vc Waveform and their sum

Figure 6 shows the sinusoidal waveform of 1kHz without DC offset. The waveform shown in figure 6 is the Vs.
While figure 7 shows the Vr and Vc waveform and the resulting waveform when Vr and Vc waveforms
combines. From Figure 7, different date can be obtained. It can be seen on table 1.
Table1DataGatheredfromtheGraphinFigure7
Peak to Peak Value
RMS Value
Relative Phase Angle to Vr
Period

Vr
2.24 V
730 mV
0 degree
1.00 ms

Vc
6.8 V
2.36 V
91.62 degrees
1.00 ms

Fromtable1,IsvalueofRMS,relativephasetoVrandrelativephasetoVccanbeobtained.Usingthe
equation
VrYellow
VOLTS/DIV=1.00V
ThenextpartwastheACAnalysisinInductiveLoads.Inthispart,
TIME/DIV=500s
figure2(Circuit2)isused.Wereplacethecapacitorwithaninductor.
VLBlue
VOLTS/DIV=20.00mV
TIME/DIV=500s
Vr+VcViolet
VOLTS/DIV=1.00V
TIME/DIV=500s
Vpp=3.00V

Voltage(V)

Time(s)
Figure 8. Vr and VL Waveform and their sum

Figure8showsthegraphofVrandVLwiththeirresultingwaveformwhencombined.Fromthevaluesgathered
infigure8,valuesintable2areobtained.
Table2DataGatheredfromtheGraphinFigure8
Peak to Peak Value
RMS Value
Relative Phase Angle to Vr
Period

Vr
3.32 V
1.14 V
0 degree
1.00 ms

VL
60 mV
15.7 mV
1.8 degrees
585s

Fromtable2,IsvalueofRMS,relativephasetoVrandrelativephasetoVccanbeobtained.Usingthe
equation

Voltage(V)

ThenextexperimentdonewasfortheDiodeandDiodeCircuits.Inthisexperiment,oscilloscopesarealsoused.
ThefirstgraphthatisformulatedistheVIcharacteristicsofadiode.

Time(s)