Lab02 Electronic Instruments (II)

I. Objective
Understand capacitors.
Learn how to use the oscilloscopes.
Learn how to use the function generators.

II. Introduction and Operation

1. Capacitors

● Capacitors perform a number of functions in electronics, such as energy

storage, smoothing circuit, high/low pass filtering, etc.
● Electrolytic capacitors:
a. C=0.1 μF – 1 F, DC Working Voltage (DCWV)=4V–450V
b. High currents, high voltages, small size. Very poor stability,
poor accuracy, inductive. Usually polar, meaning they -
can be damaged if placed in reverse polarity. +
● Ceramic capacitors:
a. C=1pF – 0.1 μF, WVDC=50V–10,000V
b. Good stability, low inductance, good frequency response. Very low
temperature drift, very low aging, voltage coefficient, frequency
coefficient, leakage, and dissipation factor.
c. The capacitance of ceramic capacitor: 1 0 4

( 1×10 + 0 )×104 = 105 pF= 100nF

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2. Oscilloscopes
● GDS-2000

● Operating procedure:

a. Default setup

b. Adjust horizontal (time) scale

c. Adjust vertical (voltage) scale

d. Trigger source select and level adjust

e. Measure data (STOP/RUN)

● Trigger:

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 3. Function generators:
● GFG-8015G

● GFG-8020H

a. Check the amplitude, offset, frequency, and type of waveform.

b. Please do not support the output of function generator with a DC
voltage!

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III. Experiment
Exp_1: Measure internal resistance
Measure internal resistance of function generator and oscilloscope. Recall the third question

last week. (In order to measure the output resistance of F.G., please turn down the
amplitude by push the ATT switch and pull the Amplitude knob.)

Exp_2: Wave and sound

1. Connect the output of function generator to the CH1 input of oscilloscope.

2. Generate sine wave from function generator with frequency = 1KHz, and adjust

amplitude to Vpp=5V. (The wave characteristics can be measured using the Measure

function of oscilloscope.)

3. Display 2 or 3 cycles of wave on oscilloscope clearly. (Adjust vertical/horizontal scale.)

4. Connect the output of function generator to a speaker, and hear the sound of wave.
5. Generate triangle/square wave and repeat the steps above.

Exp_3: DC RC circuit and RC time constant

square wave

1 K

Vpp=10 V 1 F

1. Build the circuit on the breadboard. Generate a Vpp=10V amplitude square wave with 5V

DC offset and appropriate frequency from the function generator. Connect CH1 and CH2

probes of the oscilloscope to the circuit.

2. Measure the RC time constant. (Using the Cursor function of oscilloscope)

3. Try to measure RC time constant of this circuit with LTSPICE. (Optional)

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Questions:
1. Try to explain why these three waveform-types sound different.

2. How to reduce noise in Exp_3 to help you measuring?

REPORT question:
1. How to build a “good” voltage source? How about current source?
Consider the output impedance ZOUT of signal source and input impedance ZIN of
load.

2. Please introduce two types of noise in electronics.

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