ENGD1004

Electronic and Electrical Principles

RC Filters

Student Name: Nizamuddin Patel

P Number: 15219444
Year: 1
Course of Study: Mechanical Engineering

Lab Tutor: Krishna

Lecturer: Dr Kenneth Clegg

Date: 15/04/2015

Nizamuddin Patel ENGD1004 P15219444

 Measurement of frequency response to RC filter
Objectives
1. To understand the circuit operation of resistor-capacitor passive filters.
2. To be able to use appropriate test equipment to measure and plot the frequency
response of a RC filter.
3. Understand terms such as “passband”, “roll-off”, “order”, “corner frequency”,
“high-pass”, “low-pass” in relation to filter circuits.

Equipment
Circuit board
Dual-trace oscilloscope
Function generator
4.7KΩ resistor
0.1μF capacitor
4 cycle log-linear graph paper

Procedure
1. The components were connected to make a low-pass filter circuit.
2. The function generator was set to give a sinewave output at 20Hz and 2.0 Volts peak-
peak amplitude. This was taken as accurately as possible
3. Measurements were taken of the output of the filter at the various frequencies listed
in the table below. The measurements were taken as accurately as possible and the
output amplitude of the function generator signal was not changed.
4. The “low-pass filter” section of the table was completed. Including the calculations of
the output level in dB. 20Hz was used as a reference level
Gain in decibels = 20 x log (Vout/Vin)
20Hz was used as a reference level
5. The frequency response of the filter circuit was plotted on 4 cycle log-linear graph
cdcdvv paper.
6. The components were rearranged to make a high-pass filter circuit.
7. The function generator was set to give an output frequency of 100KHz and an output
amplitude of 2.0 Volt peak-peak.
8. The “high-pass filter” section of the table was completed.
9. The frequency response of the filter was plotted on the same graph paper.
10. The corner frequency of both filters using the formula was calculated: -

FC = 1 / (2 π R C )
11. The rate of roll-off of the filters was predicted, as they were both 1st order types
12. The corner frequency of each of the filters was measured from the graph
13. The rate of roll-off of each of the filters was measured from the graph

Nizamuddin Patel ENGD1004 P15219444

Results
LOWPASS FILTER HIGHPASS FILTER
FREQ Input amplitude (v) output amplitude(v) Output level Input (v) Output Output
(HZ) (dB) (v) level
(dB)
20 2.00 2.00 0 2.00 0.116 -24.73
30 2.00 2.00 0.00 2.00 0.172 -21.31
40 2.00 1.96 -0.18 2.00 0.228 -18.86
50 2.00 1.96 -0.18 2.00 0.280 -17.08
60 2.00 1.96 -0.18 2.00 0.336 -15.49
80 2.00 1.96 -0.18 2.00 0.432 -13.31
100 2.00 1.88 -0.54 2.00 0.536 -11.44
200 2.00 1.72 -1.31 2.00 1.00 -6.02
300 2.00 1.52 -2.38 2.00 1.28 -3.88
400 2.00 1.28 -3.88 2.00 1.48 -2.62
500 2.00 1.12 -5.04 2.00 1.62 -1.83
600 2.00 1.04 -5.68 2.00 1.70 -1.41
800 2.00 0.776 -8.22 2.00 1.80 -0.92
1000 2.00 0.648 -9.79 2.00 1.84 -0.72
2000 2.00 0.344 -15.29 2.00 1.94 -0.26
3000 2.00 0.232 -18.71 2.00 1.98 -0.09
4000 2.00 0.178 -21.01 2.00 1.98 -0.09
5000 2.00 0.144 -22.85 2.00 1.98 -0.09
6000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 1.98 -0.09
8000 2.00 0.122 -24.29 2.00 1.98 -0.09
10000 2.00 0.123 -24.22 2.00 1.98 -0.09
20000 2.00 0.123 -24.22 2.00 1.98 -0.09
30000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 1.98 -0.09
40000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 2.00 0.00
50000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 2.00 0.00
60000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 2.00 0.00
80000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 2.00 0.00
100000 2.00 0.124 -24.15 2.00 2.00 0.00
0
10 100 1000 10000 100000

-5

-10

-15

-20

-25

-30
Frequency (Hz)

Nizamuddin Patel ENGD1004 P15219444

 Low pass

High pass

Theoretical values

FC = 1 / (2π R C )
FC = 1/ (2π× 4700Ω×0.1μF)
FC = 339Hz per second

Rate of roll off:

The rate of roll off for the high pass filter is +6 db/octave, and -6 db/octave for the
low pass filter.

Experimental values
Corner Frequency:
The graph that the computer generated using my results didn’t have a point of
intersection. So I used the four points closest to the intersection to create two
equations, one for each line.

63 383
y= x−
5000 50
−3 53
y= x+
200 25

After calculating the two equations I got the values for the point of intersection, they
were:
X=354.348 Y= -3.195

Therefore, the corner frequency from the experiment is 354.348H z

Rate of Roll off:

High pass:

Nizamuddin Patel ENGD1004 P15219444

 Using the points (40,-18.86) and (80,-13.31) we can see that the difference in the
output level db/octave is 5.55. This is the rate of roll off for high pass
Low pass:
Using the points (1000,-9.79) and (2000, -15.29) we can see that the difference in the
output level db/Octave is -5.5. This is the rate of roll of for low pass

Conclusion
The theoretical rate of roll off for the high pass filter is 6db/octave, from conducting the
experiment I got a rate of roll of 5.55. This shows a difference of 0.45. The percentage error
is 7.5%

The theoretical rate of roll off for the low pass filter is -6db/octave, from conducting the
experiment I got a rate of roll of -5.5. This shows a difference of 0.5. The percentage error is
8.33%

The theoretical corner frequency was 339Hz whilst the experimental corner frequency is
354.35Hz. This shows a difference of 44.65. The percentage error is -4.53%

The experimental values are very similar to the theoretical values but they are not exactly
accurate. There are many reasons why this may be the case, first of which is that there could
be equipment, the resistors and capacitors have a tolerance of ± 5%. Other errors that could
have occurred is when the circuit was connected to function generator to produce a sine
wave no testing was done to see if the sine wave that it was producing was exactly correct.
Another error that could have occurred is observational error this could range from reading
the values incorrectly to arranging the circuit incorrectly. Because of these possible it could
have allowed the values to be incorrect. To prevent such occurrences, the equipment should
be tested, average values of the data should be taken and the circuits should be double
checked by a third party to ensure the correct setup.

From the results you can see the values give a sine wave, although it isn’t a perfectly
smooth curve this could be due to anomalous results during the experiment which was
discussed previously. In conclusion the experiment was verified because with consideration
of experiment errors the results were very close to the theoretical.

Applications of passive Low Pass Filters are in audio amplifiers and speaker systems to direct
the lower frequency bass signals to the larger bass speakers or to reduce any high frequency
noise or “hiss” type distortion. When used like this in audio applications the low pass filter is
sometimes called a “high-cut”, or “treble cut” filter. [1]

A very common application of this type of passive filter, is in audio amplifiers as a coupling
capacitor between two audio amplifier stages and in speaker systems to direct the higher
frequency signals to the smaller “tweeter” type speakers while blocking the lower bass
signals or are also used as filters to reduce any low frequency noise or “rumble” type
distortion. When used like this in audio applications the high pass filter is sometimes called a
“low-cut”, or “bass cut” filter. [2]

When the two filters are combined, it forms a band pass filter, which does the following:

Nizamuddin Patel ENGD1004 P15219444

The Band Pass Filter – the band pass filter allows signals falling within a certain frequency
band setup between two points to pass through while blocking both the lower and higher
frequencies either side of this frequency band. [3]

References
"High Pass Filter - Passive RC Filter Tutorial". Basic Electronics Tutorials. N.p., 2013. Web. 15 Apr.
2016.

"Low Pass Filter - Passive RC Filter Tutorial". Basic Electronics Tutorials. N.p., 2013. Web. 15 Apr.
2016.

"Low Pass Filter - Passive RC Filter Tutorial". Basic Electronics Tutorials. N.p., 2013. Web. 15 Apr.
2016.

Nizamuddin Patel ENGD1004 P15219444