Ateneo de Naga University

College of Engineering
Second Semester, S/Y 2013-2014
ECEM321LAB

Measurement of AC
with
an
Voltage
Oscilloscope
Experimen
t 1-

Group members:

Nero, Juan Paolo I.

OBJECTIVE OF THE EXPERIMENT

EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

The oscilloscope is a device which is used to view the shape of varying

voltages. If the wave shape, duration, and amplitude of a varying potential
are known, the r.m.s. and the average value of the voltage can be computed.
This experiment will deal with the use of the oscilloscope to measure
sinusoidal voltages.

THEORY SECTION
Viewing a certain circuits waveform and measuring its voltage ratings are
the two main functions of an oscilloscope. The scope is capable of measuring
AC and DC voltages (but in this experiment, we concentrated on AC voltage).
AC voltages vary through time; that is its graph changes unlike for a DC
voltage wherein it waveform is straight (meaning its voltage is constant
across a certain period of time). Such an AC voltage waveform reverses at
regular time intervals and has alternately positive and negative values. Its
waveform is also called a sinusoid which is a signal that has the form of sine
and cosine function. An example of such waveform is shown below.To view
this kind of waveform in the oscilloscope, steps 1-4 that is found at the
OUTLINE OF EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE must be followed.

In measuring voltages in the oscilloscope, once the waveform is already

E
properly constructed, V (or p p (scope) )which is usually found at the bottom
left of the screen of the mentioned equipment is observed. This is the
difference of the peak-to-peak value of the wave. Once this is obtained,
EM
E p p (scope )
E M E RMS
E
=
E
=
RMS
can also be computed ( M
and
2
2 ).
Another equipment used in this experiment is the Variac. It is variable
autotransformer that supplies AC voltage and can be used to a wide range of
applications (an example of which is to supply an AC source to the resistive
circuit we constructed in this experiment). These autotransformers have an
internal part of their windings included in both the input and output circuit.
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

The ratio of auto transformers can vary: the bigger the autotransformer, the
smaller the ratio.

METHOD OF EXPERIMENT
EXPERIMENTAL SET UP

OUTLINE OF EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1. Set the oscilloscope for a single-trace operation.
2. Use the corresponding vertical POSITION to set the trace near mid
screen.
3. Connect the signal to the corresponding IN connector and adjust the
corresponding VOLTS/DIV switch so the displayed signal is totally on
screen.
4. Set the TIME/DIV switch so the desired numbers of signal cycles are
displayed. Adjust the trigger LEVEL control is necessary for a stable
display.
5. Set up circuit shown in the figure above.
6. Using VOM, set the voltage across the whole network to 50 volts rms.
7. Using the oscilloscope, measure and record in Table 1 the peak-to-peak
voltage across each of the following points:
E1 A B
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

E2 A C
E3 A D
E4 A E
E5 B C
E6 B D
E7 B E
E8 B F
E9 C D
E10 D E
8. Using VOM, measure and record the rms voltage across each of the
points in Step 7.
9. Compute the peak value for each of the points in Step 7 using
E
E M = P P .
2
10.
Compute the rms value for each of the points in Step 7.
11.
Compute the percent difference between each of the rms values
found from Step7 and the corresponding value measured with the
VOM.

EQUIPMENT LIST

Oscilloscope
VOM
Variac
1000-ohm resistor
680-ohm resistor
470-ohm resistor
330-ohm resistor
220-ohm resistor

DATA SECTION
Table 1: Voltage Ratings obtained from Oscilloscope and VOM Measurements,
Computed values and Percent Differences
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

E p p

EM

E RMS

E RMS

(scope
)

(comp)

(comp)

(VOM)

Percent
Differenc
e(%)

E1

52.2

26.1

18.4555

18.74

1.5415

E2

64.6

32.3

22.8395

22.79

0.2167

E3

90.4

45.2

31.9612

31.57

1.2239

E4

107.4

53.7

37.9716

37.62

0.9259

E5

11.62

5.81

4.1082

4.11

0.0438

E6

36.5

18.25

12.9046

12.79

0.8880

E7

53.8

26.9

19.0211

18.93

0.4789

E8

89.4

44.7

31.6076

31.43

0.5618

E9

24.8

12.4

8.7681

8.71

0.6626

E10

17.2

8.6

6.0811

6.16

1.2974

Volt
s,
V

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
for

E1

:
E M=

E p p 52.2 V
=
=26.1 V
2
2

E RMS ( comp ) =

E1(%Diff )=

EM

26.5V
=18.4555 V
2

E RMS ( comp ) ERMS ( VOM )

18.4555V 18.74 V
100 =
100 =
18.4555 V
E RMS ( comp )

1.5415%
E2
for
:
E M=

E p p 64.6V
=
=32.3 V
2
2
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

E RMS ( comp ) =
E2 (%Diff )=

E M 32.3V
=
=22.8395 V
2
2

E RMS ( comp ) ERMS ( VOM )

22.839522.79 V
100 =
100 = 0.2167%
22.8395 V
E RMS ( comp )

*same calculations were applied from

E3

to

E10

ANALYSIS SECTION

Juan Paolo I. Nero

1. For each value of voltage measured with the oscilloscope,
compute the average value.
18.4555+22.8395+31.9612+37.9716+ 4.1082+12.9046+ 19.0211+31.6076+8.7681
+6.0811
E RMS(comp ;ave)=
10
E RMS(comp ;ave)=19.37185 V
2. For each value of voltage measured with the VOM, computed
the average value.
18.74+ 22.79+31.57+37.62+4.11 +12.79+18.93+31.43+8.71+6.16
E RMS(VOM ;ave) =
10
E RMS(VOM ;ave) =19.285V
3. Compute the percent difference between each pair of average
values.
E (
) E RMS ( VOM ;ave )
19.37185 V 19.285
%Difference= RMS comp ;ave
100 =
100
E RMS (comp ;ave )
19.37185 V
%Difference=0.4483
4. How do these differences compare with the difference in rms
values?
Comparing this % difference(average) to the %difference in rms we can say
that they are mostly equal. There is no difference at all because they just
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

differ from point something percent which cannot affect the circuits final
values.

5. Compute the instantaneous value of e=168sin377t

at t=0s, t=16.6 ms, t=8.3ms, t=4.15ms, t=12.45ms.
at t=0s
: e=168sin377(0s)
e=0
at t=16.6ms : e=168sin377(16.6ms e=18.313
)
5
at t=8.3ms
: e=168sin377(8.3ms) e=9.1704
at t=4.15ms : e=168sin377(4.15ms e=4.5869
)
at=12.45ms : e=168sin377(12.45
e=13.747
ms)
1
6. Plot the curve of the values computed in Problem 5.

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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

Raymond A. Ondesimo
1. For each value of voltage measured with the oscilloscope,
compute the average value.
18.4555+22.8395+31.9612+37.9716+ 4.1082+12.9046+ 19.0211+31.6076+8.7681
+6.0811
E RMS(comp ;ave)=
10
E RMS(comp ;ave)=19.37185 V
2. For each value of voltage measured with the VOM, computed
the average value.
18.74+ 22.79+31.57+37.62+4.11 +12.79+18.93+31.43+8.71+6.16
E RMS(VOM ;ave) =
10
E RMS(VOM ;ave) =19.285V
3. Compute the percent difference between each pair of average
values.
E (
) E RMS ( VOM ;ave )
19.37185 V 19.285
%Difference= RMS comp ;ave
100 =
100
E RMS (comp ;ave )
19.37185 V
%Difference=0.4483
4. How do these differences compare with the difference in rms
values?
By mere inspection of the percent difference between the average values of
the voltages measured by the oscilloscope and the VOM, we can therefore
say that these two values are approximately equal thus confirming the
validity of the conducted experiment.

5. Compute the instantaneous value of e=168sin377t

at t=0s, t=16.6 ms, t=8.3ms, t=4.15ms, t=12.45ms.
at t=0s
: e=168sin377(0s)
e=0
at t=16.6ms : e=168sin377(16.6ms e=18.313
)
5
at t=8.3ms
: e=168sin377(8.3ms) e=9.1704
at t=4.15ms : e=168sin377(4.15ms e=4.5869
)
at=12.45ms : e=168sin377(12.45
e=13.747
ms)
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

6. Plot the curve of the values computed in Problem 5.

General Analysis:

The first experiment in Circuits 2 laboratory made me aware of the

characteristics of the AC voltage which make it different with DC voltage.
The oscilloscope gives us the visual representation of the signal (voltage) in
a graphical way. With what is displayed in the oscilloscope, we can measure
the peak to peak voltage. Dividing this voltage by two gives us the
amplitude or the maximum displacement of the wave which is generally
sinusoidal in nature though by knowledge, there are other forms of wave like
the square wave and triangular wave, to mention a few. The oscilloscope
also has calibrations like the volts per division and the time per division
which give us a faster way of analysis.
Together with the oscilloscope is the multimeter which we frequently
used in DC analysis. The multimeter serves as a tool for comparing the
measured values obtained using the oscilloscope. The result of the
experiment showed that the values determined by these two measuring
instruments only differ by a very small percentage thus making us conclude
that we have done the experiment with minimal errors. The average of the
ERMS measured using the oscilloscope and multimeter also gives us a very
small percentage difference.
The causes of this slight difference can be attributed by the error on
the part of the experimenter since we only used estimation on getting the
peak to peak voltage using the oscilloscope. If only we used an oscilloscope
with zooming capacity then we should have obtained results with smaller
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EXPERIMENT 1: MEASUREMENT OF AC VOLTAGE WITH AN OSCILLOSCOPE

percentage difference with the measured values of the multimeter. Also, we

can adjust the voltage per division calibration so to display a larger image of
the wave. Perhaps this can improve the results. The experiment can also be
verified using the theories similar to DC analysis, one is getting the voltage
drop in each segment of the circuit using voltage division. Knowledge with
DC circuits will be very helpful in analyzing AC circuits.

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