Introduction to the Oscilloscope

Apparatus: GWINSTEK GOS620 20 MHz oscilloscope, BK Precision model 4017A signal

generator, 1 M resistor, a 1 F capacitor (200+ VDC), various connecting wires, battery,
SPDT switch, circuit board.

Objectives: To introduce the digital oscilloscope; to analyze the charging and discharging of
a capacitor in an R-C circuit with an oscilloscope.

Discussion
This exercise consists of two parts both designed to familiarize you with the use of
the oscilloscope. During the first part of the exercise your lab instructor will acquaint you
with the operation of the GOS620 20 MHz oscilloscope. In part two you will use the
oscilloscope to study the charging and discharging behavior of a capacitor in an R-C circuit.

Control Grid
Heater

Fluorescent

Accelerating Anode

Screen

Electron
Beam

Cathode

Focusing Anode

Deflection Plates

Figure 1. Elements of a Cathode Ray Tube.

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An oscilloscope is an instrument that measures voltage as a function of time. The

major elements of an oscilloscope include a cathode ray tube for visual observation of the
signal, a sweep generator, two amplifiers, and various power supplies.
The heart of an oscilloscope is the cathode ray tube (CRT). Figure 1 is a schematic of
a CRT. The interior of the tube is highly evacuated (i.e., a vacuum). The cathode at the left
end of the tube is raised to a high temperature by a heater. This process liberates electrons
from the surface of the cathode. The accelerating anode is maintained at a high potential
with respect to the cathode. The resultant electric field causes the electrons liberated from
the cathode to accelerate toward the accelerating anode. A hole in the center of the
accelerating anode allows electrons traveling along the axis of the tube to pass through. Once
the electrons have passed through the accelerating anode they travel with constant velocity
to the right until striking the fluorescent screen. This collision causes the screen to
fluoresce, thus creating a bright spot on the oscilloscope display.
The focusing anode is used to shape the electric field pattern within the region
between the cathode and accelerating anode. This is accomplished by varying the potential of
the focusing anode with respect to the accelerating anode. This regulation of the electric
field focuses the electrons streaming from the cathode into a tight beam. The control grid is
a mesh-like element that's potential relative to the cathode may be varied in order to control
the density of the electron stream (i.e., the number of electrons reaching the anode). Since
all of the electrons that pass through the anode eventually strike the fluorescent screen, the
control grid ultimately controls the brightness of the display on the screen. Finally, two sets
of deflection plates are used to create electric fields that can steer the electron beam
toward any spot on the fluorescent screen.
The horizontal deflection plates control the vertical deflection of the electron beam.
As the beam passes through the region between the plates it experiences a deflection that is
proportional to the potential difference established between them. When a voltage signal is
fed into an oscilloscope it passes through an amplifier and is applied to these plates. The
setting on the amplifier determines the vertical deflection of the electron beam and hence
its position on the display screen. The height of the beam on the screen is therefore
proportional to the magnitude of the incoming voltage signal, multiplied by some constant
factor supplied by the amplifier. On the GOS620, the amplifier setting is controlled by the
VOLTS/DIV knob on the front panel of the oscilloscope. By knowing the vertical amplifier
setting and determining the height of the signal on the display screen, one may measure the
magnitude of any voltage signal being fed into the oscilloscope.

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The horizontal steering imparted to the beam by the vertical deflection plates is also
proportional to the potential difference between the two plates. This potential is controlled
by a sweep generator within the oscilloscope. The sweep generator varies the voltage to the
vertical plates in such a manner that the electron beam sweeps across the display screen
from left to right at a uniform rate, then returns abruptly to the left side of the screen at
the end of the sweep. This cycle is repeated continuously during the operation of the
oscilloscope. The sweep rate, i.e., the rate at which the electron beam traces a path across
the display screen, is adjustable. On the GOS620 the sweep generator is adjusted via the
TIME/DIV knob in the front panel of the oscilloscope. The sweep of the electron beam
across the screen is known as a trace.

Procedure

Figure 2. Function Generator and Oscilloscope.

Interpreting the Oscilloscope Display

Your instructor will help familiarize you with the operation of the GOS620 20 MHz
oscilloscope by having you measure a variety of signals generated by the BK Precision model
4017A signal generator. You will use the signal generator to generate 60 Hz, 5 and 10 volt
sine waves, 100 Hz, 5 and 10 volt sine waves and 1 kHz 5 and 10 volt sine waves. As you
acquaint yourself with the oscilloscope, record in your lab notebook a description of each of
the following controls: graticule, vertical/horizontal position knobs, beam finder,

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volts/division (vertical sensitivity), time/division (sweep rate), calibration, probe adjust,

trigger, level knob, slope switch, probe, channel selector, focus, brightness.

Figure 3. Oscilloscope Display.

Figure 3 shows a 62.5 Hz, 12 volt sine wave displayed on an oscilloscope. This
particular oscilloscope has the vertical sensitivity set to a value of 5 volts/division and has
the sweep set to a value of 5 milliseconds per division. Major divisions on the graticule are
indicated by three dot patterns. By counting the number of divisions from the midpoint of
the wave we may determine its amplitude (why the midpoint?) and from that the voltage of
the signal. In this case there are about 2.4 divisions above or below the horizontal axis of the
sine wave (its amplitude) and 2.4 divisions x 5 volts/division = 12 volts. Similarly, the
wavelength for each wave is 3.2 divisions and 3.2 divisions x 0.005 seconds = 0.016 seconds
(the period) and the inverse of this the frequency or 62.5 Hz. Set the function generator to
generate the sine waves listed above and verify the signal parameters on the oscilloscope.
DC Measurements
Turn the oscilloscope off then connect the probe supplied with the oscilloscope to the
channel 1 vertical amplifier jack. The probe that you will be using may be switched to 10x but
it should not be necessary for you to do so unless your battery is very weak. Set the channel
1 vertical sensitivity to a calibrated value of 1 VOLT/DIV, the sweep rate (TIME/DIV) at 0.5
milliseconds, trigger source to LINE, trigger mode to NORM, and the slope switch to +. Be
sure that the channel 1 vertical input switch is set to DC and turn the scope on.
Set the vertical position for channel 1 so that the trace sweeps the screen on one of
the horizontal lines near the bottom of the display. Note the position in your lab notebook.
Now connect the oscilloscope ground to the negative terminal of battery supplied with your
setup. Touch the tip of the probe to the positive terminal of the battery. What change

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occurs on the oscilloscope screen? Record the voltage level produced by the battery in your
notebook. Disconnect the battery. Switch the probe back to 1X if you had to adjust the
sensitivity.
Measuring Extraneous Signals
Set the vertical sensitivity to .2 VOLT/DIV and change the sweep rate on the
oscilloscope to 5 milliseconds. Touch the tip of the probe with your fingertip. You should see
a roughly sinusoidal trace on the screen. Sketch this signal in your notebook and compute its
frequency. You should come up with a figure around 60 Hz. What phenomena do you think is
responsible for this? Hint: by touching the probe to your fingertip you are using your body
like an antenna. What nearby signals might it be picking up?
Your lab instructor will show you how to connect the probe to the probe adjust output
on the oscilloscope. Keep the vertical sensitivity at 0.5 VOLT/DIV and change the sweep rate
back to 0.5 milliseconds. Compute the amplitude and frequency of the waveform on the
display. What type of wave is this? Sketch it in your lab notebook.
Charging Characteristics of a Capacitor
Assemble the R-C circuit shown in Figure 4. Use the resistor and capacitor supplied by
your lab instructor. The capacitors are directional and your lab instructor will show you how
to install them on the board. After your instructor has checked and approved your circuit set
the channel 1 vertical input switch on the oscilloscope to the GND position and adjust the
vertical signal position until the trace sweeps across the center of the screen. Set the
horizontal sweep so that a complete sweep takes 3 - 5 seconds. Return the vertical input
switch to the DC position. Connect the high-potential lead of the power supply to the circuit
and adjust the vertical amplifier so that the trace sweeps across the top of the screen.
When the switch is in this position the capacitor is charging. When the capacitor has
completely charged the potential across it is at a maximum value (as indicated by a trace near
the top of the screen) but no current flows in the circuit (why?). Now disconnect the high
potential lead. In this configuration the capacitor is discharging. When the capacitor has
completely discharged (indicated by a vertical stabilization of the trace on the screen near
its center) the potential across the capacitor goes to zero and no current flows through the
circuit.
Wait until the beam is just beginning a new sweep and connect the high-potential lead.
Observe the pattern formed by the beam as it sweeps across the screen. Discharge the
capacitor by disconnecting the high potential lead and try this procedure again, several times

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if necessary, until you are able to sketch the pattern of the trace in your notebook. Be sure
to include a sketch of the graticule and its divisions in your sketch. You will need this to make
some estimates concerning the characteristics of this circuit.

oscilloscope

resistor

capacitor

Figure 4. Circuit used for studying the charging characteristics of a capacitor.

It can be shown that the potential as a function of time across a capacitor being charged in
an R-C circuit is given by:
t

V(t) = V a [1 - e- RC ]

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where V is the voltage at time t, Va is the applied voltage (and the voltage at time t = ), R is
the resistance of the resistor in ohms, C is the capacitance of the capacitor in farads, and t
is the time in seconds measured from the instant in which V was equal to 0. The product RC in
the exponent of this expression is a quantity known as the time constant for the circuit,
usually denoted by the symbol . Notice that when = t, V(t) = V0(1 - 1/e) = 0.632V0. This
means that in a time of one time constant (1 ) the voltage across the capacitor has increased
to more than 63% of its final value.
Compute the time constant of your circuit by finding the product RC. Now have a look
at the sketch of the oscilloscope trace in your lab notebook. How does the curve you have
sketched compare the theoretical curve? Does the computed time constant appear to
correlate to the curve in your lab notebook? About how many time constants does it take for
the capacitor to fully charge?
The decreasing potential across a discharging capacitor in an R-C circuit as a function
of time is given by:
t

V(t) = V 0 e- RC
Where V0 is the voltage at time t = 0, and t is the time in seconds measured from the instant
in which V was equal to V0. Notice that when = t, V(t) = V0/e = 0.368V0 or 37% of the
original voltage. Repeat the above procedure while discharging the capacitor. Sketch this
curve in your lab notebook. How does this curve compare with what theory predicts?

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Exercises
1. What, physically, does an oscilloscope measure?
2. Explain the basic operation of a Cathode Ray Tube.
3. Show that the RC time constant, , has units of time.
4. What does the calibration setting on the vertical and horizontal sensitivity controls do?
5. What, physically, do you think explains the charging and discharging curves of a capacitor?
Specifically, why does it take longer to add additional charge on the plates of the capacitor
(as shown by the slow growth of voltage) as time grows?
6. For an R-C circuit,

Given:

Show:

I(t) =

V -t
e RC
R

q(t) = CV[1 - e- RC ]

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