1. Electronics: Principles and Applications (Instrumentation Labs)
Eighth Edition
(Instrumentation Labs)
Charles A. Schuler
Lab 2
Introduction to the
Oscilloscope
McGraw-Hill
©2013 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved

2. Triggering Triggering Triggering Triggering Time/Division
Oscilloscope Basics
Triggering
Triggering
Triggering
Triggering
Time/Division
Time/Division
Time/Division
Time/Division
Volts/Division
Volts/Division
Volts/Division
Volts/Division
Volts/Division
Vertical Position
Vertical Position
Vertical Position
Vertical Position
Channel 1 input
Channel 1 input
Channel 1 input
Channel 1 input
Power On/Off
Power On/Off
Power On/Off

3. Oscilloscope Settings
5 Div
4 Div
A typical display with correct settings:
Multiply 4 Div x Volts/Div to obtain
the peak-to-peak amplitude.
Multiply 5 Div x Time/Div to obtain
the period.

4. Oscilloscope Settings
Blank display can be caused by: no valid trigger,
position error, intensity (or brightness) turned off,
and other errors depending on oscilloscope model.
Volts/Division error (poor resolution)
Volts/Division error (overrange)
Vertical Position error
Time/Div error (too many cycles displayed)
Trigger level set at 0 volts
Time/Div error (only a part of one cycle displayed)
Trigger level set positive
Trigger level set negative

5. Oscilloscope Settings
When is ac coupling used? ac
Here is ac ripple riding on a dc signal.
To see it better, choose ac coupling
and then decrease the Volts/Div setting
(this increases vertical sensitivity).

6. Oscilloscope Settings
If a waveform moves on the screen:
Check the trigger source, trigger
level, trigger mode, trigger slope,
and the trigger coupling.
An example of a common error:
the trigger source is set for Channel 2
but the input signal is fed to Channel 1.

7. Oscilloscope Quiz The Volts/Div control is set at 100 mV/Div.
What is the peak-to-peak amplitude of this
signal?
800 mVP-P
Using the above, what is the RMS value
of this signal?
283 mV
The Time/Div control is set at 50 ms/Div. What is the period
of this signal?
250 ms
Using the above, what is the frequency of this signal?
4 Hz

8. Oscilloscope Quiz The Volts/Div control is set at 1V/Div. What
is the dc amplitude of this signal?
-3V
0 V
Using the above, what will be displayed if the
Volts/Div control is changed to 500 mV/Div?
Blank screen
Using the above, what will be displayed if the coupling is
changed to ac?
The waveform will move to the vertical center
What does ac coupling do to the dc component of a signal?
Removes it

9. Oscilloscope Quiz What can cause the displayed waveform
to move on the screen?
No valid trigger