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Amplifier Gain Verification

Alex Gomez
AbstractThis report describes the set up and testing of two
types of amplifiers. This experiment was to test the ability of an
amplifier to reproduce the desired gain using external resistors.
Both amplifiers will use similar input voltage and power supplies
and resistors. Using a USB-6008 data acquisition device to
measure the input and output voltage of the circuit and compare
the amplifiers true gain.

I. INTRODUCTION
Amplifiers have been around since the invention of the
vacuum tube in 1904 by J. A. Fleming [1]. Since the
introduction of the silicon chip they have decreased in size and
ease of production.
Figure 2. Instrumentation amplifier cirtuit.

II. METHODS
This experiment was two similar experiments using an
operational-amplifier and a instrumentational amplifier to
produce a gain from a voltage input. Both experiments used
similar resistors, voltage, and power sources to test and
compare the gain of each amplifier

The instrumentation amplifier was also set up to produce a

gain of about 5
50.5
=
+1
(2)

A. Analysis
The non-inverting op-amp circuit used a LM358AN
amplifier which used only one op-amp to produce the gain in
the first experiment.

Since the amplifier already has an internal resistor only one

external resistor was needed to produce the gain. The
resistor needed was found by solving the equation above.

Figure 1. Non-inverting amplifier circuit.

The circuit in figure 1 produced a gain of about 5

+
= 1 2
1

(1)

The gain in this circuit was a function of both external

resistors. The resistors needed for a gain of 5 was found using
the equation above.
The instrumentation amplifier uses multiple op-amps and
high precision resistors to produce a higher accuracy gain of
the overall circuit [2]. The amplifier used was an AD622.

B. Equipment
The experiment used a powered breadboard to supply the
voltage and current required for creating the gained output.
Both the LM358AN op-amp and the AD622AN
instrumentational amplifier were used for each subexperiment. A variable power supply was used as the input
voltage into each amplifier. A NI USB-6008 data acquisition
device (DAQ) was used to detect the input and output of each
circuit and record the data as the input voltage was increased.
Wires and the resistors needed for connecting it all together
were used. A small screw driver was used to tighten the
clamps onto the DAQ to the wires from both the input and
output.

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ground and input and output voltages. I checked that all of the
voltages were correct using the DMM. To double check the
resistances I used the DMM and calculated the mathematical
gain for each amplifier. While I was connecting the circuits
my partner was starting up Matlab and the Simulink program
for collecting the DAQ data running at 200 samples per
second.

III. RESULTS
For the non-inverting op-amp I calculated the resistors to be
1 = 2.65 and 2 = 9.79 for a mathematical gain of
4.694. The calculated gain was 100.2% of measured gain.
Figure 3. Breadboard with the LM358AN used in the first experiment.

The LM358AN op-amp has two op-amps in it but for this

experiment only one was used. On that side the non-inverting
input was used and connected to the power supply the
inverting input was connected to 1 and the breadboard power
supply.

Figure 5. LM358AN plot with measured gain of 4.6854

The instrumental amplifier used the same resistors but in

series connecting the R gain pins together. This connection
had a mathematical gain of 5.0464. The calculated gain was
99.74% of the measured gain.
Figure 4. Breadboard with the AD622AN attached used in the second
experiment

The two circuits had both the same power connections at

positive and negative 15 volts checked using a handheld
digital multi-meter (DMM). The two grey cables are
connected to the inputs on the DAQ to read the amplifier
voltages.
C. Experimental Program
The first thing I did in setting up the experiments was look
at the data sheet for both amplifiers and understand what each
pin did and what wires to connect to them. I placed the
amplifier onto the center of the breadboard. I connected the
power to the center power strips and the input voltage and
common ground to the outside power strip I then connected
the wires from the power strips to the amplifier pins via short
wires and the resistors. I then connected the DAQ to the

Figure 6. AD622AN plot with measured gain of 5.0596

The Simulink program used in this experiment took both

voltages and put them into the same plot for a quick reference
of what was happening. It also collected the data points to
calculate the measured gain.
IV. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The op-amps were able to produce a gain in the signal
voltage. The instrumental amplifier was easier to setup and
produced a gain closer to the desired 5 but was 0.078% off of
the op-amps gain calculated vs. measured gain. This
difference was minimal and could be attributed to the
calculation uncertainties in the measuring devices. Further
testing with more sampling points and higher quality resistors
could reduce this difference and make them both more
accurate to the desired gain of 5.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Experiment Partner Stephen Walters
REFERENCES
[1]

[2]

J. A. Fleming, Instruments for Converting Alternative Electric Currents

into Continuous Currents, US Patent 803,684, filed April 19, 1905,
issued Nov. 7, 1905.
Dr. Eric Wolbrech Experiment 6: Operational Amplifiers