Digital Trainer

Electrical Engineering I Laboratory Exercise #2
Page 1 of 9
Name: _________________________

Lab Partner: ____________________

Lab Instructor: __________________

Date: __________________________

United States Coast Guard Academy
Department of Engineering
EE1 (1218) Fall 2010
Laboratory Exercise 2

1.0 OBJECTIVE: To introduce students to the instruments used to measure DC circuit parameters and
verify the theoretical behavior of electrical laws and circuits discussed in class.

2.0 PREPARATION: Read this lab exercise and complete the theoretical calculations for each of the
three circuits shown in Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6.

3.0 EQUIPMENT: At each student lab station there should be:

K & H IDL-800 Digital Lab Breadboard (1)
Agilent Digital Multimeter 34410A (1)
Assorted resistors with color bands (6)
Resistors: 5.1 k, 1.0 k, 3.9 k
Various banana cables
Assorted wires and alligator clips

3.1 Notes on the IDL-800 Digital Lab Breadboard

The IDL-800 combines a breadboard, many different voltage and waveform sources, several binary
devices, banana jacks to wire socket adapters, a digital volt meter (DVM), LED (pronounced el-ee-de) bit
displays, and a two digit display for onboard measurements. Figure 1 shows a picture of the IDL-800
breadboard and Figure 2 is a diagram of the IDL-800 with the various components labeled. The following
sections will describe some of these components.

Figure 1. IDL-800 breadboard.
Page 2 of 9
3.1.1 Breadboard - The breadboard simplifies the construction of circuits in an electronic
laboratory. It is a plastic board full of holes somewhat like a cribbage board. Each hole
provides access to a metal contact imbedded in the board. Electrical connections are
made by inserting the end of a wire or a circuit component lead into a hole. Figure 3 is a
top view of the IDL-800 breadboard insert. The holes in each horizontal row at the top
and middle of the board are connected together except for a break at the center. These
rows are usually connected to ground or a voltage supply. The entire half row of holes
can then be used to distribute ground or voltage wherever needed in your circuit. In each
numbered row (top half) or column (bottom half), the holes (lettered A through F) are
connected together. These are used to connect the resistors, capacitors, and other
elements in your circuit.

1. Power Switch with Indicator 11. Pulse Switches
2. F.G. Output Amplitude Adjuster 12. Data Switches
3. F.G. Output Frequency Range
Selector
13. Removable Solderless Breadboard in 1896 Tie
Points
4. Fine Tune of F.G. Output Frequency 14. Point Tip/Banana Socket/BNC Socket
Exchange Adapters
5. F.G. Output Wave Form Selector 15. Buffered Single Lamp LED Displays
6. BCD Input of 7-Segment Decoder 16. Output of 7-Segment Decoder
7. DC 0 to +15V Adjuster 17. Range Selector of Digital Voltmeter
8. DC 0 to 15V Adjuster 18. Input of Digital Voltmeter
9. Fixed DC +5V 19. Display of Digital Voltmeter
10. Function Switches, 5V / 0 / +5V
Figure 2. IDL-800 Digital Breadboard Lab Switches and Controls.
Page 3 of 9
3.1.2 Signal Supplies - The IDL-800 provides many different sources. Remember that every
source requires a ground connection in addition to the signal connection. The sources on
the IDL-800 are already internally connected to ground. That is, the ground sides on the
sources have already been internally connected to the ground terminals (GND). A circuit
may be connected to the ground side of any source by connecting to any of the ground
terminals (GND).
CAUTION:
Never connect the signal side of the voltage supply directly to a
ground terminal. This will short circuit your voltage supply and
cause fuses in the IDL-800 breadboard lab to burn out.

3.1.3 DC Voltage Sources - Fixed positive and negative 5 volt DC voltage is supplied at the
wire jacks labeled +5V and -5V, respectively (Figure 2, number 9). Ground connection is
available at all of the wire sockets marked with the ground symbol, (GND). Variable DC
voltage (0 to +15V or 0 to -15V) is also available (Figure 2, numbers 7 and 8
respectively). Switched voltage sources are provided at the two switches SWA and SWB
(Figure 2, number 10). The two connect to +5V in the up position and to -5V in the down
position.
3.1.4 Time Varying Voltage Sources - The IDL-800 provides sine, triangle, and square wave
signals from the appropriately marked wire jack in the FUNCTION GENERATOR
section at the top. The function is selected with the knob (Figure 2, number 5). The
frequency of these waveforms is adjusted by the frequency and range controls at the top
left portion of the IDL-800 (Figure 2, numbers 4 and 3). The amplitude can be varied
using the amplitude control knob (Figure 2, number 2).
3.1.5 Binary devices - The IDL-800 has binary power supplies, a flip flop, and binary pulse
generators. These devices will be explained and used when they are needed.

Figure 3. IDL-800 Breadboard Insert.
Page 4 of 9
3.1.6 Output Displays - The IDL-800 has several display devices. The LED, bit, and
digit displays will be used in future labs. In this exercise you will use the Digital
Voltmeter (DVM) display (Figure 2, number 19). The (+) and (-) wire jacks under the
DVM (Figure 2, number 18) are used to connect this device to the points to be measured.
The display is positive when the point in the circuit connected to the +is at a higher
potential than the point connected to the - wire socket. The range scale of the DVM is
controlled with the knob (Figure 2, number 17).
3.1.7 Adapters - The IDL-800 has two adapters for connecting banana plugs to wires (Figure
2, number 14). To use these adapters, insert a banana plug in any of the two large banana
jacks and a wire in the wire jack next it. The two are then electrically connected. You
should use these adapters to connect the Agilient multimeter to the circuit for
measurements.
4.0 PROCEDURE: At each lab station you will find at least six resistors of different values, together with
a resistor color code chart. For six of the resistors, record the color code, the value as specified by the color
code bands, and the specified tolerance. Measure the resistance of each resistor using the Agilent Digital
Multimeter and record the value obtained. Follow any instructions given by your laboratory instructor for
resistance measuring techniques.

Color Code
(List colors left to right)
Value from
Color Code
Specified Tolerance
+/ %
Measured
Resistance

Page 5 of 9
5.0 SERIES CIRCUIT: Calculate and measure the voltages and currents in the series circuit shown in
Figure 4 as directed in the following steps.

(Show your calculations below.)

5.1 Transfer your calculated values to the appropriate spaces below. Label your units!

V
A
(The voltage potential between point A and ground) ____________

V
B
(The voltage potential between point B and ground) ____________

I (The current in the 5.1 k resistor) ____________

5.2 Construct the circuit shown in Figure 4. Measure the actual values for these voltages and currents.
Use the methods described by your lab instructor for measuring voltage and current.

V
A

V
B


5.3 Comment on the measured values as compared with your calculated values.
Were there any major discrepancies? YES / NO
Were there any minor discrepancies? YES / NO

5.4 Explain why the measured values were not EXACTLY the same as the theoretical. (May we suggest
that you consider the resistance of the wire compared to the value of the resistances in the circuit before
you tell us that the wire resistance is the reason your measured values differ from the calculated values.)

+
_
10 V 3.9 k
5.1 k 1 k
I V
A
V
B
Figure 4. Series circuit.
Page 6 of 9
5.4 Hypothesize what effect shorting out the 3.9 k resistor in Figure 4 will have on the voltage and
current measurements? (You may want to draw a schematic of the new circuit and/or make some
calculations to support your answer.)

5.5 Now try it (short out the 3.9k resistor) and record the results. Comment on what you observe.

V
A

V
B


Was your hypothesis correct? YES / NO

Explain why you got the above results.

Page 7 of 9
6.0 PARALLEL CIRCUIT: Calculate and measure the voltages and currents in the parallel circuit shown
in Figure 5 as directed in the steps below.

(Show your calculations
below.)

6.1 Transfer your calculated values to the appropriate spaces below.

V
A

I
A
(The current in the 5.1 k resistor) ____________

I
B

I
C

I
TOTAL
(The total current supplied by the 10 V source) ____________


V
A

I
A

I
B

I
C

I
TOTAL


6.4 Explain why the measured values were not EXACTLY the same as the theoretical.

+
_
10 V
3.9 k 5.1 k 1 k
I
TOTAL
V
A
I
A
I
B
I
C
Figure 5. Parallel circuit.
Page 8 of 9
7.0 COMPLEX CIRCUIT: Calculate and measure the voltages and currents in the parallel circuit shown
in Figure 6 as directed in the steps below.

(Show your calculations
below Hint: Find the R
EQ

for 5.1k and 1k in ||)

7.1 Transfer your calculated values to the appropriate spaces below.

V
A

V
B

I
A

I
B

I
TOTAL


V
A

V
B

I
A

I
B

I
TOTAL


7.4 Explain why the measured values were not EXACTLY the same as the theoretical.

+
_
10 V
3.9 k
5.1 k 1 k
I
TOTAL
I
A
I
B
V
A
V
B
Figure 6. Complex circuit.
Page 9 of 9
8.0 SUMMARY QUESTIONS:

8.1 Describe what would have happened if we had short circuited the 3.9 k resistor in Figure 5 instead of
short circuiting the 3.9 k resistor in Figure 4. (Again, you may want to redraw the circuit with the short
and make some calculations.) Specifically, discuss the V
A
, i
1
, i
2
, i
3
, i
short
, and R
eq
.

8.2 Describe why we could have put a 2.0 M resistor in parallel with the other three resistors in Figure 5
and this action would have had almost no effect on all voltages and currents we measured for the circuit.

8.3 In class, we made the statement that resistors connected in parallel have the same voltage across them.
How did this statement hold up in your experiments in Section 7 of this exercise? Why?

8.4 Voltmeters should always be connected in SERIES/PARALLEL with the element whose voltage is
being measured. Circle the correct answer.

8.5 Ammeters should always be placed in SERIES/PARALLEL with the circuit whose current is being
measured. Circle the correct answer.

Digital Trainer

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Digital Trainer

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Electrical Engineering I Laboratory Exercise #2

You might also like