LAB #4

Explaining the Oscilloscope

• On the graph shown on the oscilloscope, there is an x-axis and a y-axis. The x represents time and the y represents voltage. Using the voltage per division setting on the oscilloscope, you can determine how many volts are each interval of the y-axis. Your can have .1 to 50 volts per division in this graph. In this case, the oscilloscope is set to .5 volts per division, making it 2 divisions for every volt.
• The trigger section of the oscilloscope stabilizes the wave form shown on the graph. The trigger function will take multiple disorganized waves of one frequency from  the channel input and stabilize them as one wave form> Using the trigger function you can place where the wave is horizontally on the graph, you can select the channel that the input is coming from, the way in which the wave is shown from the channel(s), and the trigger level of the waves.
• In the CRT section of the oscilloscope, you can fix the intensity (width of the line) level, and the focus of the line to make it more clear.
• The power section turns the oscilloscope on and off.
• In the Vertical section, you can set the vertical placement of the line on the graph. In this case, the line is set so that it is on the x axis. In the two channel sections, you can first choose which channel you are observing. You can set the voltage to either AC, ground, or DC (in this case both are set to DC). Using the voltage per division knobs, you can set how many volts per division the graph displays.
• In the Horizontal section, you can set the time per division. This shows how many times the wave goes through one period. If it is two slow then the wave will flicker or not be too clear. In this case, the time per division is fast enough that the wave is perceived as stationary.
• In electronics terms, turning the pot means turning the potentiometer. The potentiometer is almost any turnable knob on a piece of electronic equipment. Turning the potentiometer will change the resistance on a certain circuit, which will change a specific setting on the electrical equipment.