Lab Record: Operating a Cathode Ray Oscilloscope
for Frequency and Voltage Measurements
Arjun T M
July 3, 2025
1 Objective
To operate a cathode ray oscilloscope (CRO) to measure the frequency and voltage of an
AC signal.
2 Equipment
• Cathode Ray Oscilloscope (CRO)
• Function generator
• Connecting probes (BNC to crocodile clips)
• AC signal source (e.g., sine wave from function generator)
• Multimeter (for calibration, optional)
3 Theory
A cathode ray oscilloscope is an electronic test instrument that displays the waveform of
an electrical signal. It allows measurement of:
• Voltage: Determined by the vertical deflection of the waveform, using the volts/div
setting.
• Frequency: Calculated from the time period of the waveform, using the time/div
setting.
1
The time period T is the duration of one cycle, and frequency f is given by f = T
.
Vpeak
Voltage is measured as peak-to-peak or RMS, where VRM S = √ 2
for a sine wave.
4 Procedure
1. Setup the CRO:
• Turn on the CRO and allow it to warm up.
1
• Set the volts/div and time/div knobs to mid-range values.
• Adjust the position controls to center the trace on the screen.
• Connect the probe to Channel 1 and set the coupling to AC.
2. Connect the Signal:
• Connect the function generator to the CROs Channel 1 input using a BNC
probe.
• Set the function generator to output a sine wave with a known amplitude (e.g.,
5 V peak-to-peak) and frequency (e.g., 1 kHz).
3. Voltage Measurement:
• Adjust the volts/div knob until the waveform fits comfortably on the screen.
• Count the number of vertical divisions for the peak-to-peak amplitude.
• Calculate the peak-to-peak voltage: Vpp = (number of divisions)×(volts/div).
Vpp
• Compute the RMS voltage: VRM S = √ .
2 2
4. Frequency Measurement:
• Adjust the time/div knob to display at least one complete cycle of the wave-
form.
• Count the number of horizontal divisions for one complete cycle (time period).
• Calculate the time period: T = (number of divisions) × (time/div).
• Calculate the frequency: f = T1 .
5. Record Observations:
• Repeat measurements for different frequencies (e.g., 500 Hz, 2 kHz) and am-
plitudes.
• Note the settings and measurements in the observation table.
5 Observation Table
Table 1: Measurements from CRO
Trial Volts/Div (V) Vertical Divisions Peak-to-Peak Voltage (V) Time/Div (s) Horizontal Div
1
2
3
6 Calculations
For each trial:
2
Table 2: Calculated Values
Trial Time Period (s) Frequency (Hz) RMS Voltage (V)
1
2
3
1. Peak-to-Peak Voltage: Vpp = (Vertical Divisions) × (Volts/Div)
Vpp
2. RMS Voltage: VRM S = √
2 2
3. Time Period: T = (Horizontal Divisions) × (Time/Div)
1
4. Frequency: f = T
Example:
• If Volts/Div = 1 V, Vertical Divisions = 4, then Vpp = 4 × 1 = 4 V.
• RMS Voltage: VRM S = 4
√
2 2
≈ 1.414 V.
• If Time/Div = 0.001 s, Horizontal Divisions = 2, then T = 2 × 0.001 = 0.002 s.
1
• Frequency: f = 0.002
= 500 Hz.
7 Results
The CRO was used to measure the voltage and frequency of an AC signal. The measured
values for each trial are recorded in the observation tables, and calculations confirm the
expected relationships between peak-to-peak voltage, RMS voltage, time period, and
frequency.
8 Precautions
• Ensure proper grounding of the CRO and function generator to avoid noise.
• Use appropriate probe settings (e.g., 1X or 10X) and compensate the probe if
needed.
• Avoid exceeding the CROs input voltage limits.
• Double-check the volts/div and time/div settings for accurate measurements.