-Experiment 1-

PADS AND ATTENUATORS

Introduction:
In this experiment the Pi pad attenuator was used to collect data in different settings (Alterations in
resistance). A 6V power supply was used as the main power source with 3 resistors which were parallel
and in series to the circuit which make the attenuator. Then the digital multi-meter was used to measure
the voltage across the voltage source and the voltage across the load resistor in order to calculate the loss
in power using the equation

Loss = 20 log ( VV 12 )
After the first step the voltage from the source was taken out from the circuit. Then the total resistance of
the attenuator and the load resistor was measured by using the digital multi-meter in the ohmmeter
setting. The same process was repeated for different settings of resistance and power loss
Part 1
1 The circuit was assembled in the same way as in the preparation section along with a resistor of
600 ohms. Then the circuit (Pi pad) will be connected to a 6 volt DC source. At this set up will be
RL = R0.With this assumption the losses will be calculated wth the given resistor values
At Ro = 600 ohms the loss was 5 db. Along with resistor values
R1 = 2140.49 ohms
R2 = 364.8 ohms
The voltage from the power source was measured with the digital multi-meter. This was done by placing
the digital multi-meter terminal across the DC source.
Voltage measured at input was
V1 = 5.995 V
Then the output voltage was measured by placing the terminals of the digital multi-meter across the load
resistor RL.
Voltage measured at output was
V2 = 3.364 V
With the values of V1 and V2 loss due to the attenuator using
V1
loss=20 log
V2

5.995 V
loss=20 log
3.364 V

loss=5.02 db

This value was very similar to the theoretical loss value stated in preparation section
2 After the 6V power source was disconnected from the Pi pad the resistor values would be varied
in a range of 0 to a 1M range. Along with the changes the value R i was measured and was
plotted as a function of RL. The below table shows the measured values.
Table 1
 RL () Ri (k)
0 .314
100 .387
200 .450
400 .538
500 .571
600 .599
700 .633
800 .662
1000 .707
3000 .920
5000 .996
10000 1.066
50000 1.134
100000 1.143
300000 1.150
500000 1.151
1000000 1.152

The graph can be represented as following Ri vs. RL

Part 2
 1 The Pi pad circuit in the preparation part 2 was assembled with a resistance of 600 ohms. Then
the circuit will be then connected to the 6V source. The same assumption was made for this part
too where RL = R0 and the calculated loss was 20 db.
At Ro = 600 ohms the loss was 5 db. Along with resistor values
R1 = 2140.49 ohms
R2 = 364.8 ohms
The voltage from the power source was measured with the digital multi-meter. This was done by placing
the digital multi-meter terminal across the DC source.
Voltage measured at input was
V1 = 5.994 V
Then the output voltage was measured by placing the terminals of the digital multi-meter across the load
resistor RL.
Voltage measured at output was
V2 = 0.5994V
With the values of V1 and V2 loss due to the attenuator using
V1
loss=20 log
V2

5.994 V
loss=20 log
0.5994 V

loss=20.01 db

This value was considered to be true as it was close to the theoretical value 20db.
After the 6V power source was disconnected from the Pi pad the resistor values would be varied in a
range of 0 to a 1M range. Along with the changes the value Ri was measured and was plotted as a
function of RL. The below table shows the measured values.
Table 2
RL () Ri (k)
0 .588
100 .591
400 .597
600 .599
800 .601
1000 .603
5000 .609
10000 .610
50000 .611
100000 .612
500000 .61225
 1000000 .61226
A plot of the function Ri vs. RL

Results:
The equations of the circuit had to be derived in order to compare the measured values (on the table) to
the theoretical values. The equation was derived by using the basic concepts from circuit analysis. The
equation was based on whether the circuits are in parallel or in series.
1

((( )
1 1
Ri =
1 1
+
RL R1 ) +R ) 2 +
1
R1

In order to compare the values (theoretical vs experimental) a random value was taken upon and was use
in the equation.
RL = 700 ohms
1

((( )
1 1
Ri=
1
+
1
700 ohms 2140.49 ) +364.8 ohms
) +
1
2140.49

Ri=629.76 ohms
In the table for RL = 700 ohms Ri the value for was 633 ohms, thus meaning that the experiment was
successful for the first part.

The same process was done for the second Pi pad. RL resistance value was chosen as 700 ohms
1

((( )
1 1
R i=
1
+
1
700 ohms 733.3 ) +2970 ohms ) +
1
733.3

Ri=600.90 ohms

In the table for RL = 700 ohms Ri the value for was 600.9 ohms, therefore the experiment was successful.
Conclusion:
The experiment was successful as in both circuits the measured value came very close to the values which
was calculated theoretically. This was true with all the input and the output values along with the
calculated losses in the circuit. The tables were able to give a smooth logarithmic curve which suggests
the values achieved from the experiment were correct. In the results the theoretical value of the initial
resistance was fractions of when compared to the values which were measured by the circuits. And this
was same for the Ri resistance as well.