Physics 6B – Basic Electronics Laboratory Report No.

Score:
L1
012345
SURNAME, First Name, MI Topic: Capacitor
Charging Action
Section: Date Performed: 01 June 2006
Group/Members: Date Submitted: ………………..

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Objectives
The experiment intends to:
1. determine the time constant of an RC circuit
from both its charging and discharging curves
2. sketch the input and output waveforms of differentiator
and integrator circuits
3. determine the experimental f3dB of
differentiator and integrator circuits
4. graph an experimental Bode plot of
differentiator and integrator circuits
From Figure 1(b), it can be inferred that it took
0.1 ms for the voltage across the capacitor to climb to
about 63% of its maximum value and also 0.1 ms to fall to
about 37% of its initial value during discharging. This
experimental time constant is the same as the theoretical
value. When the frequency is increased, the time constant
also increases. With important values labeled, the
following is the sketch of the input and output waveforms:

1. Introduction

The experiment deals with the behavior and functions or

applications of capacitors. The first part analyzes the
charging and discharging curves of a capacitor and
extrapolates the experimental value of the time constant.
The latter parts investigate the functions of RC circuits as
differentiator and integrator using three waveforms,
namely square, triangle and sine. The input and output
waveforms were analyzed and compared under varying 2.2 The Differentiator Circuit
frequencies and values of R and C. The Bode plot for both When the circuit in Figure 2 is constructed, the input
differentiator and integrator circuits were plot and the and output waveforms are as shown in Figure 3.
experimental f3dB determined.
100 pF
2.1 Charging and discharging capacitor
Vi Vout
When the circuit in Figure 1 is constructed using square n 100 Ω
wave input (Vpp = 5V, f = 500 Hz), the input and output
waveforms are shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2 Differentiator circuit

10 kΩ
Vi Vout
n 0.10 μF

(a) (b)
(a) (b) (c)
Figure 1 (a) Circuit for Charging/Discharging
(b) Input and output waveforms of 1(a)
 Figure 3 Input and output waveforms for 0.1 16 -20
differentiator circuits (a) sine wave (b) triangle wave 0.16 7 -15.9176
and (c) square wave
0.2 5 -13.9794
0.48 2 -6.37518
When the half-period of the square-wave is much longer
than the time constant value, the output looks like a series 0.52 1.8 -5.67993
of ‘spikes’, which happen when the input square wave 0.71 1.05 -2.97483
changes. In effect, these show the edges of the square wave 0.72 1 -2.85335
shape. They correspond to where the waveform's rate-of- 0.76 0.9 -2.38373
change is greatest. The size of these output spikes depends 0.8 0.8 -1.9382
on the size of the edges, hence the output approximates to a
0.84 0.7 -1.51441
differential of the input. The size of the output “spikes”
decreases when the values of R and C are increased. In all
the waveforms, the output appears to be the differential
0
(rate of change) of the input, hence called differentiator
-5 0 50 100 150
circuit.

Power Gain (dB)

-10
-15
2.3 The Integrator Circuit
-20
When the circuit in Figure 4 (a) is constructed, the
-25
input and output waveforms are as shown in Figure 4(b). In
all the waveforms, the output appears to be the integral of -30
the input, hence called integrator circuit. The magnitude of -35
the output will decrease and approach zero for larger -40
values of R and C. Frequency, f (kHz)

10 kΩ Figure 2 Bode plot for integrator circuit

Vi Vout
n 0.10 μF
Figure 4 (a) Integrator circuit (b) Input and Output
Waveforms of the voltage
2.4 Bode plot for Integrator Circuit
The power gain (dB) of the circuit for different
frequencies is shown in Table 1. It can be inferred that
at approximately f3dB, the value of the frequency is 1
kHz. At very high frequencies, the capacitor acts as a
short and the voltage gain of the circuit approaches
zero. Majority of the current goes to the capacitor and
the resistor has little effect. The circuit is a low-pass
filter and is an RC integrator.
2.5 Bode plot for differentiator circuit
The experimental f3dB of the circuit in Figure is
1.05kHz. At high frequencies, the voltage gain is
approximately 1. At low frequencies, the voltage gain
approaches zero. Hence, this is a high pass filter, called
RC differentiator.
0.01 μF
Vout
Vi
n 15 kΩ
Figure 3 Circuit for differentiator circuit

10 kΩ
Vi Vout References
n 0.10 μF
[1] N. Storey, Electronics: A Systems Approach,
Table 1 Power gain of the circuit for different
Chapter 3, Prentice Hall, NY, 2000.
frequencies
[2] P. Horowitz and W. Hill, The Arts of
Vout/Vin f (kHz) P(dB) Electronics, Chapter 1, Cambridge University
0.02 100 -33.9794 Press, 2000.
0.04 40 -27.9588
0.08 20 -21.9382