Specifications

3
Electronic Signals (continued)
Waveforms
Waveforms
A waveform is the shape or
representation of a wave.
Waveforms can provide you with
a great deal of information about
your signal. For example, it can
tell you if the voltage changes
suddenly, varies linearly, or
remains constant. There are many
standard waveforms, but this
section will cover the ones you
will encounter most frequently.
Sine waves
Sine waves are typically
associated with alternating
current (AC) sources such as an
electrical outlet in your house. A
sine wave does not always have
a constant peak amplitude. If
the peak amplitude continually
decreases as time progresses, we
call the waveform a damped sine
wave.
Square/rectangular waves
A square waveform periodically
jumps between two different
values such that the lengths
of the high and low segments
are equivalent. A rectangular
waveform differs in that the
lengths of the high and low
segments are not equal.
Figure 3. A sine wave
Figure 4. A square wave
Oscilloscope Fundamentals