Specifications

5
We will look at these pictures in more detail, but two observations are:
• The peak-to-peak voltage of the waveform can be measured along the vertical axis. It is five
main divisions and the vertical gain is set to 200 mV/division (see the yellow arrow), which gives
a signal amplitude of 1 volt peak-to-peak.
• The horizontal axis is time and the scope is set to 200 µs/division (see the white arrow). One
period of the sine wave spans five main divisions, so the period is 1 ms, which means the
frequency is 1 kHz. (This particular oscilloscope has a counter that is displaying the signal's
frequency in the upper right-hand corner.)
Some of the uses of an oscilloscope are:
• Measure voltages, voltage differences, and time intervals.
• Measure the frequency of a repetitive signal.
• Compare two or more signals varying in time and see their relationships (for example, whether a
particular feature on one waveform occurs before or after a feature on the other waveform).
• See the effect of adding or removing a component on a circuit.
• Capture transients, glitches, or surprising behavior, even when no one is around.
• Verify correct operation of a test point in a circuit when troubleshooting or performing a
manufacturing test.
• Measure the DC and AC parts of a waveform.
• Measure various characteristics of a waveform, such as peak-to-peak voltage, RMS voltage,
period, rise time, fall time, etc.
• Examine the noise on a signal is and how modifications to the circuit or cabling can change the
noise.
• Plot one voltage versus another voltage. This is called XY mode and is an exception to the
statement that the scope displays a voltage as a function of time.
• Some scopes have the ability to allow the intensity of the trace to be varied by an external signal
(z-axis modulation). This gives another "dimension" to the ability of the scope to display
information.
• Look for distortion in a circuit by visually comparing its input and output waveforms -- or using
the scope to subtract them and look at the mathematical difference.
• Make physical measurements using a transducer that converts a physical behavior into a
voltage.
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