Basic Non-Linear Circuits - Winter 2021
Circuits are the an integral part of human life in this day and age. Radios, televisions, phones, computers, etc., are complex circuits. However, they are based on simple physical principles. That is the purpose of this lab, to teach you the basic principles behind circuits. We will also introduce how to use your Arduino and computer as a virtual oscilloscope.
We are going to start with verifying Ohm's law and producing an I-V curve for an LED. Next we will look at a simple RC circuit. We will see a capacitor charge and discharge using this circuit. The timing of the charging is referred to as the RC time constant. In many circuits, a time varying current is present. We observe oscillations in the voltage of these circuits when an inductor is introduced. Since all circuits have some form of resistance and capacitance, it is important to understand the fundamentals of RLC circuits. In this lab we will examine the most basic RLC circuits.
Our study of circuits begins with RC circuits and the measurement of the RC time constant, τ. This time constant is the amount of time required for the capacitor in the RC circuit to charge up to ~63% and conversely, discharge to ~37%. The analytical solution for this circuit is simply an exponential.
We are going to start with verifying Ohm's law and producing an I-V curve for an LED. Next we will look at a simple RC circuit. We will see a capacitor charge and discharge using this circuit. The timing of the charging is referred to as the RC time constant. In many circuits, a time varying current is present. We observe oscillations in the voltage of these circuits when an inductor is introduced. Since all circuits have some form of resistance and capacitance, it is important to understand the fundamentals of RLC circuits. In this lab we will examine the most basic RLC circuits.
Our study of circuits begins with RC circuits and the measurement of the RC time constant, τ. This time constant is the amount of time required for the capacitor in the RC circuit to charge up to ~63% and conversely, discharge to ~37%. The analytical solution for this circuit is simply an exponential.
Unit 3 Reference Material
Additional Circuits Background References
To review physics laws on mechanics, please check out OpenStax texbook. Here are important Chapters:Please also refer to Wikipedia: