Poly-Technique University/ Duhok 2019-2020

Chemical Engineering department 3rd Year

Experiment No.2

Experiment name: Electrical measuring instruments

Objective:
1- Measuring electrical quantities such as voltage, current, resistance and
energy.
2- Learning how to connect each instrument in electrical circuits.
3- Recognizing the importance of measurements in an electrical circuit.

Apparatus:
1- Digital Multi-Meter (DMM).
2- Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO).

Theory (introduction):
Testing and measurement are important in designing, evaluating,
maintaining and servicing an electrical circuit. In order to detect
electrical quantities such as current, voltage, resistance or power, it is
necessary to transform an electrical quantity or condition into a visible
indication. This can be done with the aid of instruments or (meters) that
would indicate the magnitude of quantities either by the position of a
pointer moving over a calibrated scale (called an analogue instrument)
or through a decimal number display (called a digital instrument).
Poly-Technique University/ Duhok 2019-2020
Chemical Engineering department 3rd Year

Electrical Measuring Instruments

Ammeter: It is an electrical current measuring instrument, has low
resistance (ideally zero) and must be connected in series in the circuit.
Voltmeter: It is a potential difference measuring instrument, has high
resistance (ideally infinite) and must be connected in parallel with the
part of circuit its potential difference is required.
Ohmmeter: It is an instrument for measuring electrical resistance.
Unlike the ammeter or voltmeter, the ohmmeter circuit does not receive
energy from the circuit under test for its operation, the ohmmeter is
provided with a battery as a source of energy for its operation.
Digital storage oscilloscope (DSO): It is used for the observation of
waveforms and measuring voltage, current, frequency, phase and
periodic time. In examining periodic wave forms a spot is deflected
horizontally (i.e. in the X axis) by a saw tooth signal generator acting as
a time-base. The signal to be examined is applied to the vertical
direction (Y axis) usually after amplification. Oscilloscope normally has
a transparent grid of 10 (mm/division) by 10 (mm/division) squares in
front of the screen. Among the time-based controls is a ‘variable’ switch
which gives the sweeping speed as time per division may be in s/div,
ms/div, or µs/div. Also in the front panel of an oscilloscope, the Y
amplifier switch marked in volts per centimeter with multiple number of
switch positions.

 Direct voltage measurement, only the Y amplifier ‘volts/div’

switch is used. With no voltage applied to the Y axis the position
of the spot trace is noted on the screen, when the direct voltage is
applied to the Y axis the new position of the spot trace would be
an indication of the voltage magnitude. For example, in fig1.5
(a), with no voltage applied to the Y axis, the spot trace is in the
Poly-Technique University/ Duhok 2019-2020
Chemical Engineering department 3rd Year

center of the screen (initial position) and then the spot trace
moves 2.5 div. on application of a D.C voltage. With the
‘volts/div’ switch on 10 volts/div the magnitude of the direct
voltage is = 2.5 div X 10 volts/div (i.e. 25 volts).
 Alternating voltage measurement: let a sinusoidal waveform be
displayed on the digital oscilloscope screen as shown in fig1.5, if
the Time/Div switch is on 5 ms/div and periodically takes 4
divisions then the periodic time of the sine wave is = 5 ms/div X
4 div. (i.e. 20ms or 0.02s).
Discussion:
1. What is a multi-meter?
2. Name some quantities that a digital oscilloscope is capable of
measuring.
3. What is the peak to peak voltage of signals shown in fig1.5?
4. Determine the periodic time of the signals in fig 1.5.

Fig 1.5: Sinusoidal signals P on CH I and Q on CH II.