ELEC 101, Spring 2001
Prof. Rich Kozick
Laboratory 1
Basic Electrical Quantities and Measuring Voltage
This lab session provides an introduction to
three fundamental electrical quantities:
charge, current, and voltage.
We will also learn how to measure voltages with the
Fluke Hydra data acquisition unit (DAU) and the oscilloscope.
We will use
an interactive computer program
(and electronic lesson or E-lesson)
developed by Professor
Mastascusa so that you can explore these
topics at your own pace.
You are encouraged to revisit the E-lessons throughout this course!
Start the E-lesson Exploring Electrical Engineering
on the PC at your lab bench as follows.
First, set up the monitor options through the display control panel.
- Go to the control panel settings for the display by selecting: Start ->
Settings -> Control Panel. Double click the "Display" option of the
Control Panel window.
- Click on the "Settings" tab-page.
- Select the "High color 16 bit" option for the "Color palette" setting.
- Drag the pointer in the "Desktop area" towards the middle so as to
set it to 800X600 pixels.
- Select "Large Fonts" in the "Font Size" option.
Then you can run the E-lessons as follows.
- Double click the "My Computer" icon on your desktop.
- Double click on "Elec.eng on ‘Academic_depts’ (X):"
- Double click on "public"
- Double click on "Elec.120" folder.
- Double click on the "E-lessons" option. This will open the
"Exploring Electrical Engineering" window.
Perform the following activities.
- Under the menu items Basic Concepts and
Quantities, go through the lessons on
Charge, Current, and Voltage.
Please do some of the exercises given in the lessons - you don't
have to do them all now.
Before moving on to item 2, provide brief explanations to the
lab instructor for charge, current, and voltage.
That is, be sure to understand the meaning of each of these fundamental
quantities are before moving on!
You will also read about charge, current, and voltage in Chapter 1
of the text.
You do not have to record anything in your lab notebooks for this part.
- Do the lesson on Measuring Voltages,
which you can get to by
Basic-Concepts->Measurements->Voltage.
This lesson
will teach you how to use the
Fluke Hydra data acquisition unit (DAU).
We will use the DAU to make voltage and other measurements
throughout this course.
The lesson also explains the wiring of your protoboard.
Complete the exercises in this lesson up to and including the lesson on
"Measuring Voltage with a Power Supply." Omit any exercises
using the A/D board. Also omit the exercise titled "Various
Sensors."
**** YOU WON'T HAVE YOUR OWN POWER SUPPLY, SO SKIP ACTIVITIES
RELATED TO THE POWER SUPPLY. ****
- Please measure the voltage differences
between the various wires on the power supply
in your lab kit.
Determine which wires correspond to +12 V, -12 V, +5 V, and Ground.
Record the results in your lab notebook for future reference.
- Complete the exercises in "An Introduction to Using an
Oscilloscope" up to first exercise on the page titled "Simple
Oscilloscope Experiments-4. "
- Feel free to browse other E-lessons in the
Exploring Electrical Engineering tutorial
to get an idea which topics are included.
However, you do not have to do any other lessons for this week.
- You are free to use the EE laboratory at any time
to work on lab projects.
The combination to the door lock will be given to you during the
lab session.
Thank you, and have fun!