EXPERIMENT 2 RESISTIVE VOLTAGE DIVISION OBJECTIVE To study voltage division in representative resistive circuits.

PROCEDURE 1) Connect the circuit in Fig. 1a, using a 10 k potentiometer fitted with a knob. Position the potentiometer so the knob can be adjusted from a "7 o'clock" position when the control is rotated fully counter clockwise to a "5 o'clock" position when the control is fully clockwise. The hourly positions thus divide the potentiometer into ten 1000 ohm segments. Connect the terminal on the left side of the potentiometer to ground, and apply 10 volts dc to the terminal on the right side of the potentiometer. Measure the output voltage at each hourly position using the digital voltmeter. Record your results. 2) Repeat the measurements, using the circuit in Fig. 1b, in which a 10 k "load" has been added to the center tap of the potentiometer. 3) Connect the circuit in Fig. 2a, and measure the output voltage when the switch is a) open, and b) closed. The output voltage should be either 10 volts or 0 volt, respectively. Note that the output impedance is 3.3 k with the switch open and 0 ohms with the switch closed. This is a very frequently used circuit, often with a transistor instead of a switch. In the circuit in Fig. 2b the 3.3 k resistor is placed in series with the 10 k potentiometer, wired as a variable resistor. This is similar to the previous circuit, except that the bottom resistor may have any value between 0 ohms and 10 k, instead of only 0 ohms or infinity. Measure the output voltage as a function of the position of the potentiometer knob.

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Note that the response is quite different from that in Parts (1) and (2). The full voltage is never reached and the voltage is not a linear function of the knob position. 4) Connect the circuit in Fig. 3a, which is complementary to the circuit in Fig. 2a. Measure the output voltage when the switch is a) open, and b) closed. The output voltage should be either 0 volt or 10 volts, respectively, which is the opposite of the previous result. Note that the output impedance is 3.3 k with the switch open and 0 ohms with the switch closed, which is the same as before. In the circuit in Fig. 3b the 3.3 k resistor is placed in series with the 10 k potentiometer, wired as a variable resistor. Measure the output voltage as a function of the position of the potentiometer knob. The result should again be very nonlinear, approaching the limits you obtained with the switch.

ASSIGNMENT
Plot your data in Part 1 of the voltage (Y axis) vs. potentiometer position (X axis). This plot should be a straight line, with the output voltage, V, given by

V = 10V

R2 R1 + R2

(2 1)

Use a ruler to draw a straight line through your data. What is the error in your measurements? Use the average amount by which your data points miss the straight line. Plot your data in Part 2. In contrast with part 1, the plot is no longer straight. To see why this is so, consider, for example, the case where the potentiometer is set in the middle of its

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range. Then the Thevenin equivalent of the potentiometer is a 2.5 k resistor in series with a 5 volt source. When only the digital voltmeter is attached, it reads the 5 volt Thevenin source. However, when the 10 k resistive load is also attached, the voltage is attenuated, as shown in Fig. 1c. Therefore, the observed voltage is only 4 volts. Similarly, since there is some series resistance at every point on the potentiometer (except at the ends), all of the points in this plot fall below the corresponding points in the previous plot. If the load resistor were increased to 100 k, would the values obtained from Fig. 1b be closer to those from Fig. 1a or further away? Plot your data in Parts 3 and 4, and comment on the results. Are the results linear or nonlinear? What is the relationship between the two plots?

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Figures 10 V 10 V

5V 2.5 k

10 k

R1 R2

Out

10 k

Out
10k 10 k

Out ( 4V)

Fig 1 a 10 V

Fig 1b 10 V

Fig 1c

3.3 k

3.3 k

10 k

Fig 2a

Fig 2b

10 V

10 V

10 k

3.3 k

3.3 k

Fig 3a

Fig 3b

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