Oscilloscopes

An oscilloscope is a very useful instrument for testing circuits because it allows you to see the signals at different points in the circuit. The best way to test an electronic system is to monitor signals at the input and output of each system block, checking that each block is operating correctly and is correctly linked to the next.

An oscilloscope essentially displays a graph of an electrical signal. In most applications, the graph shows how the signals change over time. The vertical (Y) axis represents voltage, and the horizontal (X) axis represents time. The intensity or brightness of the display is sometimes called the Z-axis

With an oscilloscope, you can determine the time and voltage values of a signal, see the "moving parts" of a circuit represented by the signal, and find out how much of a signal is direct current (DC) or alternating current (AC), among other things.

The front panel is divided into three main sections labelled Vertical, Horizontal, and Trigger. Your oscilloscope may have other sections, depending on the model and type. The device will have input connectors, where you will attach probes. Most oscilloscopes have at least two input channels and each channel can display a waveform on the screen. Multiple channels are handy for comparing waveforms.

You’ll probably use the oscilloscope to measure voltage and time, and most other measurements are based on one of these two fundamental techniques.

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