An essential tool in all physics labs is the oscilloscope. In this introduction we will rely heavily on other, web-based material to provide background material for using this device. To start read the Sections 1-2 in the Wikipedia entry. To learn more go here. of Oscilloscopes by Tektronix, the manufacturer of one of our scopes. Use this material to familiarize your self with the section on Systems and Controls of the Oscilloscope; in particular the parts on Position and Volts per Division, Input Coupling, Position and Seconds per Division, Time Base Selections, Trigger System and Controls, Trigger Level and Slope, Trigger Modes, and Trigger Coupling.
Once you completed the reading use the Pasco 750 Interface to generate a sine wave
(see the DataStudio online help under signal generation
on how to generate different function signals).
Put this signal into the Tektronix 2467B oscilloscope and get the signal on the screen.
Explore the effect that different settings have on the shape of the
signal that you see.
Play!
Change the input signal coming out of the 750 Interface to a square wave.
How quickly does the edge of the square rise?
Investigate other waveforms the 750 Interface can generate.