Prelab 04

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First-Order CT systems with proportional control

It was clear from the frequency response lab last week that we are still struggling with incorrect assumptions about what material you have seen before. But since most students find stabilizing the magnetic levitation system (lab05) an extremely rewarding experience, we are want to make sure we have filled in any missing background before next week.

In this prelab, we will review first-order systems in continuous time, and do some op-amp examples, which should prepare you for Friday's lab, so please try to finish as much as you can before lab (see the links below).

In addition, when designing op-amp circuits, it really helps to have a circuit simulator. The link below is to our on-line schematic-entry based circuit simulator (co-written with Chris Terman). The link also preloads the simulator with an op-amp circuit, one that will give you practice with the kinds of op-amp circuits you will need to design in both this week's, and next week's, lab. Please use the simulator (documentation can be found by clicking on the question mark) to determine an analytic formula for the relationship between V_a, V_b, and V_o. If you have trouble analyzing the circuit, try simulating it (click the DC button) with various voltage sources connected to V_a and V_b.

Circuit Simulator example

You can save your personal copy of the opampPrelab circuit by clicking the save button, and giving a unique name that will be appended to the filename. Just remember what the complete file name was, so you can reload it when you wish.

You should count on having access to the simulator in lab, and are welcome to use it however you see fit (for problem sets, prelabs, or lab).