Introduction

Today you will test your knowledge of circuits by trying to identify circuit elements concealed inside a black box. Each box may contain resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, and batteries or a combination of two or three of these circuit elements in series and/or in parallel with each other. Each box has two banana plugs for connecting the box to a circuit. Using techniques from previous labs, you should be able to determine what is in any of the black boxes. No screwdrivers allowed1.

Objectives

To review the properties of AC and DC circuits.

To practice using the DMM and oscilloscope to make electrical measurements.

To design your own experiments to test a hypothesis.

Prelab Questions

1. The voltage across which circuit element (resistor, capacitor. or inductor) increases as the frequency is increased? In your notebook sketch the expected curve of L vs. f for this element.

2. The voltage across which circuit element (resistor, capacitor, or inductor) decreases as the frequency is increased? Sketch V vs. f for this element.

3. The voltage across which circuit element (resistor, capacitor, or inductor) does not dependent on frequency? Sketch V vs. f for this element.