ELC 111.

2 Laboratory Activity 0: Discrete

Gates
Pre-laboratory Report; Submitted: 15 November 2014
Roberto Alphonso R. Andres
Electronics and Communications Engineering
Ateneo de Manila University
Philippines

I.

Carlos Gabriel S. Valderrama

Electronics and Communications Engineering
Ateneo de Manila University
Philippines

INTRODUCTION

The connection between mathematics and logic was first devised by George Boole, whose
findings in symbolic logic in 1854 eventually evolved into what we know today as Boolean
algebra. This two-state true-or-false algebra was originally used to solve logic problems.
Eventually, the practical application of Boolean algebra was discovered by Claude Shannon in
1938, when he used it to analyze telephone switching circuits by treating the variables as closed
and open relays. Shannons findings eventually led the way for contemporary engineers to apply
Boolean algebra to computer electronics [1].
Logic gates are physical representations of Boolean functions which is basically a binary
operation that produces a true or false statement (also known as a single logical output). The
dialectic aspect of these gates are shown in terms of their signals, where the input and output
signal of the digital two-state circuit are either low or high voltages.
These logic gates are usually used in tandem with discrete electronic elements which may
effectively act as switches. The binary operations used in these gates are expressed through the
use of truth tables, a mathematical table that contains all the possible variable combinations that
show the relationship between the values that the variables may take and the result of the
operation. They are used to ascertain whether a proposed expression is true for all input values
[2].
In the current experiment, the objective of the activity is to relate logic gates with discrete
electronic elements such as diodes and transistors. The activity acts as an introduction to the
gate, a circuit which allows multiple input signals but only maintains one signal. The use of the
truth table in the experiment below is the application of theoretical Boolean algebra to practical
electronic elements through the use of discrete gates.

II.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND

Binary logic is defined as being a combination of binary variables and logical operations. The
variables are the standard alphabetical letters that represent only two distinct values: 1(True) or 0
(False). The following are examples of logic operations [3]:
When given the example x y = z or xy = z, the AND logical operation is interpreted as z =1
if and only if x = 1 and y = 1. If otherwise, z = 0. Essentially, the gate only produces a certain
value (1 or 0) if both inputs are that same number. Generally, AND gates produce one output
despite requiring at least two inputs. Discrete AND gates may be represented as a 2-input diode
gate as shown in the circuit below:

When given the example x + y = z, the OR logical operation is interpreted as z = 1

1. if x =1 or
2. if y = 1 or
3. if both x = 1 and y = 1.
If both x and y equal zero, then z = 0. The OR gate is similar to the AND gate in that it requires
at least 2 inputs to produce an output. Discrete OR gates may be represented as a 2-input diode
gate as shown in the circuit below:

When given the example x = z, the NOT logical operation is interpreted as x is not equal to
zero or x =! 0. In other words, if x = 1, then z = 0 and vice versa. Discrete NOT gates may be
represented as a 2-input transistor gate as shown in the circuit below:

There is also such a thing as a NOR gate which is a combination of a NOT and OR gate. The output of
such a circuit would be z=1 if and only if both inputs x, y are equal to 0. For any other combinations of
inputs the output would be z = 0. Discrete NOR gates may be represented as a 2-input circuit that utilizes
2 transistors as illustrated below:

Figure 1: Truth Table of Logical Operations

The figure shows the truth tables of common logical operations which will aid in identifying the circuits
given in the laboratory manual.

III.

METHODOLOGY
A. MATERIALS
5V Voltage Source
2 Diodes
1 2N3904 BJT
Several resistors
Digital Multimeter
B. PROCEDURE
1. The first step of this experiment is to construct the circuit under set-up A.
2. Setting voltages A and B to 0V, obtain the Vout through the DMM.
3. Step 2 will be repeated 3 more times for the different voltage combinations of A
& B as specified in the lab manual.

4.
5.

Through the obtained Vouts the logic function of the circuit will be determined as
either HIGH or LOW depending on the value of Vout.
Steps 1-4 will also be repeated for the circuits under set-ups B & C.

C. DATA TABLES
All values under Vout in the following tables are theoretical values and were obtained through circuit
analysis of the logic gate circuits presented in the lab manual.

Set-up A.
A

Vout (volts)

0V

0V

0V

0V

5V

5V

5V

0V

5V

5V

5V

5V

Vout (volts)

0V

0V

0V

0V

5V

0V

5V

0V

0V

5V

5V

5V

Logic Function: OR
Set-up B.

Logic Function: AND

Set-up C.
A

Vout (volts)

0V

5V

5V

0V

Logic Function: NOT

Set-up D.
A

Vout (volts)

0V

0V

5V

0V

5V

0V

5V

0V

0V

5V

5V

0V

Logic Function: NOR Gate

IV.

REFERENCES

[1] A.P. Malvino and J. A. Brown, Digital Computer Electronics, 3rd ed., Singapore: Glencoe
Division of Macmillan, 1992. pp. 19-20.
[2] M. M. Morris, Digital Logic and Computer Design, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1979. pp. 2627.
[3] Digital Logic Gates. [Web article], Apr. 2010, [2014 Nov 14], Available at
http://www.circuitstoday.com/logic-gates.