Name: ____________________________

Klotzkin or Zhou

Section:_________

Pre-Lab for Lab 2

Every Student must complete this before coming to lab.
You must submit this to the TA as you come into the lab

If have not completed the Pre-Lab you will not be able to do

the Lab!!!
Read the entire lab write-up and then answer the following questions:
(1) Why does an op amp need a power supply to be connected? (Dont just say that it
doesnt work without it!)

(2) What is the range of op amp input resistances mentioned in the write up?

(3) How does one tell which pin is the first pin of the 741 IC?

(4) Make a sketch similar to that in Figure 4 for the inverting op amp circuit youll be
building in this lab.

Name(s)___________________________________________________ Section:_____
Klotzkin or Zhou

LAB 2: THE OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER

OBJECTIVE
In this lab you will build and test amplifiers based on the 741 integrated-circuit op-amp.
AMPLIFIER BASICS
A voltage amplifier is a circuit that takes an input voltage and increases it to a larger
value. We usually want to do this to an information-carrying voltage one that wiggles
as a function of time (like a voltage signal coming from an electric guitar). We often
need to amplify a signal in electronic circuits because we need the signal bigger for some
reason (i) for a guitar signal we may need to make the signal voltage bigger to be able
to drive some electronic device we want to plug the guitar into (e.g., a tape recorder), (ii)
for the voltage signal picked up by your cell phones antenna we need to amplify the
voltage signal to make it big enough for the rest of the cell phones circuits to work
properly so they can turn the received signal into a good-sounding voice signal. Our
view of a general voltage amplifier can be shown in Figure 1. The supply voltages (often
one positive (+Vcc) and one negative (-Vcc)) provide the energy needed to boost the
signal levels.

Figure 1: Typical scenario using a voltage amplifier. The left-hand box represents some circuit or
device that "creates" a signal (e.g., an electric guitar) that we would like to connect to the right-hand
box (e.g. a tape recorder); but the signal voltage from the left-hand device is too small to directly
drive the right-hand box. The amplifier boosts the signal voltage vin(t) by a gain of A so that it will be
able to properly drive the right-hand circuit.

There are many ways to implement a voltage amplifier. It is possible to build one from a
single transistor and some resistors (and capacitors). It is also possible to build one using
integrated circuits (ICs) that are widely available. An integrated circuit can contains
hundreds or more transistors and is typically designed to operate with only a few external
components needed. Figure 2 shows piles of integrated circuits note that each of them
has several leads coming out of the black body that houses the electronics inside. This
lab will explore the use of an integrated circuit type called an operational amplifier (or op
amp for short) they are ICs that are very easy to use to build high-performance voltage
amplifiers. It should be no surprise that if you open up many modern electronic gizmos
that you would find lots of op amps!

Figure 2: Piles of integrated circuits.

OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER BASICS

An operational amplifier (op-amp) is an integrated circuit device that has two inputs
and a single output, as well as connections for voltage sources to be connected; some
have additional connections. The circuit diagram symbol for the op amp is shown in
Figure 3. Note that all the voltages shown in the figure are referenced to ground. The op
amp is designed to do one fundamental thing: Create an output voltage that is a large
multiple, A, of the difference between the two input voltages: the output of the amplifier
is given by vo = A (vin+ vin). The multiplying number A is called the open-loop voltage
gain, vin+ is called the non-inverting input voltage, and vin is called the inverting input
voltage. (Both are node voltages with respect to ground.) Typically, the open-loop voltage
gain A is on the order of 103 to 106.

Figure 3: Circuit diagram symbol for an operational amplifier (Op Amp). All voltages shown are
referenced to ground. Vcc+ is a positive supply voltage and Vcc is a negative supply voltage. The
input voltages are vin+ and vin and the output voltage is vout.

Clearly, with such a large open loop gain, even a small difference (vin+ vin) gives a large
value for vo = A (vin+ vin). However, the output of the op amp is not capable of going
more positive than +Vcc+ or more negative than Vcc. Therefore, if the difference (vin+
vin) is more than a VERY small value the output will be either +Vcc or Vcc. So, we need
to put some external components around the op amp to make it work like a reasonable
voltage amplifier.
One important feature of op-amps is that a resistor can be placed between the output node
and the inverting input to provide feedback and adjust amplification. While operating in

its linear region (+Vccv Vcc), the op-amp adjusts its output voltage such that the
voltage difference between the two inputs is nearly zero (i.e. vin+ = vin). When the output
swings to Vout = Vcc , however, the op-amp is operating in its saturation region, and it
cannot force vin+ = vin . (Note: Vcc is the supply voltage specified by the designer of the
op-amp. Our general-purpose 741 op-amp requires two power supply voltages, 15V, for
normal operation.)
out

Another important feature of the op-amp is that its input resistance is very large and can
be taken as infinite in many applications. The 741 op-amp is built using a type of
transistor called a bipolar-junction-transistor (BJT) and has an input resistance of about 2
M. (This is large enough to be considered infinite in many applications but not all
scenarios. There are op amps built using another kind of transistor called field-effecttransistors (FET) that have input resistances of 106 M that is 1012 !!!!) The input
resistance limits how much current can flow into the op amps vin+ and vin terminals.
Because of an op amps high input resistance, only a very small current flows into either
input of the op-amp. Thus, in many practical op-amp circuits, the current flowing into
either of the inputs is usually on the order of A.
OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER CIRCUITS
As discussed in class, there are many ways to configure components around an op amp to
get it to do something useful. Two such useful configurations provide voltage
amplification of an applied signal. These two configurations are the non-inverting
amplifier and the inverting amplifier
Non-Inverting Amplifier
The operational amplifier configuration in Figure A (in the appendix) is called a noninverting amplifier. The operation of this circuit was described in class where we derived
(see also the appendix of this lab write-up) the input-output relationship for this
configuration:
vout

R1 R2
vin 1 R2 / R1 vin
R1

Note that in Figure A there are numbers shown next to each terminal of the op-amp; these
are the pin numbers of the integrated circuit package. The last page of this write-up
shows the pin arrangement for the IC package for the 741 op amp (notice the 741 in the
HA17741 part number at the top of the page).

Important: Notice that there is a little half-circle on the edge between

pins 1 and 8; that is how we know where to start counting as pin 1!!!
Pin 1: We wont need this pin. It is used in some more advanced circuits.
Pin 2: This is the pin that corresponds to the vin input terminal of the op-amp.

Pin 3: This is the pin that corresponds to the vin+ input terminal of the op-amp.
Pin 4: This is where you connect the negative voltage supply of -15V.
Pin 5: We wont need this pin. It is used in some more advanced circuits.
Pin 6: This is the pin that corresponds to the output terminal vout of the op-amp.
Pin 7: This is where you connect the positive voltage supply of +15V.
Pin 8: Is not used for anything it is not even connected to anything inside the IC!!
Inverting Amplifier
The operational amplifier configuration in Figure B (in the appendix) is called an
inverting amplifier. The operation of this circuit was described in class where we derived
(see also the appendix of this lab write-up) the input-output relationship for this
configuration:
vout

R2
vin
R1

The negative sign here means that a positive voltage at vin is inverted when creating vout.

PROCEDURE
Part 1: Non-Inverting Amplifier
(1) Obtain R1 = 10 kand R2 = 10 k. Measure the values of these resistors and record
their values.
(2) Calculate the gain of a non-inverting op-amp circuit (with your measured resistor
values) and record the value.
(3) Set the dual power supply outputs to provide +15V and -15V. You learned how to do
this in Lab #0. After doing soturn off the power supply (youll turn it back on after
youve connected the circuit).
(4) Build the circuit of Figure A with a 741 op-amp and these resistors. See the figures in
the appendix on breadboard connections and op-amp connections. Also, refer to the
datasheet in the appendix for the op-amp pin diagram. (Note that -Vcc is VEE on the
datasheet.)
See the breadboard picture in Figure 4 to see how to place the op-amp across the gap
in the terminal strip such that you dont short any of the op-amps pins together by
placing them in the same column of 5 holes. (Refer to Lab #1 for a refresher on
how the breadboards holes are connected!) Note: You must apply the correct

polarities to the op-amp pins or you will damage the op-amp.

Figure 4: Breadboard connections for the non-inverting op amp circuit.

(5) Verify the following connections have been made:

(a) resistor 1 op-amp pin 2
(b) resistor 1 ground bus (one of the blue outer rails)
(c) op-amp pin 3 Signal Generator positive (red) lead
(d) op-amp pin 4 -25V-supply terminal
(e) op-amp pin 7 +25V-supply terminal
(f) resistor 2 op-amp pin 2
(g) resistor 2 op-amp pin 6
(h) ground bus Signal Generator negative (black) lead
& 25 supplys common terminal
(6) Turn on the power supply, the signal generator, and the oscilloscope.
(7) Connect Channel #1 of the oscilloscope to measure the input voltage (between pin 3
and ground see Figure 4). Press the channel #1 enable button (see the posted writeup on the oscilloscope) to turn on Channel #1. Set the signal generator to give a 1V
p-p, 1kHz sinewave. Verify on the scope that you indeed have this (remember
dont trust the amplitude reading on the Signal Generator, read it off the scope!).
(8) Connect Channel #2 of the oscilloscope to measure the output voltage (between pin 6
and ground see Figure 4). Press the channel #2 enable button (see the posted writeup on the oscilloscope) to turn on Channel #2. Hitting Autoscale now should be
helpful. You should see both channels displayed on the scopes screen if not, use
the scope controls to achieve this (see the posted write-up on the oscilloscope).
(9) Measure the p-p value of the output signal and verify that its value matches (within
reasonable tolerances) the input p-p value times your computed gain value. This is
voltage amplification!! Your output signal should be bigger than the input signal by a
factor equal to the gain of the amplifier measure and record the output p-p voltage.
(10) Repeat this measurement of the output p-p voltage for input p-p values of 2Vp-p,
3Vp-p, 4Vp-p, and 5Vp-p and record them in the table in the results section.
Compute and record the actual gain value the circuit provided at each of the input
levels tested.
(11)

In the results section, write answers to the questions posed there.

(12) Shut off the power supply. Obtain a 1 k resistor, measure its value and record it.
Replace R1 in the circuit with this 1 k resistor.
(13)

Re-compute the expected gain and record its value.

(14) Turn the power on again, and measure and record the output p-p voltage for each
of the following input p-p values: 0.2 Vp-p, 0.4 Vp-p, 0.6 Vp-p, 0.8 Vp-p, 1.0 Vp-p.
Compute and record the actual gain for each of these cases.

(15)

In the results section, write answers to the questions posed there.

(16)

Turn off the power supply.

Part 2: Non-Inverting Amplifier with Voltage Divider at Input

(1) Disconnect the signal generator from the previous circuit but leave the rest of the
circuit intact.
(2) Connect two 10k resistors on the breadboard and apply the signal generator across
them as shown below to form a voltage divider. Note: the ground symbol
represents your ground bus on your breadboard. Put your channel #1 scope probe
across the bottom resistor as shown below and adjust the signal generator until
you observe 0.5V p-p; record the measured value.

(3) Connect the input of your non-inverting op-amp configuration (but with R1 = R2 =
1k) to the voltage divider point as shown below and turn on the power supply.

Figure 5: Driving a non-inverting op amp configuration with a voltage divider.

(4) Measure and record the vout, vin (as shown in Figure 5) and the resulting gain.

(5) Turn off the power supply, replace R1 and R2 with 1 M resistors.

Figure 6: Driving a non-inverting op amp configuration with a voltage divider.

(6) Turn on the power supply and measure and record the vout, vin (as shown in Figure
6Figure 5) and the resulting gain.
(7) Answer the questions in the results section.
(8) Shut off the power supply.
Part 3: Inverting Amplifier
Repeat all the steps in Part 1 except now use the Inverting amplifier configuration
shown in Figure B in the appendix.
In this section you should notice that the output signal is inverted with respect to the
input: when the input signal goes positive the output signal goes negative, and vice
versa.
Part 4: Inverting Amplifier with Voltage Divider at Input
Repeat all the steps in Part 2 except now use the Inverting amplifier configuration
shown in Figure B in the appendix. The circuit youll need to test is shown below:

Results Section
Part I
For R1 = R2 = 10k
Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Predicted Gain:_________________

Measured vin (Vp-p)

Show computation here:

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

What happens as you increase the input p-p value further?

At what p-p input voltage does the output stop looking like a sinewave?
Why does that happen?

For R1 = 1k & R2 = 10k

Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Predicted Gain:_________________

Measured vin (Vp-p)

Show computation here:

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

What happens as you increase the input p-p value further?

At what p-p input voltage does the output stop looking like a sinewave?

Why does that happen?

Why does this happen at a different input level than before?

Part II
Measured Voltage Divider Voltage:_______________________
(before Op Amp Circuit is connected)
For R1 = 1k & R2 = 1k
Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Measured vin (Vp-p)

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

For R1 = 1M & R2 = 1M
Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Measured vin (Vp-p)

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

Did the voltage at the voltage divider point change when the non-inverting op-amp
configuration was connected? Explain why or why not?
Did it matter if the op amp resistors were 1k or 1M? Why?

Did the non-inverting op-amp configuration still provide the same expected gain from vin
to vout?

Part III
For R1 = R2 = 10k
Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Predicted Gain:_________________

Measured vin (Vp-p)

Show computation here:

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

What does it mean for the gain to be negative? Use sketches of what you observed to
illustrate your answer.

For R1 = 1k & R2 = 10k

Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Predicted Gain:_________________

Measured vin (Vp-p)

Show computation here:

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

Part IV
Measured Voltage Divider Voltage:_______________________
(before Op Amp Circuit is connected)
For R1 = 1k & R2 = 1k
Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Measured vin (Vp-p)

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

For R1 = 1M & R2 = 1M
Measured R1 Value:_______________
Measured R2 Value:_______________
Measured vin (Vp-p)

Measured vout (Vp-p)

Measured Gain

Did the voltage at the voltage divider point change when the inverting op-amp
configuration was connected?
Was the voltage at the voltage divider point different when the inverting op-amp
configuration was connected with different R values?

What can you say about any cautions you should have about connecting an inverting op
amp circuit to a driving circuit? Can you say the same thing about the non-inverting op
amp circuit?

Appendix

Signal
Generator
Figure A

Signal
Generator

Figure B