ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing

Lab 2.1 Report
Name:

Date:

Instructions:
Complete the three partsPart 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of Lab 1. When you have completed each part,
answer the questions and transcribe/transfer the test results recorded in the lab manuals tables to the
tables provided.
Part 1BJT Characteristics

Theory:
1. Name the three terminals of a BJT transistor.
2. Why are BJT transistors considered current amplifiers?
3. What is the relationship between IC and IE?
4. Describe how to bias a BJT transistor correctly.
5. What is the forward biased voltage drop across the base-emitter junction?
Preparation:
6. Transcribe the component measurements from Table 2-1 to the table below.
Component
R1
R2
RBB
RCC

Listed Value
22 k Ohm
100 Ohm
1 k Ohm
5 k Ohm
Table 2-1

Measured Value

7. What is the purpose of the potentiometers RBB and RCC? Why are they necessary?
8. For a 2N3904 NPN General Purpose BJT transistor, how can you determine the location of pin 1
the emitter?
Test Procedure:
9. Transcribe the collector current measurements and calculations from Table 2-2 to the table below.
VCE

Base Current = 50 A

Base Current = 100 A

Base Current = 150 A

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Measured

VR2

IC

VR2

IC

VR2

Measured

Computed

Measured

Computed

Measured

1.0 V
3.0 V
5.0 V
7.0 V
Table 2-2
10. Transcribe the three collector characteristic curves from Plot 2-1 to the plot below.

Plot 2-1

11. Transcribe the DC Beta calculations from Table 2-3 to the table below.
VCE
Measured

Current Gain DC
IB = 50 A
IB = 100
IB = 150
A

2.0 V
4.0 V
Table 2-3

Lab 2.1 Report

IC
Computed

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Lab 2.1 Report
12. Does the experimental data indicate that DC is a constant at all points? Does this have any effect on
the linearity of the transistor?
13. What effect would a higher DC have on the characteristic curves you measured?
14. What is the maximum power dissipated in the transistor for the data taken in the experiment?
15. The DC alpha () of a bipolar transistor is the collector current, IC, divided by the emitter current, IE.
Using this definition and IE = IC + IB, prove that DC alpha can be written as:

DC =

DC
DC +1

16. Compute DC alpha for your transistor at VCE = 4.0 V and IB = 100 A.
17. What value of VCE would you expect if the base terminal of a transistor were open? Explain your
answer.

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Lab 2.1 Report
Part 2BJT Biasing

Theory:
18. How do we describe the non-changing, no signal output of a biased transistor circuit?
19. Why is the base biasing method unacceptable for linear circuits?
20. For which application is base biasing most suitable?
21. What is the advantage and disadvantage of the emitter bias circuit?
22. What is the advantage of voltage-divider bias? What is stiff bias?
23. What effect does negative feedback have in a collector-feedback bias circuit?
Preparation:
24. Transcribe the component measurements from Table 2-4 to the table below.
Listed Value
470 Ohm
2.2 k Ohm
6.8 k Ohm
33 k Ohm
680 k Ohm
1 M Ohm

Measured Value

Table 2-4
Test Procedure:
25. Transcribe the base biasing circuit calculations and measurements from Table 2-5 to the table below.
DC
Parameter
VRB
IB
IC
VRC
VC

Computed
Value

Q1

Measured Value
Q2
Q3

Table 2-5
26. Describe the variation between the three VRC measurements. What does this variation represent?

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Lab 2.1 Report
27. Transcribe the voltage divider biasing circuit calculations and measurements from Table 2-6 to the
table below.
DC

Computed

Parameter
VB
VE
IEIC
VRC
VC

Q1

Value

Measured Value
Q2
Q3

Table 2-6

28. Describe the variation between the three VRC measurements. Is this variation greater than, the
same, or less than the variation in the base bias circuit? Explain why.
29. Transcribe the collector feedback biasing circuit calculations and measurements from Table 2-7 to the
table below.
DC

Computed

Parameter
ICIE
VRC
VC

Q1

Value

Measured Value
Q2
Q3

Table 2-7

30. Describe the variation between the three VRC measurements. Is this variation greater than, the
same, or less than the variation in the base bias circuit? Explain why.
31. Compare your observations of the three bias methods tested in the experiment. Which one showed
the least variation between the transistors?
32. Draw each of the three bias circuits tested in the experiment for a PNP transistor. Assuming the
same resistors as used in the experiment, compute the base, emitter and collector voltages. Show
these voltages on your drawing.
Base Bias

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Lab 2.1 Report

Voltage-Divider Bias

Collector-Feedback Bias

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Lab 2.1 Report

33. Assume you need to bias the amplifier shown below. It is desired to have the Q-point set to
approximately 20 mA of the collector current. Choose bias resistors for the voltage-divider bias that
will provide a reasonably stiff bias. Show your work.

34. Assume you need to bias the amplifier shown below. It is desired to have the Q-point set to
approximately 5.0 mA of the collector current. Choose a base resistor for the collector feedback bias
that will provide a reasonably stiff bias. Show your work.

35. For the circuit shown below and using the values calculated in problem #33, predict the effect of each
of the following problems on the collector voltage:

ET1310: Module 2 DC Power Supplies and BJTs

Lab/BJT Characteristics and Biasing
Lab 2.1 Report
a. R1 opens
b. Base is shorted to ground through a solder bridge
c.

RE is 470 Ohm instead of 47 Ohm

d. VCC drops to +15 V

Part 3The Basic Power Supply

Test Procedure:
36. Transcribe the power supply fault observations from Table 2-8 to the table below.
Circuit

Component

Symptoms of the Fault

Fault
Power Supply Fault 1a
Power Supply Fault 1b
Power Supply Fault 1c
Power Supply Fault 2a
Power Supply Fault 2b
Power Supply Fault 2c
Table