Applications of Oscilloscope:

The range of applications of oscilloscope varies from basic voltage measurements and waveform observation to highly specialized applications in all areas of science, engineering and technology.

Voltage Measurements:

The most direct voltage measurement made with the help of an oscilloscope is the peak to peak (p-p) value. The rms value of the voltage can then be easily calculated from the p-p value.

To measure the voltage from the CRT display, one must observe the setting of the vertical attenuator expressed in V/div and the peak to peak deflection of the beam, i.e. the number of divisions. The peak to peak value of voltage is then computed as follows.

Period and Frequency Measurements:

Another applications of oscilloscope is the period and frequency measurements. The period and frequency of periodic signals are easily measured with an oscilloscope. The waveform must be displayed such that a complete cycle is displayed on the CRT screen. Accuracy is generally improved if a single cycle displayed fills as much of the horizontal distance across the screen as possible.

The period is calculated as follows.

The frequency is then calculated as f = 1/T.