What instrument is used to display electrical signals and monitor their variations over time?
An oscilloscope
On an oscilloscope display, what does the X-axis represent?
Time
On an oscilloscope display, what does the Y-axis represent?
Voltage
What shape does the signal appear as on the oscilloscope screen?
A waveform
What does a multimeter not usually show that an oscilloscope can?
Frequency, noise, or amplitude of a signal
True or False: Oscilloscopes only measure voltage-based characteristics.
False – they measure both time-based and voltage-based characteristics.
What does “frequency” mean in relation to a waveform?
The number of times per second a waveform repeats.
What does the “period” of a waveform represent?
The number of seconds each waveform takes to complete.
What does “amplitude” measure?
The magnitude (or strength) of a signal.
Why is an oscilloscope useful for understanding how a circuit works?
Because it shows the signals the circuit produces and their characteristics.
Name two examples of waveform shapes that can be identified using an oscilloscope.
Sine, square, triangle (any two).
What feature allows modern oscilloscopes to compare different signals at the same time?
Multicolour displays that can show multiple waveforms.
What do the vertical and horizontal scale controls on an oscilloscope do?
They adjust the graph’s scale, allowing the user to zoom in and out on a signal.
What is the function of the “trigger” on an oscilloscope?
It stabilises the display and tells the instrument when to start measuring part of the signal.
What is the purpose of the “cursor” button?
It allows the user to select specific measurements manually on the screen.
How are a function generator and an oscilloscope used together during circuit testing?
The function generator sends a signal and the same signal into the oscilloscope; the oscilloscope then compares the input signal and the circuit’s output.
