Laboratory of Measurement Techniques for Astronomy Students 1100-2A12

The course aims to familiarize students with the phenomena of electric current flow in simple and complex electrical circuits, as well as with methods for measuring voltage and current. Participants learn to use basic measuring instruments (oscilloscope, multimeter) and devices that generate regulated DC voltages and preset AC waveforms (regulated power supply, waveform generator).

The Laboratory course consists of five sessions preceded by preparatory lectures.
Practical laboratory exercises allow students to become familiar with the structure and operation of electronic systems composed of discrete components and digital integrated circuits.
Students independently build electrical circuits on a printed circuit board or a dedicated mockup, connecting them to power sources and measuring instruments.
During the course, in addition to knowledge of selected physical phenomena, students acquire the ability to interpret experimental data, assess measurement uncertainty, and compare them with model predictions.
Program:
The lab involves completing five laboratory exercises:
1. RC and RL integrators and differentiators.
2. RLC circuits and series resonant filters.
3. Characteristics of germanium, silicon, and Zener diodes.
4. Transistor characteristics. Examination of transistor amplifier characteristics.
5. Operational amplifiers; basics of integrated logic circuits.
Each lab session is preceded by a preparatory lecture introducing the physics and measurement specifics.

Course Requirements:
Attendance at laboratory classes is mandatory. Absences must be excused with a certificate. An additional date is provided for those who, due to unforeseen circumstances, were unable to participate in the scheduled practical classes.
Each laboratory exercise performed as part of the course is assessed; the assessment includes the student's preparation for the exercise, assessed by a short written test, the method of conducting the measurements, and the written report of the experiment. Achieving all component grades is required to pass the exercise. The grade on the written report has a decisive impact on the exercise grade.

The condition for moving on to the next lab is passing the previous lab. Passing the course requires obtaining passing grades for all lab exercises and a passing grade for the final test.
The final grade for the lab is based on a weighted average of the grades obtained for quizzes, reports, and the final test, with weights of 1, 2, and 3, respectively.

Prepared by Wojciech Dominik, April 2026.