MT. SAN ANTONIO COLLEGE
ELEC 50B - Electronic Circuits (AC)
Syllabus – Fall 2015
CRN 24688 (credit) / 26147 (non-credit/vocational)
Instructor:
Joe Denny
Email/phone/office:
jdenny1@mtsac.edu
Course Website:
http://www.mtsac.edu/electronics/jdenny
Required Materials:
(1) Textbook: Stephen C. Harsany, Fundamentals of Electronics: DC/AC Circuits
(2) Lab Manual: Stephen C. Harsany, Fundamentals of Electronics: DC/AC Circuits Lab Manual
(3) Elec 50A/B parts kit
(4) Sharp EL-W516X or EL-W516 Calculator (ELW516XB-SL)
(5) Mt. SAC student ID card issued by Bursar’s office/MtSAC bookstore (required by the second week of
school for equipment checkout – no exceptions).
(909) 274 – 4976
Bldg28B Room 402-A
Note: All required materials are available at a discounted, package price from the Day-and-Night store
across Grand Ave. from campus. The parts kit is included in the price of the lab manual and is required for
all laboratory exercises. Students on scholarship or fee-waiver programs only should obtain materials from
the Mt. SAC bookstore (SAC Book Rac)
Location:
Bldg 28B Room 405
Time:
Monday/Wednesday 8:00 – 11:10 am and 11:30 to 2:40 pm
Important Dates:
Last date to Add Class:
Last date to Drop Class with refund:
Last date to Drop without a “W”:
Last date to Drop with a “W”:
Description/Objectives:
Electronics 50B continues the study of elementary passive electronic circuits. Alternating current (AC)
sources and circuits are emphasized. Topics include magnetism, capacitors, inductors, transient response,
reactance and resonance, and use of complex numbers for AC circuit analysis. The principal course
objective is to develop competence in the analysis of passive circuits using AC sources.
Useful Website:
electronics.mtsac.edu (Electronics and Computer Technology Department Website)
Oct 21, 2015
Oct 21, 2015
Oct 26, 2015
Nov 18, 2015
http://www.sweethaven.com/sweethaven/modelec/dcac/scope/scopemain01.asp?mode=1
www.docircuits.com (circuit capturing software and simulator)
Useful App:
Electrodroid
Measureable Objectives for this class can be found at:
Student Learning Outcomes for this class can be found at:
webcms.mtsac.edu/webcms/search.asp
slo.mtsac.edu
Lecture Topics, Reading Assignments, and Test Dates (Test dates subject to modification):
Homework
Date
Chapters
Topic
(Due the following Monday)
Covered
Oct 19
Start
Introduction to AC electronics; the AC waveform
Chapter 14
Oct 21
Chapters 14 AC waveforms (continued) and test equipment
O-scope Exercise
& 15
Worksheet
Oct 26
Chapters 16 Magnetism and induction; inductors
Study Test 1 study guide
& 17
Oct 28
Chapter 18
Electromagnetic induction (continued); inductors and
Study Test 1 study guide
inductance
Nov 2
Chapter 19
Mutual inductance and transformers
Nov 4
Chapter 20
TEST 1 (chapters 14 through 19)
Nov 9
Chapters 20
& 21
Capacitors and capacitance; RC and RL transient responses
Nov 11
Nov 16
Chapters 21
& 22
Nov 23
Chapters 22
& 23
Chapter 23
Nov 25
Chapter 24
Nov 20
Dec 2
Nov 18
Dec 7
Dec 9
No Class - Holiday
Transient responses (continued); capacitive and inductive
reactance
Reactance (continued); complex numbers for AC analysis
Study Test 1 study guide
HW Chapter 20 - Handout
HW Chapter 21 – Handout
AND
Pg 215 Prb 2,5,6,9,12
HW Chapter 23 - Handout
Study for Test 2
Chapter 25
Complex numbers (continued);
RCL AC circuit analysis
TEST 2 (chapters 20 through 23)
AC circuit analysis (continued)
Resonance
Chapter 26
Coupling and filter circuits
HW Chapter 26 - Handout
Finish up any remaining material - Review for Final
FINAL EXAMINATION
8:00am Lecture Final 9:30am Lab Final
Enjoy Break!
HW Chapter 24 - Handout
HW Chapter 25 - Handout
*The above schedule is subject to change upon discretion of instructor. Assignments may be added or deleted to fit the
individual needs of the class.
Notes regarding Laboratory Assignments (On next page)




Instructor will grade lab in class before you leave for the day if you leave before the end of the session, else the
lab is due at the beginning of the following class session. You are not allowed to leave until all corrections are
made.
Get into the habit of reading over your lab assignments in advance of the period in which they are assigned.
There will be an instructor-led overview as well as a demonstration and question-and-answer session for each
day’s lab activity, and these will be most instructive if you come prepared.
Always answer the questions with complete sentences. Effective written and verbal communication is a critical
aspect of success on the job; use your lab exercises as an opportunity to practice these skills. Also, neatness
counts: do not turn in to me anything you would not be willing to turn in to your boss.
Give me numbers: whenever a question asks “how closely” measured and calculated quantities agree, tell me the
percentage error. (We will review how to do this in lab.)
Laboratory Assignments (Subject to modification)
Date
Lab
Topic
Number
Oct 19
Lab 24: Measuring Sine Waves Using an Oscilloscope
Lab 24
Lab 24A: Additional Waveform Measurements
and 24A
Introduction and demonstration of the oscilloscope. Students will learn basic operation and
proper handling of equipment.
Oct 21
Lab 25: Measuring Nonsinusoidal Waveforms on an Oscilloscope
Lab 25
Lab 26: Oscilloscope Probe Compensation
and 26
Introduction and demonstration of the Function Generator. Students will be taught how to make
various types of signal measurements. Students will be instructed on proper scope probe
calibration.
Oct 26
Lab 27: Magnetism
Lab 27
Class demonstration on Electromagnets, magnetization and demagnetization.
Oct 28
Lab 28: Inductance and Inductive Kick
Lab 28
Students will be taught how to use the primary side of a transformer as an inductor, as well as
how inductors can cause spikes in voltage. Proper display on oscilloscope will be demonstrated.
Students will be instructed on the operation of neon lamps.
Nov 2
Lab 29: Transformers
Lab 29
Demonstration and instruction on determining primary versus secondary side of transformer
using measurements. Students will learn how to make turns ratio calculations based off
measurements and be taught the effects of AC and DC signals on transformers.
Nov 4
Misc. Oscilloscope Exercise
Instructor lead class/group activity. Students will gain complete understanding for the default
positions of all the knobs on the oscilloscope.
Nov 9
Lab 30: RC Time Constants
Lab 30
Students will be taught how to measure rates of capacitor charge and discharge cycles,
experimentally determine universal time constant and how to plot curves.
Nov 11
No Class - Holiday
Nov 16
Lab 31:Capacitive Reactance (Xc)
Lab 31
Lab 32: Inductive Reactance (XL)
and 32
Students will be instructed on the idea of non-isolated grounds in oscilloscopes and how it affects
measurements. Students will be taught about reactive devices and how to compare empirical
measurements to calculations.
Nov 18
Lab 33: Phase Measurements
Lab 33
Introduction and discussion of phase measurements. Students will be taught how to make phase
measurements using two channel oscilloscopes.
Nov 23
Lab 34: Series and Parallel RC Circuits
Lab 34
Demonstration of phase shift measurements in series and parallel circuits. Explanation of phase
versus magnitude measurements. Students will learn how measure capacitor values using a
DMM.
Nov 25
Lab 35: Series and Parallel RL Circuits
Lab 35
Students will be taught how a circuit impedance angle can be calculated using phase shift
measurements.
Nov 20
Lab 36 Series RCL Circuits
Lab 36
Lab 36b Isolated-Channel Measurements & Phase Angle
and 36b
Lab 37
Introduction and demonstration of isolated channel oscilloscopes. Students will gain valuable
insight through the use of the Electronics department’s isolated grounded oscope. Introduction to
digital oscilloscopes and their functionality.
Lab 37: Series Resonance
Dec 2
Triggering and Other Instrument Functions LAB (if time permits)
Lab 39
Lab 39: Low-pass Filters
and 40
Lab 40: High-pass Filters
Calculation and experimental verification of filter frequency responses
Dec 7
Final Review
Dec 9
FINAL EXAMINATION
8:00am Lecture Final 9:30am Lab Final
Evaluation
Your final grade in this course will be based on the total number of points earned. The point distribution is as follows:
One Hour Tests (2)
40 each (13.33% each)
Lecture Final
45 points (15%)
Lab Final
15 points (5%)
Homework/In Class work
30 points (10%)
Labs
100 points (33.33%)
Attendance
15 points (5%)
4 question problem set
15 points (5%)
Total: 300 points
Extra Credit (Maximum 15 points)
1) Recognizing Mistakes
2) Helping others
The total points will be converted to letter grades as follows:
90-100%:
A
80-89%:
B
70-79%:
C
60-69%:
D
<60%:
F
You must complete and turn in the final examination to pass the course.
Missed exams can only be made up in the event of illness or unavoidable emergency. If you must miss an exam, please
email me so it is documented. Notification that the exam will be missed must be done before the exam. Missed exams
must be made up before the next regularly scheduled class meeting.
Late assignments will NOT be accepted in this class. Class assignments are to be turned in at the beginning of
the day that they are due. They will not be accepted if you come in late past the time they are due. If you are
absent the day homework is due, you must email the instructor and turn it in the day you come back.
Attendance and Sleeping
In this course you may be dropped after the second missed class meeting unless you have satisfactorily explained your
absences to the instructor. Roll will be taken at each class meeting. Attendance is worth 5% of your total grade. If you
miss or are tardy for more than 3 classes, you will lose all 15 attendance points; otherwise you will retain all 15 points.
Students are expected to be alert during class and not to be sleeping and/or have their heads down. Many students have
jobs that keep them up through the night before coming to class, however students are still expected not to sleep during
class. Students caught looking like they are sleeping, will be asked to leave and be counted as an absence for that day.
Please respect the classroom environment.
Disabilities
If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact me as soon as
possible.
Dropping the Class
If you do not intend to complete the class, please go to your banner account online and drop yourself. Do not assume
that the instructor will drop you for not attending the class. Also, the instructor cannot drop you after the “W”
deadline announced in class. This district policy cannot be waived for the convenience of the student.
Cell Phones and other Electronic Devices
As a courtesy to other students and the instructor, please turn off your cell phone and laptop before entering the
classroom, unless using your laptop to take notes. Cell phones will not be permitted to be out during exams. Do not plan
on using your cell phone calculator during the test as a backup! Please inform the instructor in advance if you must
carry a cell phone or other device for work (e.g., “on-call” status) or emergency notifications. I do not want to see people
texting in class. If you need to make a text, please go outside the class and do so. If caught texting during lecture, you
will lose your attendance for the day. Please, NO Electronic Cigarettes in class.
Academic Honesty
Students are encouraged to work together and to help each other during laboratory assignments and other group
activities. However, each student must turn in his or her own work. Among other things, this means that answers to essay
questions must be in the student’s own words. Exams are closed-book unless otherwise announced. Cheating and
plagiarism (passing off someone else’s work as your own) will not be tolerated, and suspected or confirmed instances of
such behavior will be handled in accordance with the College’s policy on student misconduct. “Drylabbing” (turning in
lab work for credit without doing the assigned work in the laboratory) is a form of cheating. Please make
arrangements with the instructor in advance if you wish to do lab work outside scheduled class time. If you must
miss a lab session, please see the instructor so that a make-up period can be arranged.