Final Exam Review Topics

The final exam is comprehensive but it stresses the material listed below.
Specific reading assignments covered: Chapters 9 (9.2.4-9.5 only) and 10, and Lab 15
(see the syllabus for section details)

  1. transistors and diodes and basic circuit applications
  2. basic op amp circuit analysis techniques
    1. assumptions
    2. real characteristics
  3. digital logic
    1. gates and their functions
    2. Boolean Algebra
    3. truth tables
    4. sum-of-products, product-of-sums
    5. DeMorgan’s Laws
  4. flip-flop circuits and applications
    1. RS, JK, T, and D flip-flops
    2. preset and clear functions
    3. level and edge triggering
  5. digital encoder position sensors
    1. absolute vs. incremental (relative)
    2. binary vs. gray
    3. quadrature decoder circuit
  6. useful project information
    1. power supply options
    2. battery characteristics
    3. relays and power transistors
    4. practical considerations
      1. ground loops
      2. bypass capacitors
  7. strain gage
    1. stress, strain, Poisson effect, piezoresistive effect
    2. gage resistance
    3. gage factor
    4. Wheatstone bridge
      1. leadwire effects
      2. temperature compensation
  8. accelerometer
    1. bearing signature analysis, interpreting spectra
    2. frequency response
    3. piezoelectric accelerometer
  9. thermocouple
    1. laws
    2. reference junction measurement circuit
  10. actuators
    1. solenoid vs. voice coil
    2. electric motor construction, terminology, and principles of operation
    3. torque-speed and current-torque curves and the effect of supply voltage
    4. permanent magnet dc motor
    5. stepper motor
      1. principles of operation
      2. torque-speed curves
      3. unipolar full-step operation
  11. temperature sensor “comprehensive example”
    1. open collector output comparators
    2. potentiometer voltage divider circuits
    3. flip-flops and one-shots
    4. logic
    5. switches and pull-up resistors
  12. miscellaneous
    1. difficulties from past exams
    2. reading assignments
    3. homework assignments
    4. Lab exercises