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10.5: Summary

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    25171

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    We have seen how to convert gains and signals into a decibel form for both powers and voltages. This is convenient because what would require multiplication and division under the ordinary scheme only requires simple addition and subtraction in the dB scheme. Along with this, dB measurement is used almost exclusively for Bode gain plots. A Bode plot details a system’s gain magnitude and phase response. For gain, the amplitude is measured in dB, while the frequency is normally presented in log form. For a phase plot, phase is measured in degrees, and again, the frequency axis is logarithmic. The changes in gain and phase at the frequency extremes are caused by lead and lag networks. Lead networks cause the low frequency gain to roll off. The roll off rate is 6 dB per octave per network. The phase will change from +90 degrees to 0 degrees per network. Lag networks cause the high frequency gain to roll off at a rate of −6 dB per octave per network. The phase change per lag network is from 0 degrees to −90 degrees.

    Review Questions

    1. What are the advantages of using decibels over the ordinary scheme?

    2. How do decibel power and voltage gain calculations differ?

    3. Define the differences between dB, dBW, dBm, dBV and dBu.

    4. Describe a Bode plot.

    5. What is a lead network? What general response does it yield?

    6. What is a lag network? What general response does it yield?

    7. What do the terms \(f_1\) and \(f_2\) indicate about a system’s response?

    8. What are the rolloff slopes for lead and lag networks?

    9. What are the phase changes produced by individual lead and lag networks?

    10. How is rise time related to upper break frequency?

    11. How do multiple lead or lag networks interact to form an overall system response?

    12. How does the decibel measurement scheme differ from the ordinary method of indicating gains and signal level?

    This page titled 10.5: Summary is shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by James M. Fiore via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.