1. Amplifiers
Alex Nichols

2. What is an amplifier
An amplifier is an electronic device set up in a circuit to increase the voltage, current, or power of the original signal.
It is most commonly used in our lab experiments as an operational amplifier.
We will be using amplifiers in the Chaos, Gamma, alpha/beta, Franck Hertz, and photoelectric experiments.

5. What do amplifiers do?
Adapt sensor signals to the requirements of the receiver to which they are connected.
Gives us the ability to focus and basically zoom in on a signal that our device is outputting and see in a clearer picture what is happening at discrepancies.
“You can use it to make the input to some device ( like a filter or perhaps a meter) large enough so that you can ignore its effect on the circuit that feeds it.”
Example: It can create a high pass filter by cutting off the output helping us to avoid unneeded extra filter input impedance.

6. Problems with Amplifiers
Since the amplified signal is larger than the original input signal it causes distortion.
Amplifiers when used in certain combination also can cut off signal or reverse the wave.

7. Problems with Amplifiers
An ideal amplifier would have an impedance( resistance) infinitely large for input and output.
There is a limit to the range of voltage that can be used.
There is minimal but some temperature dependence.

8. Citations
Dennis L. Eggleston, ‘Basic Electronics for scientists and engineers’, 2011, pg 127,110
Melissinos & Napolitano, ‘Experiments in Modern Physics’ , 2003, pg 121, 122
Pallás-Areny, ‘Amplifiers and Signal Cinditioners’, 1999, pg 7