--- title: "Instrumentation system with block diagram" subject: "Basic Electronics Engineering" chapter: 7 key: "semester_2/basic_electronics_engineering:instrumentation-system" source: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_2/basic_electronics_engineering/instrumentation-system site: BCT Engineering --- # Instrumentation system with block diagram Basic Electronics Engineering · Chapter 7: Application of Electronic System - Asked in: 2071 Bhadra, 1+3 marks; 2071 Magh, 4 marks; 2069 Poush, 4 marks (asked 3 times) - Video: [The Instrumentation System | Block Diagram | |EST 130 | Basic Electronics| KTU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NystkY2kRQ) — Shastra Technical Institute - Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort) on 2026-10-14 - Page: https://www.bctengineer.com/q/semester_2/basic_electronics_engineering/instrumentation-system - Whole chapter: https://www.bctengineer.com/md/semester_2/basic_electronics_engineering/chapter-7 ## Question What is instrumentation system? Explain the instrumentation system with the help of simple block diagram. ## Short answer An instrumentation system measures and controls physical quantities by converting them to electrical signals. It consists of a sensor/transducer, signal conditioner, signal processor/ADC, display, and recorder/controller, as in a digital thermometer. ## Answer An **instrumentation system** is a system used to measure, display, record and control a physical quantity (temperature, pressure, flow, strain, etc.) by converting it into an electrical signal and processing it. #### Block diagram ```text Physical +-----------+ +-------------+ +-----------+ quantity -->| Transducer|->| Signal |->| Signal | (input) | (sensor) | | conditioning| | processing| +-----------+ +-------------+ +-----+-----+ | +-----------+ +-----------+ | | Recorder/ |<--| Display / |<-+ | controller| | indicator | +-----------+ +-----------+ ``` #### Function of each block 1. **Transducer / sensor:** converts the physical quantity into a proportional electrical signal (e.g. a thermocouple converts temperature to voltage). 2. **Signal conditioning:** amplifies, filters and linearises the weak signal, and removes noise. Bridge circuits and instrumentation amplifiers are used here. 3. **Signal processing / conversion:** converts the analog signal to digital (ADC) and processes it with a microcontroller or computer. 4. **Display / indicator:** shows the result on a meter, LCD or LED. 5. **Recording / control:** stores the data (data logger) or uses it to control the process (feedback to an actuator). Example: a digital thermometer, made of a thermistor, amplifier, ADC, microcontroller and LCD. ## Check yourself The answer's key points as multiple-choice questions, with the correct option and why. 1. An instrumentation system is used to: A. Measure, display, record and control a physical quantity by converting it to an electrical signal B. Only generate electrical power C. Only amplify audio D. Store programs in memory Answer: A. It converts a physical quantity into an electrical signal and processes it to display, record or control. (Key point: Definition) 2. What is the correct order of the first blocks in the system? A. Signal conditioning, transducer, display B. Transducer, signal conditioning, signal processing C. Display, transducer, processing D. Signal processing, transducer, conditioning Answer: B. The transducer first converts the quantity, the conditioner cleans and amplifies it, and then it is processed. (Key point: Block sequence) 3. What does the signal conditioning block do? A. Converts the physical quantity into voltage B. Shows the result on LCD C. Amplifies, filters and linearises the weak signal and removes noise D. Controls the actuator Answer: C. Weak transducer outputs are amplified, filtered and linearised before conversion and processing. 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