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op amp summing question
Posted: Fri May 20, 2016 8:12 pm
by BigMan52
Hi,
I have a problem that I am trying to solve.
I have an op amp with an output voltage of -2 V and one input value of 1V the other is unknown. The resistance of the unknown voltage input is half of the other resistance. How do I solve the missing voltage?
Is it simply:
Vout = - (V1-V2)? this gives 1V......
I have attached a circuit diagram.
Thank you!
Re: op amp summing question
Posted: Sat May 21, 2016 11:45 pm
by Pauldf
Remember that in that configuration the output will be trying to make the -ve input of the chip 0v. If the resistors were all the same size you'd have the nice simple equation where the two input voltages will equate to the inverse of the output voltage.
I think as you have half the resistance on one leg it will act differently i.e. this input will have double the effect hence for it to equal zero at the -ve input I think you'll only need 0.5v on the bottom input but don't quote me on it!
Re: op amp summing question
Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 1:44 pm
by BigMan52
Thank you so much for the reply. I think I now realise that would be the effect of the input resistance being halve of the other one.
Thanks again!
Re: op amp summing question
Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 2:59 pm
by Pauldf
In essence they are the input voltages multiplied by their relevant gains being added, if we call the top input resistor R1, the bottom R2 and the feedback resistor Rf, substituting them for say 1K and 500R resistors and x for the unknown input voltage we end up with:
(1v * (Rf/R1)) + (x * (Rf/R2)) = 2v
(1v * (1K/1K)) + (x * (1K/500)) = 2v
1v + (x * (1K/500)) = 2v
x * (1K/500) = 1v
x * 2 = 1v
x = 1v/2
x = 0.5v
It is more usual to use same value resistors for all the inputs so we are just adding the result of voltage multiplied by gains of 1.