Digital and pulse measurements: in a standard definition used by oscilloscopes and signal integrity practice, the rise time of a pulse is the time required for the voltage to move between which two percentages of its final (peak) value?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: from 10% of the peak value to 90% of the peak value

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Rise time characterizes how quickly a signal transitions from low to high and strongly influences bandwidth, overshoot, and timing margins in digital systems. Industry and academic labs typically adopt a consistent definition so measurements are comparable across instruments and datasheets.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • We consider the common, default rise-time convention.
  • Waveform reaches a stable high (no sustained oscillations).
  • Noise and ringing are small enough not to obscure percent points.


Concept / Approach:
The widely used convention defines rise time, tr, as the interval for a step response to go from 10% to 90% of its final value. This avoids sensitivity to initial delay and top-flatness while capturing the effective transition speed relevant to bandwidth estimates (e.g., BW ≈ 0.35 / tr for single-pole responses).


Step-by-Step Solution:
1) Identify the standard markers for the transition: 10% and 90% of the final amplitude.2) Measure the time difference between crossings at these two percentages on an oscilloscope.3) Record that interval as the rise time.


Verification / Alternative check:
Instrument manuals (oscilloscopes, TDRs) and high-speed design guides consistently specify the 10%–90% convention for rise time, with 20%–80% also used in some RF contexts. Both are standardized percentile definitions, not zero-to-peak or zero-to-rms intervals.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Zero to rms: RMS relates to power, not edge speed.
  • Zero to peak: Overly sensitive to propagation delay and top flatness.
  • 10% to 70.7%: 70.7% corresponds to 1/√2, a bandwidth marker, not rise-time definition.
  • None of the above: Incorrect because 10%–90% is standard.


Common Pitfalls:
Confusing rise time with propagation delay or using inconsistent percent points can mislead bandwidth calculations and timing budgets.


Final Answer:
from 10% of the peak value to 90% of the peak value.

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