Draw the Bode Diagram for the transfer function:

Make both the lowest order term in the numerator and denominator unity. The numerator is an order 1 polynomial, the denominator is order 2.
The transfer function has 4 components:
A constant of 0.1
A pole at s=-10
A pole at s=-100
A zero at s=-1
This is done in the diagram below.
The constant is the cyan line (A quantity of 0.1 is equal to -20 dB). The phase is constant at 0 degrees.
The pole at 10 rad/sec is the green line. It is 0 dB up to the break frequency, then drops off with a slope of -20 dB/dec. The phase is 0 degrees up to 1/10 the break frequency (1 rad/sec) then drops linearly down to -90 degrees at 10 times the break frequency (100 rad/sec).
The pole at 100 rad/sec is the blue line. It is 0 dB up to the break frequency, then drops off with a slope of -20 dB/dec. The phase is 0 degrees up to 1/10 the break frequency (10 rad/sec) then drops linearly down to -90 degrees at 10 times the break frequency (1000 rad/sec).
The zero at 1 rad/sec is the red line. It is 0 dB up to the break frequency, then rises at 20 dB/dec. The phase is 0 degrees up to 1/10 the break frequency (0.1 rad/sec) then rises linearly to 90 degrees at 10 times the break frequency (10 rad/sec).
The overall asymptotic plot is the translucent pink line, the exact response is the black line.

© Copyright 2005-2007
Erik Cheever This page may be freely used for educational
purposes.
Erik Cheever Department of Engineering Swarthmore College