Basic Circuits And Electronics Experiments

Why do the lights in a house turn on when you flip a switch? How does a remote-controlled car move? And what makes lights on TVs and microwaves blink? The technology around you may seem like magic, but most of it wouldn’t run without electricity. Electronics for Kids demystifies electricity with a collection of awesome hands-on projects. In Part 1, you’ll learn how current, voltage, and circuits work by making a battery out of a lemon, turning a metal bolt into an electromagnet, and transforming a paper cup and some magnets into a spinning motor. In Part 2, you’ll make even more cool stuff as you: –Solder a blinking LED circuit with resistors, capacitors, and relays –Turn a circuit into a touch sensor using your finger as a resistor –Build an alarm clock triggered by the sunrise –Create a musical instrument that makes sci-fi soundsThen, in Part 3, you’ll learn about digital electronics—things like logic gates and memory circuits—as you make a secret code checker and an electronic coin flipper. Finally, you’ll use everything you’ve learned to make the LED Reaction Game—test your reaction time as you try to catch a blinking light!With its clear explanations and assortment of hands-on projects, Electronics for Kids will have you building your own circuits in no time.

Why do the lights in a house turn on when you flip a switch? How does a remote-controlled car move? And what makes lights on TVs and microwaves blink? The technology around you may seem like magic, but most of it wouldn’t run without electricity. Electronics for Kids demystifies electricity with a collection of awesome hands-on projects. In Part 1, you’ll learn how current, voltage, and circuits work by making a battery out of a lemon, turning a metal bolt into an electromagnet, and transforming a paper cup and some magnets into a spinning motor. In Part 2, you’ll make even more cool stuff as you: –Solder a blinking LED circuit with resistors, capacitors, and relays –Turn a circuit into a touch sensor using your finger as a resistor –Build an alarm clock triggered by the sunrise –Create a musical instrument that makes sci-fi soundsThen, in Part 3, you’ll learn about digital electronics—things like logic gates and memory circuits—as you make a secret code checker and an electronic coin flipper. Finally, you’ll use everything you’ve learned to make the LED Reaction Game—test your reaction time as you try to catch a blinking light!With its clear explanations and assortment of hands-on projects, Electronics for Kids will have you building your own circuits in no time.

"A hands-on primer for the new electronics enthusiast"--Cover.

* Experiments are linked to real applications. Students are likely to be interested and excited to learn more and explore. Example of experiments linked to real applications can be seen in Experiment 2, steps 6, 7, 15, and 16; Experiment 5, steps 6 to 10 and Experiment 7, steps 12 to 20. * Self-contained background to all electronics experiments. Students will be able to follow without having taken an electronics course. Includes a self-contained introduction based on circuits only. For the instructor this provides flexibility as to when to run the lab. It can run concurrently with the first circuits analysis course. * Review background sections are provided. This convenient text feature provides an alternative point of view; helps provide a uniform background for students of different theoretical backgrounds. * A "touch-and-feel" approach helps to provide intuition and to make things "click". Rather than thinking of the lab as a set of boring procedures, students get the idea that what they are learning is real. * Encourages students to explore and to ask "what if" questions. Helps students become active learners. * Introduces students to simple design at a very early stage. Helps students see the relevance of what they are learning, and to become active learners. * Helps students become tinkerers and to experiment on their own. Students are encouraged to become creative, and their mind is opened to new possibilities. This also benefits their subsequent professional work and/or graduate study.

In the past, the teaching of electricity and electronics has more often than not been carried out from a theoretical and often highly academic standpoint. Fundamentals and basic concepts have often been presented with no indication of their practical appli cations, and all too frequently they have been illustrated by artificially contrived laboratory experiments bearing little relationship to the outside world. The course comes in the form of fourteen fairly open-ended constructional experiments or projects. Each experiment has associated with it a construction exercise and an explanation. The basic idea behind this dual presentation is that the student can embark on each circuit following only the briefest possible instructions and that an open-ended approach is thereby not prejudiced by an initial lengthy encounter with the theory behind the project; this being a sure way to dampen enthusiasm at the outset. As the investigation progresses, questions inevitably arise. Descriptions of the phenomena encountered in the experiments are therefore given in the explanations. Although these were originally intended to be for the teacher's guidance they have been found, in fact, to be quite suitable for use by the student. In the explanations mathematics has been eliminated wherever possible, mechanistic descriptions of phenomena being preferred in all cases. Stress is thereby placed on concepts rather than on mere algebraic relationships. It is hoped that students of weak mathematical background will, as a result, not be prevented from following the explanations and deriving some benefit from these.

A Beginner's Guide to Circuits is the perfect first step for anyone ready to jump into the world of electronics and circuit design. After finishing the book's nine graded projects, readers will understand core electronics concepts which they can use to make their own electrifying creations! First, you'll learn to read circuit diagrams and use a breadboard, which allows you to connect electrical components without using a hot soldering iron! Next, you'll build nine simple projects using just a handful of readily available components, like resistors, transistors, capacitors, and other parts. As you build, you'll learn what each component does, how it works, and how to combine components to achieve new and interesting effects. By the end of the book, you'll be able to build your own electronic creations. With easy-to-follow directions, anyone can become an inventor with the help of A Beginner's Guide to Circuits! Build These 9 Simple Circuits! Steady-Hand Game: Test your nerves using a wire and a buzzer to create an Operation-style game! Touch-Enabled Light: Turn on a light with your finger! Cookie Jar Alarm: Catch cookie thieves red-handed with this contraption. Night-Light: Automatically turn on a light when it gets dark. Blinking LED: This classic circuit blinks an LED. Railroad Crossing Light: Danger! Don't cross the tracks if this circuit's pair of lights is flashing. Party Lights: Throw a party with these charming string lights. Digital Piano: Play a tune with this simple synthesizer and learn how speakers work. LED Marquee: Put on a light show and impress your friends with this flashy finale.