Getting Started with Electronics

Cathleen Shamieh is an electrical engineer and a writer with extensive engineering and consulting experience in the fields of medical electronics, speech processing, and telecommunications.

• Introduction 1About This Book 1About You 2About the Icons 2Updates 3The First Step 3Project 1: Shopping Spree 4Plan Your Shopping Spree. 4Budget 6Electronic Components and Accessories 10Tools and Supplies 15Project 2: Pocket Flashlight 18Get Prepared. 19Battery 19Light-emitting diode (LED) 20Resistor 21Build the Flashlight Circuit 22Connect the resistor to the battery. 22Wrap tape around the positive terminal 23Add a foam cutout 24Connect the LED to the battery 25Wrap tape around the negative terminal 26Test Your Circuit 26Add a Cover 27Project 3: Red Light, Green Light 30Breadboarding 31Gather Supplies 32Get to Know New Parts 34Battery clip 34Jumper wire 34Slide switch 39Breadboard Your Circuit. 40Track Down Problems. 45What’s Really Happening?. 45Improve Your Circuit 46Connect the power rails 46Add a power switch 47Project 4: Brainy Nightlight 50Collect Parts 51A Simple Sensor 52The Tiny, Yet Powerful, Transistor 53Transistors and faucets 54Explore two transistors 55Build the Circuit 58Test Your Nightlight Circuit 65Make Adjustments 66Nightlight turns on when it shouldn‘t 66Nightlight doesn‘t turn on when it should 67Nightlight doesn‘t turn on at all 68Project 5: Railroad Crossing 70What’s a Capacitor?. 70Check Out Your Capacitors 72What’s an Integrated Circuit? 73Meet the 555 Timer 75Collect Components and Tools 77Build the Railroad Crossing Circuit 78Operate the Railroad Crossing Circuit 85Project 6: Sound Effects 86Mini-Speaker. 86Gather the Parts You Need 87Prepare Your Speaker 88The Plan 90Build the Tone Generator 91Test Your Tone Generator 96Modify Your Circuit 96Create Sound Effects 97Project 7: Radio 99Plan Your Mission. 102Homemade Tuner 103Make an inductor 104Make a variable capacitor 107Meet Your Radio Signal Detector. 111Check Out Your Earphone 111Collect Parts and Tools 112Work Close to the (Earth) Ground 113Prepare a Radio Platform 114Build the Radio. 115Listen to Your Radio 119