Basic Electronics for Tomorrow's Inventors: A Thames and Kosmos Book

Description

Learn about electronics with fun experiments and projects Created in partnership with Thames & Kosmos, "Basic Electronics for Tomorrow's Inventors" introduces you to essential electronics concepts through fun, do-it-yourself projects. You'll get tips for setting up your home workbench, safely handling materials, and creating a variety of entertaining gadgets. All of the projects and experiments use inexpensive, readily available electronic components and different types of breadboard, which creates a plug-and-play environment for you to build electronic circuits--no soldering required! "Inside you'll find: " "Things You'll Need"--lists of all the electronic components and equipment required for each experiment "A Circuit Diagram"--shows how each of the electronic components are connected to produce the experiment "How the Circuit Works"--identifies the building blocks used to make the circuit and helps you read circuit diagrams "Breadboard Layout"--close-up photographs that guide you in building each electronic circuit "Time to Experiment"--explains how to get your experiment working "Step-by-step projects include: " "Phone experiments" Make an LED light up Make an LED flash Create colors with an RGB LED Build a working telephone "Dashboard experiments" Create indicator lights Build a temperature sensor Make an electronic horn Set up a water sensor "Security experiments" Design a basic alarm circuit Make a pressure-sensitive mat Create a touch-activated alarm Build an electronic security keypad Make a reading light that switches on when it goes dark "Electronic game experiments" Create a random number generator Flip an electronic coin Get ready for infrared target practice Build a sound-effects generator Cover Title Page Copyright Page Contents Acknowledgments Introduction Part One: Let’s Get Started! 1. Setting Up Your Workbench Breadboard Interconnecting Wires Safety Glasses Wire Cutters and Strippers Multimeter Electronic Components Antistatic Precautions Warnings Before You Get Started Ready for the Basics 2. Zooming into Electronics: Electronic Building Blocks Think Like an Inventor Zooming into Electronics Electronic Building Blocks Moving On 3. Examining Some Key Electronic Components Power Supply Switches Resistor Variable Resistor Light-Dependent Resistor Capacitor Diodes Light Emitting Diode (LED) Transistor Integrated Circuits Converting Circuit Diagrams to Breadboard Layouts Experiment Building and Testing Guidelines Time to Play! Part Two: Can You Hear Me Now? Phone Experiments 4. Getting Charged Up! Make an LED Illuminate Features of a Typical Mobile Telephone Experiment 1: Making an LED Illuminate Summary 5. You Have a Message! Make an LED Flash How to Make an LED Flash Experiment 2: Making an LED Flash Summary 6. How Do Screens Show Colors? Experiment with an RGB LED How to Create Colors Experiment 3: Creating Color with an RGB LED Summary 7. Can We Talk? Build a Working Telephone Basic Telephone Setup Experiment 4: Building a Working Telephone Summary Part Three: Behind the Wheel: Dashboard Experiments 8. Which Way Now? Create Indicator Lights Features of a Typical Car Dashboard Experiment 5: Creating Indicator Lights Summary 9. Is It Hot in Here? Build a Temperature Sensor Experiment 6: Building a Temperature Sensor Summary 10. Beep! Beep! Make an Electronic Horn Experiment 7: Making an Electronic Horn Summary 11. Is It Raining Outside? Set Up a Water Sensor Experiment 8: Setting Up a Water Sensor Summary Part Four: Spy vs. Spy! Security Experiments 12. Intruder Alert! Design a Basic Alarm Circuit Experiment 9: Designing a Basic Alarm Circuit Summary 13. Step Inside! Make a Pressure-Sensitive Mat Experiment 10: Making a Pressure-Sensitive Mat Summary 14. Careful What You Reach For! Create a Touch-Activated Alarm Experiment 11: Creating a Touch-Activated Alarm Summary 15. You’ll Never Get In! Build an Electronic Security Keypad Experiment 12: Building an Electronic Security Keypad Summary 16. Let There Be Light! Build a Reading Light That Switches On when It Gets Dark Experimenting with a Light-Dependent Resistor Experiment 13: Building a Reading Light That Switches On when It Gets Dark Summary Part Five: Electronic Game Experiments 17. Pick a Number! Create a Random Number Generator Experiment 14: Creating a Random Number Generator Summary 18. Heads or Tails? Flip an Electronic Coin Experiment 15: Flipping an Electronic Coin Summary 19. Ready, Aim, Fire! Get Ready for Infrared Target Practice Experiment 16: Getting Ready for Infrared Target Practice Summary 20. Let’s Make Some Noise! Build a Sound Effects Generator Experiment 17: Building a Sound Effects Generator Summary Appendix: Electronic Components and Suppliers Index