-A +A

 

Bureaucracy

Corrections to Grading Percent­ages

35%

In-class assignments (4 total)

30%

Final Assignment

20%

Writing Assignment

15%

Participation

Introduction to Basic Electricity

DC vs. AC

DC

  • Direct Current
  • Usually comes from batteries and wall-warts
  • We usually work in the range from 5 to 12 volts
  • Let's measure some voltages

AC

  • Alternating Current
  • Typical Currents
    • Household outlet: 110 volts
    • Dryer, electric stove: 220 volts
    • European household current: 220 volts
    • A list of voltages from around the world
  • Deadly!

In the fight between Thomas Edison and General Electric over Edison's DC and GE AC, Edison would kill dogs at county fairs to demonstrate the danger of AC

Current, Voltage, Power, Resistance, & Ohm's Law

Current

  • The quantity of electrons passing through a given point
  • Measured in Amperes (Amps for short)

Voltage

  • The pressure or force with which the current moves
  • Measured in Volts
  • Let's measure some…

Using A Multimeter

A good video from Make Magazine

A good tutorial from LadyAda

Power

  • The work performed by an electrical current
  • Measured in Watts

Resistance

  • The resistance in a circuit to letting electricity pass through it
  • Measured in Ohms ( Ω )

The Water Analogy

  • Current/Amps = water
  • Voltage = water pressure
  • Power/Watts = work done
  • Resistance = a valve

Ohm's Law

  • Ohm discovered that there is a direct proportionality between the voltage applied across a resistor and the resultant electrical current
  • Voltage = Amperage (current) times Resistance
  • V = A x R
  • A = V / R
  • R = V / A

Circuits

What is a Circuit?

An electrical circuit is any arrangment of objects (wires, resistors, capacitors, etc.) that permits an electrical current to flow.

A Basic Circuit

A Series Circuit

A Parallel Circuit

Reading Schematics

A Schematic…

…or Circuit Diagram is a conceptual diagram of the components and their connections in an electronic circuit

Break

Demo

Soldering

Another video if you're interested

Assigned Reading / Circuit Bending Assignment

Circuit Bending

Pages 1 to 19

Some tips on finding toys:

  • Bring fresh batteries, four each of AA's, C's and D's (but you can usually get by without the D's).
  • Get toy's that make sound. Toy keyboards and guitars work great.
  • Toys that talk or make animal noises are especially fun.

Santa Cruz Area Thrift Stores

San Jose Area Thrift Stores

For next Tuesday: Bring in your toys!

 

Long Term Project

Writing Assignment

Artist Report

  • Some artist to consider
  • Bonus points if you find interesting artists who aren't on the list

Cool Site

Check them out…

Make on YouTube. Great place for inspiration!