Description
In this project we first used batteries and light bulbs to explore how electricity worked, following along in a packet. We learned to define a circuit, read circuit diagrams, and how to tell the difference between parallel and series. Then we moved on to bread boards, learning how they work and doing more experiments. Next we moved on to the blinking light challenge. We had to follow a circuit diagram and put together a functioning circuit. This was tricky. Then we began doing Arduino programs, by putting together circuits shown in a diagram and learning basic coding. Lastly, we coded our own art show. My partner and I chose to do a light show.
Coding
In the first part of our code, we use the 'const int' function to rename each pin by the color of the LED that it will light. For example, if an LED is connected to a blue LED, we named it either blue, blue1, or blue2. The numbers are to differentiate between the multiple blue LED's. This function tells the computer to associate a pin with the name, so that we can call the pins by colors instead of numbers.
The next section of our code was the setup. Here we used the 'pinMode' function to tell the computer that each pin would be an output. This means that it is a positive terminal. The rest of our code, which is fairly lengthy, uses 'digitalWrite' and 'delay' to tell which LED's to come on and when. If a line of code says, "digitalWrite(blue, HIGH);" then the first blue led with come on with a charge of five volts. If a line says, "digitalWrite(red2, LOW);" then the second red LED will turn off. The way we use delays is by saying "delay(80);" The number 80 can be any number and it tells the computer to pause reading the code for that many milliseconds. Here is a link to our code on another page of this website. |
Video
Electricity Concepts
Current-the flow of electricity through a circuit. The equation for current is I=V/R, or current equals voltage over resistance. The measurement is amperes
Resistance- the measure of how much current is slowed over how many obstacles. There are two different equations for resistance, one for a parallel circuit and one for series. The equation for series is R=R1+R2+R3 etc. The equation for parallel is 1/R=1/R1+1/R2 etc.
The unit is ohms
Voltage- the potential energy drop across a component of a circuit. The equation is V=IR. The unit is volts.
Resistance- the measure of how much current is slowed over how many obstacles. There are two different equations for resistance, one for a parallel circuit and one for series. The equation for series is R=R1+R2+R3 etc. The equation for parallel is 1/R=1/R1+1/R2 etc.
The unit is ohms
Voltage- the potential energy drop across a component of a circuit. The equation is V=IR. The unit is volts.
Reflection
This project was a little bit different than the others because it was a partner project instead of a four person group. For me a hard part of this project was when we were doing the blinking light breadboard. It was hard for us to understand the circuit diagram because we kept assuming that the diagram represents the physical layout of the board, but it doesn't. A peak of this project was right after when we were able to complete the blinking light circuit and it was working properly. A second hard part was when we wrote a lot of code, and it wouldn't compile. The computer told us there was a missing semicolon, but we didn't know where it was, as we wrote a lot of similar code. Eventually we worked it out but it was very frustrating. Another peak of this project was when we were able to understand all of the code and write it properly. It took us a while to understand, so when we got the hang of it , it was exciting.
Overall, this was one of my favorite projects this year. I realized how fun it is to write a program and then be able to see it work.
Overall, this was one of my favorite projects this year. I realized how fun it is to write a program and then be able to see it work.