The project’s circuit is very simple. It consists of a LED (Light Emitting Diode) connected to a battery through a resistor. The result is just a lit LED. This circuit can be considered as the analogy of “Hello World!” programs in software development .
Objective
This breadboard project is a good starting point for the very beginners.
- You see how breadboards, resistors and LEDs look like.
- You understand how breadboard works.
- You can note some really basic concepts in electronics like polarity, close circuit, Ohm’s law for the resistor value.
The project is also used by advanced makers as warming-up before they continue to more complicated things.
- It gives the message that the parts (LED, resistor, cables, battery) and equipment (breadboard) have no problem so they can be used in the next project.
- It boosts you confidence and makes you ready for the next project.
The Schematic
This is the circuit of the project.
On breadboard
You can see a way to set up the circuit on the breadboard. Remember, there are many correct ways to transfer a circuit on the breadboard.
Notes
- This is a permanent close circuit.
- As always, we assume that the current starts from the positive battery’s pin, it passes through the resistor and the LED. Current’s destination is the negative battery’s pin.
- When enough electric current pass through the LED, it makes the LED lit.
- If too much current passes through the LED, it destroys the LED. A resistor is used to reduce the current. Usually LED can handle 20mA.
- The resistor’s value selected after some maths. Ohm’s law: Current=voltage/resistance. So here, current=9/470=0,019=19mA. That means the 470ohm resistor can protect the LED from being damaged by high current when using battery 9v.