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Dr. Peter Dalmaris

Are you an Arduino maker, able to make things by following how-to guides and are confident with writing or modifying sketches, yet you are not so confident about things like calculating transistor currents, voltage drops and using capacitors as filters?

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Are you an Arduino maker, able to make things by following how-to guides and are confident with writing or modifying sketches, yet you are not so confident about things like calculating transistor currents, voltage drops and using capacitors as filters?

You are not alone. I have been teaching Arduino and Raspberry Pi topics for years. During this time I have realized that while these platforms are great for helping you to start tinkering with electronics, you will not be able to truly enjoy their power until you have understood basic electronics.

This is what this course is about. It is about helping you achieve a better level of understanding of the basic electronics principles and components that are commonly used in making on platforms like the Arduino and the Raspberry Pi.

I have designed this course for anyone with a basic understanding of electronics, who has already spent time tinkering with Arduinos.

By the end of this course, you will have learned how to use commonly used components found in Arduino projects. You will also have learned how to do the relevant measurements and calculations to help you select appropriate components for your projects.

To complete this course, you will need a few cheap and common components and tools: resistors, capacitors, transistors, LED, diodes, and batteries. You will also need a multimeter, a small breadboard and jumper wires. All of these are probably things that you already have.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Understand the concepts of voltage, resistance and current
  • Use ohm's law to calculate voltage, current and resistance
  • Use kirchhoff's laws to calculate voltage and current
  • Understand the meaning of and calculate energy and power
  • Use resistors in various configurations, like in voltage dividers and voltage ladders
  • Read the value of a resistor from its package
  • Use pull-up and pull-down resistors
  • Understand the use of capacitors
  • Use capacitors as energy stores and filters
  • Calculate the rc time constant of a capacitor
  • Understand diodes
  • Measure the voltage drop of a diode
  • Understand how to use rectifier and zener diodes
  • Protect a circuit from reverse polarity
  • Understand how to use a transistor to control low and high power loads
  • Calculate the currents and base resistor for a bipolar transistor
  • Use the correct voltage regulator for any circuit
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  • Show less

Syllabus

An introduction to this course
Study guide

For a list of parts and tools that I use in this course please see https://techexplorations.com/parts/befam-parts/

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The tools you will need
The parts you will need
About software
In this section you will learn about voltage, current, resistance, and the most important laws in electronics
Electricity, particles, and current
What is voltage?
What is voltage? (supplemental)
What is current?
What is resistance?
Ohm's Law

The questions in this quiz will test your understanding of Ohm's Law


Calculating energy

These questions will test your understanding of power and energy.

Kirchhoff's Law
Kirchhoff's Law example
In this section you will learn about resistors, power rating, voltage and current divider and pull up/down resistors
Introduction to resistors

These questions will help you practice your resistor value reading skills. 

A simple resistor circuit
Resistor power rating

Can you determine if a given resistor can be safely used under the specified current requirements in the following questions?

The variable resistor
Voltage divider

These questions will exercise you in calculating voltage divider outputs.

Voltage divider with current draw

Using the 10% rule, calculate the appropriate resistors in the voltage divider for the following problem.

Current divider

The questions in this quiz will help you practice solving current divider problems.

Solution to Quiz 7, Question 2
Pull-up and pull-down resistors
In this section you will learn about capacitors, how to use them as energy stores and filters, combine them in series and parallel, and the RC constant.
Introduction to capacitors

These questions will help you practice your basic capacitor skills.

Capacitors for storing energy
Capacitors as filter
Capacitors in series and parallel

These questions are about capacitors connected in parallel.

What is the RC time constant
An RC time constant experiment

These questions will help you practice your knowledge of the RC time constant.

In this section you will learn about diodes, their types, and focus on zener and rectifier diodes and some of their applications
Introduction to diodes
Voltage drop and current regulation
Measuring the voltage drop in a diode
The voltage dropper circuit

These questions will help you practice your understanding of the diode voltage drop concept.

Zener diodes
A circuit that includes a zener diode with a load

This problem will help you consolidate your working knowledge of the Zener diode.

Reverse polarity protection
How to calculate the appropriate resistor value for an LED

These questions will help you practice calculating the correct resistor for an LED.

In this section you will learn about transistors, their types, and focus on the common bipolar transistors and their applications
Introduction to transistors
Calculating the currents in a transistor circuit

Practice simple transistor circuits with these problems.

A circuit with the 2N2222 bipolar transistor
A circuit with a TIP122 and a high-power LED
A circuit with a TIP122 and a motor
In this section you will learn about voltage regulators as an easy way to modulate voltage
Introduction to IC voltage regulators
Fixed voltage regulator
A variable voltage regulator circuit
How to calculate the resistors for a variable voltage regulator

These problems will help you practice using the LM317 in your circuits.

Conclusion
What did you learn? What's next?
Bonus Lecture

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Explores foundational electronics principles that are used in the Arduino and Raspberry Pi, building a strong base
Focuses on the hands-on application of the concepts by providing real-world examples and problems
Taught by an experienced instructor who has been teaching Arduino and Raspberry Pi topics for years
Covers all the fundamental concepts of basic electronics that are required to understand the inner workings of Arduino and Raspberry Pi projects
Teaches how to use commonly used components like resistors, capacitors, transistors, and diodes in electronic circuits
Requires only a few inexpensive components and tools to follow along, making it accessible to most learners

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Reviews summary

Electronics for tinkerers

This course is intended to help Arduino users build toward a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of electronics. By the end of the course, students will have learned how to analyze and build their own circuits.

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Basic electronics for Arduino Makers with these activities:
Ohm's Law Refresher
Review the basics of Ohm's Law, which is essential for understanding electrical circuits.
Browse courses on Ohm's Law
Show steps
  • Recall the formula for Ohm's Law: V = IR
  • Understand the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance.
  • Practice solving simple Ohm's Law problems.
Organize Course Materials
Consolidate and organize notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams to enhance your understanding of the course material.
Show steps
  • Gather all course materials, including notes, assignments, quizzes, and exams.
  • Create a system for organizing the materials, such as using folders or a notebook.
  • Review the materials regularly to reinforce your knowledge.
Study Group Discussion
Engage in peer discussions to clarify concepts, solve problems, and deepen your understanding of the course material.
Show steps
  • Form a study group with other students taking the course.
  • Meet regularly to discuss course topics, work through problems together, and quiz each other.
Three other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all six activities
Voltage Divider Practice
Solve practice problems on voltage dividers to reinforce your understanding of voltage and resistance calculations.
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Show steps
  • Set up a simple voltage divider circuit with resistors of known values.
  • Measure the voltage across the resistors and calculate the output voltage.
  • Compare your measured values to the theoretical values calculated using Ohm's Law.
  • Repeat the experiment with different resistor values to further solidify your understanding.
Transistor Circuit Tutorial
Follow online tutorials that demonstrate how to build and analyze simple transistor circuits, such as amplifiers and switches.
Browse courses on Transistors
Show steps
  • Find a beginner-friendly tutorial on transistor circuits.
  • Gather the necessary components and build the circuit according to the instructions.
  • Test the circuit and observe its behavior.
  • Analyze the circuit using the concepts learned in the tutorial, such as transistor biasing and gain.
Arduino Project
Design and build an Arduino project that utilizes the concepts learned in the course, such as a simple temperature sensor or LED display.
Browse courses on Arduino
Show steps
  • Brainstorm project ideas that align with your interests and the course material.
  • Design the circuit and write the Arduino code.
  • Build and test the project, making necessary adjustments along the way.
  • Document your project, including a description, schematic, and code.

Career center

Learners who complete Basic electronics for Arduino Makers will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Electrical Engineer
An Electrical Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design circuits that meet specific electrical requirements.
Electronics Engineer
An Electronics Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop electronic devices and systems, utilizing the principles of electronics.
Hardware Engineer
A Hardware Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop the physical components of electronic devices and systems.
Embedded Systems Engineer
An Embedded Systems Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop computer systems that are embedded in electronic devices.
Robotics Engineer
A Robotics Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop robots that can perform various tasks.
Automation Engineer
An Automation Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop automated systems that can perform tasks with minimal human intervention.
Mechatronics Engineer
A Mechatronics Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop systems that integrate mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering principles.
Automotive Engineer
An Automotive Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop the electrical and electronic systems used in automobiles.
Aerospace Engineer
An Aerospace Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop the electrical and electronic systems used in aircraft and spacecraft.
Biomedical Engineer
A Biomedical Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop medical devices and systems.
Computer Engineer
A Computer Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to design and develop computer systems, including hardware and software.
Software Engineer
A Software Engineer may use the knowledge gained in this course to develop software that interacts with electronic hardware.
Data Scientist
A Data Scientist may use the knowledge gained in this course to analyze data generated by electronic devices and systems.
Technical Writer
A Technical Writer may use the knowledge gained in this course to write documentation for electronic devices and systems.
Science Teacher
A Science Teacher may use the knowledge gained in this course to teach students about the principles of electronics.

Reading list

We've selected nine books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Basic electronics for Arduino Makers.
Classic textbook on electronics. It covers a wide range of topics, including basic electronics, analog circuits, and digital circuits. It valuable reference for anyone who wants to learn more about electronics.
Comprehensive guide to electronics for hobbyists and makers. It covers a wide range of topics, including basic electronics, digital electronics, and microcontrollers. It also includes many helpful tips and tricks for working with electronic components.
Comprehensive textbook on electronics. It covers a wide range of topics, including basic electronics, analog circuits, and digital circuits. It valuable reference for anyone who wants to learn more about electronics.
Classic textbook on electric circuits. It covers a wide range of topics, including basic circuit analysis, AC circuits, and power systems. It valuable reference for anyone who wants to learn more about electric circuits.
Comprehensive textbook on digital design. It covers a wide range of topics, including basic digital logic, combinational circuits, and sequential circuits. It valuable reference for anyone who wants to learn more about digital design.
Classic textbook on operating systems. It covers a wide range of topics, including process management, memory management, and file systems. It valuable reference for anyone who wants to learn more about operating systems.

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