Intro to

BY GUEST AUTHOR JENNIFER TOSO

First and foremost, electronics can be dangerous. Safety should always come first. Research should be done and the appropriate safety precautions should be taken. Anyone under the age of 18 should have an adult present.

Making projects that move, light up, or make noise requires the use of electronic components. It is these components that will bring a project to life.

The world of electronics can seem intimidating, but learning a few of the basics is a great way to open the door and get started.

These are some of the most important parts to learn about before attempting to create electronic projects of your own

1.

Resistors

Capacitators

Diodes

Key Players 2. 3. 4.

LEDs

Resistors

2.

3. 4. 1.

A resistor controls the flow of current to the other components. The majority of resistors have color-coded stripes that tell the user the value. Many online color-code calculators make decoding resistors quick and easy.

Capacitors

Capacitors are a lot like rechargeable batteries A capacitor can store an electrical charge and then discharge it

Diode

A diode has two terminals: one is positive (anode) and the other is negative (cathode). This allows current to flow in one direction while blocking the current from flowing in the opposite direction. There are several different types of diodes, but the one most people are familiar with is the LED

LED

A LED, or Light-Emitting Diode, is a diode in the usual sense it limits current to flow in only one direction but when the current flows through the LED, it emits light.