LESSON 2: How to Build Circuits With a Breadboard

This lesson is delivered by Paul Mcarter. It’s designed to enhance your skills in creating and understanding electronic circuits using a breadboard. Here’s what you will learn:

  1. Understanding the Circuit Design: How to visualize and plan your circuit with a schematic representation, ensuring correct assembly and functionality.

  2. Building the Circuit: Step-by-step guidance on constructing a circuit to blink an external LED using pin 13 of the Arduino.

  3. Implementing the Resistor: The importance of using a resistor to limit current in your circuit, including how to select the correct resistor value using Ohm’s Law.

  4. Configuring the Breadboard: Detailed explanation of how a breadboard functions, including how to use it to connect components effectively.

  5. Coding for Control: Instructions on programming the Arduino to control the blinking pattern of the LED to signal SOS in Morse code.

  6. Homework Assignment: Your task is to complete the circuit setup, write the program for the SOS signal, and share your project on YouTube as a practical demonstration of your learning.

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SUPPLEMENTAL Lesson

This lesson is a supplemental tutorial addressing common confusions from a previous lesson. Here’s a concise overview:

  1. Clarification Purpose: This video responds to viewer confusion regarding the selection of a current limiting resistor for an LED in an Arduino project, ensuring no component damage upon activation.

  2. Basic Concepts and Corrections: It reiterates the correct process shown in the original lesson but delves deeper to help viewers fully understand the calculations and avoid common mistakes.

  3. Detailed Explanation on Resistor Calculation: The tutorial provides an in-depth explanation of calculating the resistor value needed to safely operate an LED without exceeding the current limitations of Arduino Uno R4’s digital pins.

  4. Circuit Analysis and Design Strategy: It discusses circuit design considerations to prevent potential damage due to current overload, explaining the voltage drop across the diode and resistor and how these affect the total current through the circuit.

  5. Practical Circuit Design Tips: The video covers how to design circuits that account for worst-case scenarios, ensuring the Arduino remains protected under all conditions.

  6. Feedback and Interactive Approach: The presenter seeks viewer feedback on the utility of supplemental lessons, indicating a responsive and adaptive teaching approach.

This lesson equips beginners with the knowledge to design safer and more effective Arduino projects, emphasizing critical thinking in electronic design.

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