KNOW YOUR COMPONENTS
COMPONENT
CELL
BATTERY
SYMBOL
ILLUSTRATION
DESCRIPTION
A device that changes chemical energy into
electricity.
A collection of cells placed together.
WIRE
Wires connect the components together to
make a circuit.
BUZZER
This makes a buzzing noise when electricity
flows through it, the higher the voltage the
louder the buzz.
MOTOR
A device that converts electrical energy into
mechanical energy.
SWITCH
(ON)
This will turn your circuit on. It makes a circuit
when flicked on by allowing electricity to flow
through it.
SWITCH
(OFF)
This will turn your circuit off. It breaks the flow
of electricity through the circuit when flicked
off.
SPEAKER
A device that converts electrical energy into
vibrations. (sound)
LDR
LIGHT DEPENDENT RESISTOR
RESISTOR
This is a light sensor. The more light it detects,
the more voltage it allows through.
These limit the flow of electricity through a
circuit. Resistance is measured in Ohms.
POTENTIOMETER
A Potentiometer is a resistor that you can control!
Turning the knob on the potentiometer increases
and decreases the amount of resistance a bit like a
tap and the flow of water.
CAPACITOR
A capacitor is like a big bucket, it stores up charge,
waits until its full and then releases it all in one go.
How much charge depends on the size of the
capacitor, which is measured in Farads after
physicist Michael Faraday.
LED
LIGHT EMITTING DIODE
A Light Emitting Diode (LED) is a light that only lets
electricity through it one way. They use very little
energy.
DIODE
A Diode is a component that allows current to
flow in just one direction. It must go into your
circuit the correct way round, the white band
indicates the negative side of the diode.
555
TIMER
This is a 555 timer also known as an Integrated
Circuit (IC). This is a whole circuit in itself, but
very very small and made of silicon. These are the
heart beat of the circuit.
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