Laboratory Activity # 2
INTRODUCTION TO BREADBOARDING
Objectives:
At the end of this laboratory activity, the student should be able to:


Build a simple circuit in a solderless breadboard
Build a simple circuit using DIP switch
Equipment and Materials
The following equipment and materials are needed in performing this laboratory
exercise:






1 solderless breadboard
1 8-position DIP switch
1 LED
1 kΩ Resistor
Set of connecting wires
DC Power Supply
Procedure
I. Simple LED Circuit. This part of the experiment will demonstrate a simple
LED circuit
a. Place the breadboard in a flat place
b. Insert the LED into the breadboard.
c. Insert the resistor into the same row as the longer lead of the LED.
d. Take a jumper wire and connect it to the other end of resistor. Insert the
other end of the jumper wire to the positive (+) rail of the breadboard.
e. Get another jumper wire and connect it to the shorter lead of the LED.
Insert the other end of the jumper wire to the negative (-) rail of the
breadboard.
f. Connect the breadboard to a power supply (such as a 9V battery) and
turn it on.
II. LED Circuit using DIP Switch. This part of the experiment will
demonstrate how to use a DIP switch in a simple LED circuit
a. Place the breadboard in a flat surface
b. Insert the DIP switch and LED into the breadboard.
c. Put the resistor in the same row as the DIP switch's Pin 1. Attach the
resistor's other end to the breadboard's negative (-) rail.
d. Attach a jumper wire to the same row of DIP switches' Pin 1 and resistor.
Connect the opposite end of the jumper wire to the same row of the
longer LED lead.
e. Connect another jumper wire to the same row of the shorter LED lead.
Attach the other end to the breadboard's negative rail.
f. Connect a jumper wire from DIP switch pin1 to the breadboard's positive
rail to provide power to the DIP switch.
g. Connect to the power supply and turn on the DIP switch.
Post Activity Question
1. How did you connect the LED to the breadboard and power source?
2. What happens if you reverse the polarity of the LED when connecting it to the
circuit?
3. Add additional LEDs in series to the circuit, how does the brightness of the LED
change?
4. How does a DIP switch work?
5. What safety precautions did you take when working with the circuit?
6. Create a diagram for both of the circuits