Basic Electronics for Tomorrow's Inventors

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Learn about electronics with fun experiments and projects

Created in partnership with Thames & Kosmos, Basic Electronics for Tomorrow's Inventors introduces you to essential electronics concepts through fun, do-it-yourself projects. You'll get tips for setting up your home workbench, safely handling materials, and creating a variety of entertaining gadgets. All of the projects and experiments use inexpensive, readily available electronic components and different types of breadboard, which creates a plug-and-play environment for you to build electronic circuits—no soldering required!

Inside you'll find:

• Things You'll Need--lists of all the electronic components and equipment required for each experiment
• A Circuit Diagram--shows how each of the electronic components are connected to produce the experiment
• How the Circuit Works--identifies the building blocks used to make the circuit and helps you read circuit diagrams
• Breadboard Layout--close-up photographs that guide you in building each electronic circuit
• Time to Experiment--explains how to get your experiment working

Step-by-step projects include:

Phone experiments

• Make an LED light up
• Make an LED flash
• Create colors with an RGB LED
• Build a working telephone

• Create indicator lights
• Build a temperature sensor
• Make an electronic horn
• Set up a water sensor

• Design a basic alarm circuit
• Make a pressure-sensitive mat
• Create a touch-activated alarm
• Build an electronic security keypad
• Make a reading light that switches on when it goes dark

• Create a random number generator
• Flip an electronic coin
• Get ready for infrared target practice
• Build a sound-effects generator

Table of contents

Introduction
Part I: Let's Get Started!
Chapter 1: Setting up Your Workbench
Chapter 2: The Four Main Electronic Building Blocks
Part II: Can You Hear Me Now: Phone Experiments
Chapter 3: Getting Charged Up! Make an LED Illuminate
Chapter 4: You Have a Message! Make an LED Flash
Chapter 5: How Do Screens Show Colors? Experiment with an RGB LED
Chapter 6: Can We Talk: Build a Working Telephone
Part III: Behind the Wheel: Dashboard Experiments
Chapter 7: Which Way Now: Create Indicator Lights
Chapter 8: Is It Hot in Here? Build a Temperature Sensor
Chapter 9: Beep! Beep! Make an Electronic Horn
Chapter 10: Is It Raining Outside? Set Up a Water Sensor
Part IV: Spy Vs Spy! Security Experiments
Chapter 11: Intruder Alert! Design a Basic Alarm Circuit
Chapter 12: Step Inside! Make a Pressure-Sensitive Mat
Chapter 13: Careful What You Reach For! Create a Touch-Activated Alarm
Chapter 14: You'll Never Get In! Build an Electronic Security Keypad
Chapter 15: Let there be Light! Build a reading light that operates when it goes dark
Part V: Electronic Game Experiments
Chapter 16: Pick a Number! Create a Random Number Generator
Chapter 17: Heads or Tails: Flip an Electronic Coin
Chapter 18: Read, Aim, Fire! Get ready for Infra-Red Target Practice
Chapter 19: Let's Make Some Noise!
Appendix
Resources