Equipment

Here is some electrical/hardware equipment you will see and use in the lab (MP 099). We can demonstrate how to use the equipment in-person. These are some of the tools you will use to build, test, and debug circuits.

Multimeter

Used to measure voltage, current, resistance, and connected points in parts of a circuit.

  • Voltage - measured across a component because voltage is the relative energy between two points
  • Current - measured through a wire; you have to break (disconnect) the circuit at the point you want to measure, then insert the multimeter as a component in series
  • Resistance - measured across a component because resistance is measured between two points
  • Short circuit mode - used to determine if there is a short circuit between two points in the circuit (a direct connection through wires with no components in between)
    • After assembling a circuit, can check that you have made the intended connections
    • Can check that you have not made accidental connections that change your circuit. An unintentional short circuit can change the circuit’s behaviour and/or produce a high current that can damage components.

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Oscilloscope

  • Used to measure waveforms (signals) over time in a circuit
  • This is useful for viewing the raw signal data in a wire, such as a sensor’s output or communication lines

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Function Generator

  • Used to generate an AC (alternating current) signal with a specific voltage and waveform

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Power Supply

  • Used to generate DC (direct current) power with a specific voltage or current

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Wire Cutters/Wire Strippers

  • Wire cutter - to cut specific lengths of wire to use on breadboards
  • Wire stripper - to remove some of the insulation on the end of a wire so it can be connected to a breadboard

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Soldering Iron

  • Used to form strong electrical connections between components on PCBs or protoboards

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