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.
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
Function Generator¶
- Used to generate an AC (alternating current) signal with a specific voltage and waveform
Power Supply¶
- Used to generate DC (direct current) power with a specific voltage or current
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
Soldering Iron¶
- Used to form strong electrical connections between components on PCBs or protoboards