About Your Snap Circuits
®
LIGHT Parts
RESISTORS LEDs
-7-
Adjustable Resistor (RV)
Resistors (R1, R3, & R5)
SLIDE & PRESS SWITCHES
The speaker (SP) converts
electricity into sound by
making mechanical vib-
rations. These vibrations
create variations in air
pressure, which travel
across the room. You
“hear” sound when
your ears feel these air
pressure variations.
SPEAKER
Speaker (SP)
The adjustable resistor (RV) is a 50kΩ resistor
but with a center tap that can be adjusted
between 200Ω and 50kΩ.
Resistors “resist” the flow of electricity and are
used to control or limit the current in a circuit.
Snap Circuits
®
LIGHT includes 100Ω (R1), 5.1kΩ
(R3), and 100kΩ (R5) resistors (“k” symbolizes
1,000, so R5 is really 100,000Ω). Materials like
metal have very low resistance (<1Ω), while
materials like paper, plastic, and air have near-
infinite resistance. Increasing circuit resistance
reduces the flow of electricity.
The slide & press switches (S1 & S2) connect
(pressed or “ON”) or disconnect (not pressed or
“OFF”) the wires in a circuit. When ON they have no
effect on circuit performance. Switches turn on
electricity just like a faucet turns on water from a pipe.
Slide & Press
Switches
(S1 & S2)
LED’s
(D1, D6, & D8)
The red, white, and color LED’s (D1, D6, & D8)
are light emitting diodes, and may be thought of
as a special one-way light bulbs. In the “forward”
direction, (indicated by the “arrow” in the symbol)
electricity flows if the voltage exceeds a turn-on
threshold (about 1.5V for red, about 3.0V for
white, and in between for other colors);
brightness then increases. The color LED
contains red, green, and blue LEDs, with a micro-
circuit controlling then. A high current will burn
out an LED, so the current must be limited by
other components in the circuit. LED’s block
electricity in the “reverse” direction.
CAPACITOR
The 0.1µF and 100µF capacitors (C2 & C4) can
store electrical pressure (voltage) for periods of
time. This storage ability allows them to block
stable voltage signals and pass changing ones.
Capacitors are used for filtering and delay
circuits.
Capacitors
(C2 & C4)
Microphone (X1)
The microphone (X1) is actually a resistor that
changes in value when changes in air pressure
(sounds) apply pressure to its surface. Its
resistance typically varies between 1kΩ and
10kΩ.
MICROPHONE
To Next Page
Loading...
