Among other things…
This looks a lot like basic circuit theory stuffs because of the fact that both comes from the same fundamental theory. Things will be more digital-centric in subsequent module(s).
The stuffs you need…
A breadboard is a base platform for prototyping of electronic circuits. Unlike stripboards and such, it does not require any soldering and therefore reusable. Read more @ wikipedia
Breadboards are available from several different manufacturers, but most of them share a similar layout. The layout of a typical breadboard is made up from rows/columns (strips) of interconnected electrical terminals. There are two types of strips: bus strips and terminal strips.
Notice the middle divider provides a way to place DIP ICs on the board, which is very useful for digital circuits.
More accurately, we need a DC power supply, which provides constant DC voltage to our digital circuits. A laboratory DC power supply has at least one variable voltage source with the option of modifying current output. Some DC power supply (like the ones at our lab) has fixed 5V output, which is exactly what is needed for most digital circuits.
Disclaimer:The image above is copied from manufacturers's site
Things to know:
Basically, this is what you want at your output terminal.
Simple measurement device. Basic ones measure voltage, current and resistance. A more advanced multimeter (usually digital) can measure capacitance and inductance as well. An even more advanced one can have sensors (built-in or attached). Read more @ wikipedia
Common Multimeters | |
---|---|
Analog Multimeter | Digital Multimeter |
Multimeter Test Lead | |
Note that some multimeters may use other probes like crocodile clips |
Disclaimer:The images above are copied from the Wikipedia page (link provided above)
For digital circuits, we can use multimeters to either check power supply, or logic state of a node. Also, sometimes, we use multimeters to check for closed-circuit (short) conditions.
It is basically a test equipment mainly used to observe changes of an electrical signal (voltage) over time, which is graphically observed as waveforms. The observed waveform can be analyzed for such properties as amplitude, frequency, rise time, time interval, distortion and others. Oscilloscopes (most of the time simply called scopes) these days are mostly digital, which is capable of directly calculating and displaying signal properties. Read more @ wikipedia
Disclaimer:The image above is copied from manufacturers's site
One of the most important thing to do before you start using an oscilloscope is to make sure it is calibrated. There is usually a calibration point that constantly emits a signal at specific amplitude and frequency (usually 2V peak-to-peak at 1kHz). So, simply connect a probe to that point and make sure the displayed waveform is as expected.
Things to know:
For a simple digital circuit (e.g. with a single output node), to monitor the output logic state using an oscilloscope is probably too much. LED can be an option in this case (like the indicators in many electronic equipment and electrical appliances). There are two ways an LED can be connected:
Basically, this is what you need to use at your input terminal.
As the name implies, a function generator generates different types of electrical waveforms over a wide range of frequencies. Common waveforms produced by the function generator are the sine, square, triangular and sawtooth shapes. For digital applications, a pulse generator is actually more suitable but, in order to reduce costs, function generators (using square-wave) is preferable especially when used in electronics lab where both analog and digital circuits are used. Read more @ wikipedia
Disclaimer:The image above is copied from manufacturers's site
Some function generators have a TTL/CMOS output that provides a fixed 5V signal. This is what we use for digital applications.
The easiest way to simulate a logic level input is to simply connect Vdd or GND to you input (through resistors if you want to make it safer). A more systematic method is to use switches. As with the LED, there are two ways this can be done:
THING 1 Try the LED as digital monitor. Use the power supply as your input, but start at 0V. Slowly increase the output voltage to 5V. Note at what voltage level will the LED turn OFF/ON.
THING 2 Try to verify function generator output using oscilloscope. Use 5V peak-to-peak.
THING 3 Set the function generator to generate 1 Hz signal and use the LED to monitor the output of the function generator. Change the waveform shapes and see if you can notice any difference.
ask your instructor for more…