[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":112},["ShallowReactive",2],{"lesson-1-01-intro-circuits":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"chapterName":98,"chapterNumber":99,"description":100,"extension":101,"includesCode":102,"lessonNumber":99,"meta":103,"navigation":104,"path":105,"seo":106,"starterCode":107,"stem":108,"tags":109,"__hash__":111},"lessons/lessons/1-01-intro-circuits.md","Introduction to Circuits",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":89},"minimark",[9,14,18,22,25,31,35,53,57,61,65,68,72,75,79,83,86],[10,11,13],"h2",{"id":12},"introduction","Introduction",[15,16,17],"p",{},"In this lesson, we'll cover the basics of circuits and electricity, and how to design your very first circuit using the components in your kit.",[10,19,21],{"id":20},"the-controller","The Controller",[15,23,24],{},"Projects here use our special controller, which you are able to control with your code from the web. You'll see five\npins on the top that you can plug wires into. On the left, labeled '5V' is the positive power supply, and on the right,\nlabeled 'GND' is the ground. The three pins in the middle are your controllable pins, called GPIO (General Purpose\nInput/Output) pins. You can use these to send signals to components like LEDs, or read signals from sensors.",[26,27],"img",{"alt":28,"src":29,"width":30},"Controller Layout","/images/lessons/01-controller-guide.svg","40%",[10,32,34],{"id":33},"electronic-signals","Electronic Signals",[15,36,37,38,42,43,46,47,49,50,52],{},"There are two types of electronic signals, analog and digital. An analog signal can take on any value within a range,\nwhile a digital signal can only be one of two values: ",[39,40,41],"code",{},"HIGH"," (on) or ",[39,44,45],{},"LOW"," (off). With an analog pin, we can set the\nvalue\nto anything between 0 and 255, which corresponds to a voltage between 0V and 5V. With a digital pin, we can only set it\nto\n",[39,48,41],{}," (5V) or ",[39,51,45],{}," (0V).",[26,54],{"alt":55,"src":56,"width":30},"Analog Signal diagram","/images/lessons/01-analog-signal.svg",[26,58],{"alt":59,"src":60,"width":30},"Digital Signal diagram","/images/lessons/01-digital-signal.svg",[10,62,64],{"id":63},"circuits","Circuits",[15,66,67],{},"In an electric circuit, current flows from the positive power supply (5V) through the components and back to ground (\nGND). For a component to work, it needs to be part of a complete circuit. This means that it must be connected in such a\nway that current can flow through it from some sort of power supply to ground. If there is a break in the circuit, the\ncurrent cannot flow and the component will not work.",[26,69],{"alt":70,"src":71,"width":30},"Example basic circuit with an LED and resistor in series","/images/lessons/01-basic-circuit.svg",[15,73,74],{},"Electricity has three main properties: voltage, current, and resistance. Voltage is the potential difference between two\npoints in a circuit, current is the flow of electric charge, and resistance is the opposition to current flow. Ohm's Law\ndescribes the relationship between these properties: V = I * R, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance.",[26,76],{"alt":77,"src":78,"width":30},"Cartoon graphic demonstrating Ohm's law with people pushing through a tube","/images/lessons/01-ohms-law.svg",[10,80,82],{"id":81},"circuits-with-the-kit","Circuits with the Kit",[15,84,85],{},"In the next lessons, we'll be building circuits using the components in your kit. You'll learn how to connect them to\nthe controller and write code to control them.",[15,87,88],{},"Consider when power will flow through the circuits you build. For example, if you connect an LED directly to the 5V pin\nand GND, it will light up as soon as you connect it. If you want to control it with code, you need to connect it to one\nof the GPIO pins instead, so that you can turn it on and off with your code. Also, remember that components like LEDs\nrequire a resistor to limit the current and prevent damage. Always check the specifications of your components and use\nthe appropriate resistors when building your circuits.",{"title":90,"searchDepth":91,"depth":91,"links":92},"",2,[93,94,95,96,97],{"id":12,"depth":91,"text":13},{"id":20,"depth":91,"text":21},{"id":33,"depth":91,"text":34},{"id":63,"depth":91,"text":64},{"id":81,"depth":91,"text":82},"Getting Started",1,"Understand how circuits and electricity work, and how you can design your very first circuit.","md",false,{},true,"/lessons/1-01-intro-circuits",{"title":5,"description":100},null,"lessons/1-01-intro-circuits",[110,63],"beginner","meO1BX28HUW92VTK9D7p_W20PpeWI1jDKeP6DBBnWJ0",1775950750610]