MISSION 01 · BASIC ELECTRONICS
Can you guide electricity around one complete road and turn it into light?
1 · Close the Loop
Your new skill: Trace a complete path and identify LED polarity.
Match the names to your parts before you build. New parts appear when you first need them. You can point, say the name or show a grown-up.
A battery supplies energy that can make a light glow or a motor turn. A holder keeps its connections in place.
Look for: Find the + and - marks and the matching holder or snap connector.
Before using it: Use only the supply named in this mission. Never join + straight to -; disconnect before rewiring.
Your turn: With power disconnected, trace the path from + through the parts and back to -.
This reusable building board joins some holes with hidden metal strips, so we can connect parts without soldering.
Look for: Find the centre gap, row numbers and power rails. The gap separates the two halves.
Before using it: Five holes in one numbered strip usually join; the strip across the gap does not. Some power rails have a break. Match your board diagram.
Your turn: Point to two holes on the same connected strip, then two that are separated by the gap.
A wire makes an electrical connection between two points. A clip lead grips a terminal.
Look for: Jumpers have small plug ends; clip leads have metal jaws. Colour helps us track a connection.
Before using it: Colour does not change a wire's job. Check both ends and keep bare metal away from other terminals.
Your turn: Follow one wire from start to finish and name what it joins.
A resistor limits current in a path. Beside our LED it helps protect the light from too much current. Its resistance is measured in ohms.
Look for: Look for a small body with two legs and coloured bands; match its labelled value to the mission.
Before using it: A resistor can face either way. Values such as 1 kΩ and 10 kΩ are different: k means one thousand. Keep the specified value.
Your turn: Point to the resistor in the LED path. Explain why replacing it with a plain wire is not our test.
An LED turns electrical energy into light and works in one direction. We use it to show what a circuit is doing.
Look for: An untrimmed ordinary LED often has a longer anode leg and a shorter cathode leg. A flat rim often marks the cathode.
Before using it: Confirm polarity with the part card if legs are trimmed. Use the mission's resistor in series; never connect an LED straight across the battery.
Your turn: With power off, identify the two legs and point to its protective resistor.
A video demonstration will appear here when it is ready. You can follow the written step now.
Before we build, match these names to the parts in front of you. Battery and holder. A battery supplies energy that can make a light glow or a motor turn. A holder keeps its connections in place. Find the + and - marks and the matching holder or snap connector. Use only the supply named in this mission. Never join + straight to -; disconnect before rewiring. Breadboard. This reusable building board joins some holes with hidden metal strips, so we can connect parts without soldering. Find the centre gap, row numbers and power rails. The gap separates the two halves. Five holes in one numbered strip usually join; the strip across the gap does not. Some power rails have a break. Match your board diagram. Jumper wire and clip lead. A wire makes an electrical connection between two points. A clip lead grips a terminal. Jumpers have small plug ends; clip leads have metal jaws. Colour helps us track a connection. Colour does not change a wire's job. Check both ends and keep bare metal away from other terminals. Resistor. A resistor limits current in a path. Beside our LED it helps protect the light from too much current. Its resistance is measured in ohms. Look for a small body with two legs and coloured bands; match its labelled value to the mission. A resistor can face either way. Values such as 1 kΩ and 10 kΩ are different: k means one thousand. Keep the specified value. LED or light emitting diode. An LED turns electrical energy into light and works in one direction. We use it to show what a circuit is doing. An untrimmed ordinary LED often has a longer anode leg and a shorter cathode leg. A flat rim often marks the cathode. Confirm polarity with the part card if legs are trimmed. Use the mission's resistor in series; never connect an LED straight across the battery. Pause and point to the part that will do the main job in this mission. If it is missing or looks different, ask a grown-up before building.
These are reference names, not extra requirements for this build. Explore only if the part is in your kit and its instructions match.
A capacitor stores electrical charge and can release it. In circuits it can help smooth changes or create short timing effects.
It may look like a little cylinder or disc. Match its printed value and the supplied card.
Some have + and - polarity and a voltage limit. Our tiny-timer project remains held for review; do not improvise a battery test.
Locate its value and polarity on the card without connecting it.
A diode allows current much more easily in one direction. An LED is a diode that also produces light.
An ordinary diode often has a stripe at the cathode end; confirm with its part card.
Use a mission approved for the exact part. A diode is not a substitute for an LED resistor.
Compare the drawing of a diode and an LED: which one is designed to glow?
An IC puts many tiny electronic parts inside one package. The Uno microcontroller is an IC that follows our program.
Find the marked chip package on the Uno without removing it.
Do not pull chips from the board. Different ICs have different jobs and pin arrangements.
Point to the Uno board and the smaller chip on it: they are not the same object.
WHAT YOU'LL USE
Kit list: match the named parts to your box and its component cards. Home list: gather these before starting; some may also be supplied in your kit. Reuse components between missions. Stop and ask a grown-up if an essential part or label is missing.
BEFORE YOU BUILD
Keep the 9V battery disconnected. Find the LED long leg (+), short leg (-) and flat edge. Match E15 and F15 in the diagram before power.
YOUR REWARD
PREDICT BEFORE YOU BEGIN
What do you think will happen? Say it, point to it or draw it. Then test your idea.
YOUR CHALLENGE
NEW POWER-UP
Trace a complete path and identify LED polarity.
You already know: This is your starting point. New power-up: complete circuits, LED direction and safe current This prepares you for: changing brightness with resistance
Each coloured strip is one connected group. Different numbered rows stay separate. This explains the board; use the mission’s exact connection reference for component positions. Check rail breaks on your supplied board.
CONNECTION MAP
BUILD PATH
STEP 1 OF 7
Face the breadboard exactly like the diagram, with row numbers running left to right.
A video demonstration will appear here when it is ready. You can follow the written step now.
Face the breadboard exactly like the diagram, with row numbers running left to right.
WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING?
Electricity needs a complete path. The resistor slows the current to protect the LED. The LED changes electrical energy into light, but it works only in the correct direction.
Indicator lights on chargers, appliances, cars and control panels use the same basic idea.
FAIR-TEST CHALLENGE
Change one feature, keep the rest the same and repeat your comparison.
WHEN IT DOESN'T WORK YET
Likely cause: LED backwards, loose wire or open path
Try this first: Disconnect power, turn the LED around, then trace every join.
Likely cause: Both legs may be in the same strip
Try this first: Move one leg to a different connected strip.
Likely cause: Possible short circuit
Try this first: Disconnect immediately and ask an adult to inspect the path.
CLEAN, RESET AND STORE
Switch off and disconnect all power. Let moving parts stop. Put the parts back in their kit compartments.
NEXT SKILL
Compare resistance without changing every part.