The calendar below provides information on the lecture and lab sessions for the course.
| week # | lectures | labs | topics | new components and applications | key dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lab 1: Course Introduction | Course Mechanics Goals of Subject Safety Orientation Fundamental Notions Current is flow of discrete charges Voltage is a measure of the (potential) energy of each charge Ohm's Law Voltage and Current Dividers Kirchoff's Voltage and Current Laws |
New Components Power Supply Banana Cables and Alligator Clips DMM White Protoboard Applications Scaling Signals |
Homework 1 out | |
| 2 | Lec 1: Resistors and Diodes | Lab 2: Resistors and Diodes | Power Dissipation Resistors, Color Code, Power Rating Discuss diodes as one-way valves, introduce voltage drop Demonstrate exceeding the current limit on an LED! How to specify current-limiting resistors for diodes Note that reversed LEDs in parallel indicate the direction of current flow Three-pin Regulator (7805) |
New Components Resistors (show resistors of same value but different power ratings) LEDs Potentiometers 78xx Series Voltage Regulators Applications Indicators Power Supplies |
Homework 2 out Homework 1 due |
| 3 | Lec 2: Switches, Rectifiers and Function Generators | Lab 3: Bridge Circuits | Discuss Switches DPDT Knife Switch as to make AC "square" wave from DC Introduce Bridge Rectifier |
New Components DPDT Knife Switch Function Generator Oscilloscope 9V Cell Applications Rectifiers for AC-to-DC Conversion |
Homework 3 out Homework 2 due |
| 4-5 | Lec 3: Capacitors Lec 4: RC Circuits |
Lab 4: Oscilloscopes and Capacitors Lab 5: Filters |
Introduce Capacitors Water Analogy to Storage Tank Describe their Composition Discuss Charge Storage and E-field State q = CV and E = CV2/2 Derive differential equations for RC and show exponentials are solutions |
New Components Capacitors Applications Filters for: Ripple, Noise Removal, Sig. Detection, Equalization Regulated Power Supply |
Homework 3 due |
| 6 | Lec 5: Relays and Transistors | Lab 6: Relays and Transistors |
Electromechanical Relay How it works Specifications for Driving Coil State need for Flyback Diode Motors and their operation Bipolar Transistors as switches NPN only, properties under No Bias Linear Regime Saturation |
New Components DC Motor E-M Relay NPN Transistor Applications Control of Lighting, Motion, the Universe, and Everything |
Homework 4 out |
| 7 | Lec 6: Op-Amps | Lab 7: Op-Amps |
Op-Amps Golden Rules Analyze Inverting Amp Discuss Behavior Near Rails Some Limits on Applicability of Golden Rules Comparators Rules of Operation Inverting Circuit Non-Inverting |
New Components 741 Op-Amp as Amplifier 741 Op-Amp as Comparator Applications Signal Conditioning, etc. |
Homework 4 due |
| 8 | Lec 7: Flip-Flops and the 555 Timer Circuit | Lab 8: 555 Timer Circuit | 555 Timers |
New Components 555 Timer |
|
| 9 | Lec 8: Final Project Overview | Lab 9: Sensors | CdS Cells as Sensors |
New Components CdS Cell Applications Many Robotic and Electro-mechanical Applications! |
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| 10 | Lec 9: Final Project Concepts | ||||
| 11-14 | Final Projects | Final Projects | Final Presentation |