Beginner Electronics - 10 - Bread Boards

Summary

In this electronics tutorial, Gautam Ord introduces viewers to the basics of breadboards, essential tools for circuit building. He explains the structure of breadboards, highlighting the connected holes and power rails. A practical demonstration follows, where Gautam recreates a circuit from a previous episode on a breadboard, connecting a 9-volt battery to an LED with a resistor. The video serves as a beginner's guide to understanding and using breadboards for electronic prototyping.

Takeaways

• 😀 The video is an educational tutorial focused on breadboards, a fundamental tool in electronics.
• 🔌 Breadboards are important for creating and testing circuits due to their ability to hold components and wires securely.
• 📏 The script explains that breadboards have holes connected in specific ways to allow for circuit creation, with power rails and internal metal strips facilitating connections.
• 🟢🔴 The power rails, typically red and blue, are long metal strips that connect all holes in a row, allowing for continuous power supply across the breadboard.
• 🔹 The main part of the breadboard consists of rows with five holes each, which are connected internally, facilitating the creation of circuits.
• 🔄 The upper and lower sections of the breadboard are separate, meaning components plugged into the top and bottom rows are not interconnected.
• 🔋 The tutorial demonstrates how to build a circuit on a breadboard, starting with connecting a 9-volt battery to the power rails.
• 💡 The LED's longer lead is connected to the positive rail, and a resistor is used to limit the current, highlighting the importance of correct component orientation and placement.
• 🔗 Wires are used to connect the LED and resistor to complete the circuit, emphasizing the role of wires in bridging connections on a breadboard.
• ✨ The video concludes with a successful demonstration of an LED lighting up, showcasing the practical application of breadboard circuitry.
• 📚 The presenter encourages viewers to ask questions in the comments, emphasizing the importance of understanding breadboards for electronic prototyping.

Q & A

What is the main focus of this electronics tutorial?

The main focus of this electronics tutorial is to teach about breadboards, their importance, and how they work.

What is a breadboard and why is it important in electronics?

A breadboard is a versatile and reusable device used in electronics for prototyping and testing circuits. It's important because it allows for easy and quick assembly and modification of circuits without soldering.

How are the holes in a breadboard connected?

The holes in a breadboard are connected in specific ways. The power rails (or buses) at the top and bottom are connected across their entire length, while the central part of the breadboard has rows of five holes connected internally, with these rows separated from each other.

What are the power rails on a breadboard and how are they used?

The power rails on a breadboard are long metal strips that run along the top and bottom edges of the board. They are used to provide power to the circuit, often by connecting the positive and negative terminals of a battery or power supply.

How does the presenter demonstrate the connection of wires on the power rails?

The presenter demonstrates by connecting a 9-volt battery to the breadboard, with the positive terminal inserted into the red rail and the negative terminal into the blue rail, showing that wires in these holes are connected.

What is the significance of the color coding (red and blue) on the power rails?

The color coding (red and blue) on the power rails typically indicates polarity, with red often representing the positive rail and blue representing the negative rail, helping to avoid confusion when connecting power sources.

How does the presenter ensure the LED lights up in the circuit?

The presenter ensures the LED lights up by correctly connecting the longer lead of the LED to the positive rail, the shorter lead to a row on the breadboard, and a resistor to manage the current, completing the circuit with a wire to the negative rail.

What is the purpose of the resistor in the circuit demonstrated in the tutorial?

The purpose of the resistor in the circuit is to limit the current flowing through the LED, preventing it from drawing too much power and potentially burning out.

How does the presenter suggest using breadboards for circuit prototyping?

The presenter suggests using breadboards for prototyping by demonstrating how to easily build and modify circuits without the need for soldering, allowing for quick testing and iteration of electronic designs.

What is the advice given by the presenter for viewers who have questions about breadboards?

The presenter encourages viewers to leave their questions in the comments section of the video, indicating a willingness to engage with the audience and provide further clarifications.

Outlines

00:00

🔌 Introduction to Breadboards

In this segment, Gautam Ord introduces the topic of breadboards, emphasizing their importance in electronics. He invites viewers to ask questions in the comments section and previews a circuit rebuild from a previous episode. A diagram is presented to explain the structure of a breadboard, highlighting the interconnected holes that facilitate circuit creation. The power rails, or buses, are described as long metal strips that run along the top and bottom edges of the breadboard, connecting all holes in their respective rows. This allows for easy connection of wires to a power source, such as a battery. The main body of the breadboard, which contains rows of five holes each, is also explained, noting that these holes are connected in a way that enables the creation of circuits. The video aims to clarify the layout and functionality of breadboards for viewers, with a focus on their practical use in building electronic circuits.

05:00

🔩 Building Circuits with Breadboards

This part of the script details the process of building a circuit using a breadboard. The presenter explains the layout of the breadboard, focusing on the power rails and the rows of five holes that are connected. He demonstrates how to connect a 9-volt battery to the breadboard by inserting the positive terminal into the red rail and the negative terminal into the blue rail. The assembly of an LED with a resistor is then shown, with the longer lead of the LED connected to the positive rail and the shorter lead placed in a regular row. A resistor is added to the circuit, connected to the LED and spanning across to another row. Finally, a pre-cut wire is used to complete the circuit by connecting the resistor to the negative rail, resulting in the LED lighting up. The presenter encourages viewers to ask questions about breadboards, highlighting their utility in prototyping electronic projects.

Keywords

💡Breadboard

A breadboard is a solderless board used for prototyping electronic circuits. It allows users to easily insert components such as resistors, LEDs, and wires without the need for soldering. In the video, the presenter explains how breadboards work and their importance in electronics. They demonstrate building a circuit on a breadboard, highlighting its utility for creating and testing electronic designs.

💡Holes

Holes on a breadboard are the individual slots where wires or electronic components can be inserted. They are connected in specific ways to allow for the creation of circuits. The script mentions that these holes are connected in groups of five, which is a fundamental concept in understanding how to use a breadboard effectively.

💡Power Rails

Power rails, also known as buses, are the long metal strips on the sides of a breadboard. They are used to distribute power across the entire board. The script explains that the positive rail is typically red and the negative rail is blue, and they are used to connect the battery to the circuit.

💡Wires

Wires are used to connect components on a breadboard. They are inserted into the holes and can be used to link different parts of a circuit. The video script describes how wires are used to connect the battery, LED, and resistor in the demonstration circuit.

💡LED

An LED, or light-emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when an electric current passes through it. In the video, the presenter demonstrates how to connect an LED to a breadboard, emphasizing that the longer lead should be connected to the positive power rail.

💡Resistor

A resistor is an electronic component that limits the flow of current in a circuit. The script mentions using a resistor in conjunction with an LED to prevent too much current from flowing and potentially damaging the LED.

💡Circuit

A circuit is a closed loop through which electric current flows. The video script describes building a simple circuit on a breadboard, which includes a battery, LED, and resistor, to demonstrate the basic principles of electronic circuits.

💡Battery

A battery is a device that provides electrical power by converting stored chemical energy into electrical energy. In the context of the video, a 9-volt battery is used as the power source for the circuit built on the breadboard.

💡Battery Holder

A battery holder is a device used to securely hold a battery and provide access to its terminals. The script mentions using a 9-volt battery holder to easily connect the battery to the breadboard.

💡Connections

Connections refer to the way components are linked together on a breadboard. The video explains how every five holes in a row are connected, and how the power rails connect along the length of the breadboard, which is crucial for understanding how to build functional circuits.

💡Prototype

A prototype is an early model of a product used to test concepts and feasibility. The video script discusses how breadboards are essential for prototyping electronic circuits, allowing for the testing of ideas and designs before committing to a final product.

Highlights

Introduction to breadboards and their importance in electronics.

Invitation for viewers to ask questions in the comments section.

Explanation of how to rebuild a circuit from a previous tutorial on a breadboard.

Visual representation of a breadboard and its components.

Description of the connectivity of holes in a breadboard.

Explanation of power rails and their function in a breadboard.

Detail on how power rails connect holes across the entire length of the breadboard.

Clarification on the separation of power rails and their independent connections.

Discussion on the main part of the breadboard and its five-hole connection pattern.

Emphasis on the separation of the upper and lower sections of the breadboard.

Instruction on how to connect a battery to a breadboard using power rails.

Demonstration of connecting an LED to a breadboard.

Explanation of the necessity of a resistor when connecting an LED.

Step-by-step guide on assembling a circuit on a breadboard.

Completion of the circuit and the lighting of the LED.

Comparison of the breadboard method to previous methods, highlighting its cleanliness and efficiency.

Encouragement for viewers to become familiar with breadboards for electronic prototyping.

Transcripts

what's going on everyone my name is

Gautam Ord welcome back to electronics

episode 10 in this episode we are going

to learn all about bread boards bread

boards are really really important to

understand so if you have any questions

whatsoever throughout this tutorial

leave them down below in the comments

and at the end of this video we are even

going to rebuild the circuit that we

built in episode 8 on the breadboard so

stay tuned here I have an image that

represents a breadboard now you already

saw a breadboard in the previous video

so if you forget what it looked like go

back to that video and you can check it

out and this is just kind of a quick

diagram basically all of these little

circles here are little holes that you

can input a wire into you can plug a

wire into each one of the little holes

on the breadboard now these holes are

connected in specific ways that allow

you to create circuits first let's take

a look at the power rails basically this

area up here and the breadboard in this

area down here these are called power

rails or buses and they're basically

really long strips of metal so what I

mean by that is the power rail up here

basically all of these holes that I'm

highlighting in green all of those holes

throughout the whole entire breadboard

are all connected to each other that

means if I plug a wire into this hole

and I plug a wire into this hole they're

basically on the same wire because

there's a metal piece connecting all of

these holes together so that would make

a connection these two wires in these

two holes would be connected to each

other and that goes the same for the row

below all of these holes that I'm

highlighting are also connected to each

other so if we plugged a hole or a

plugged a wire into here and into here

they're connected to each other they

make a connection but these two rails

are separate because if we plug a wire

into this hole right here and we also

plug a wire into this hole those two

wires are not connected they are not

connected because remember only this row

up here are connected to each other and

this row down here are connected to each

other that's the only things that those

holes are connected with and it works

the exact same for the power rail or bus

down and this end too so basically on

the edges of almost every breadboard not

all of them but almost every breadboard

you have power rails that

basically extend down the whole board

connecting all of those holes and that's

generally where you plug in your battery

source so generally you would plug in

the positive terminal of your battery

here and the negative terminal of your

battery right here that way you can get

power throughout the whole length of

your breadboard

all right now let's talk about the part

that you're really going going to be

using a lot and that is this main part

of the breadboard here these two rows of

a bunch of holes most breadboards like

this one and the ones that I'm going to

be using have five holes in every row

like so as you can see basically every

five holes are connected so these five

holes right here are all connected these

five holes right here they're all

connected as well these five holes are

all connected these five holes are all

connected and it goes like that all the

way down in rows these five holes right

these five holes right here etc however

these two sections this upper section

right here and this lower section are

separate from each other so if I plugged

a wire into this hole right here and I

plugged a wire into this hole right here

they are not connected however if I

plugged a wire into this hole right here

and a wire into this hole right here

they are connected so basically every

five holes in a little row like this

they're connected by a little metal

strip within the breadboard so any wires

you plug into them will be connected on

the other hand if you try connecting

wires the opposite way so we plug a wire

into this hole and we plug a wire into

this hole right here they are not

connected because these middle areas are

only connected in rows that go extend up

and down like so I really hope that I'm

making this clear I know I'm not the

best explainer when it comes to physical

objects like a breadboard

I hope I'm explaining it good enough

basically every five holes are connected

by a little metal strip so anything you

plug into them will be on the same wire

pretty much and the power rails extend

for the length of the breadboard and

they have a long metal strip within the

breadboard as well again I hope I made

that clear if you have any questions

whatsoever please let me know down below

in the comments now let's move on to the

actual circuit building on a breadboard

we actually build a circuit on a

breadboard all right so now that we know

exactly how a breadboard is laid out and

how they kind of work let's build the

same circuit that we did in tutorial

eight on the breadboard here I have a

9-volt battery connected to a 9-volt

battery holder which basically just

gives me the two leads off of it I have

my breadboard here my LED and my

resistor as well as a couple of wires

just in case I'm going to need them so

as you can see on this specific

breadboard we have two power rails on

basically either side one is marked red

and one of the smart blue and on this

particular breadboard and our most

breadboards these power rails run the

metal strips all the way down them like

we've already explained whereas these

little rows going up and down just these

tiny little rows of five little holes

are connected to each other and they're

separated on both sides so these five

are different from these five right here

I've already explained how these

breadboards are laid out it's just a

little while until you begin to make

sense of how all these connections go

now because these power rails are meant

for power I'm going to plug my battery

right on into there the positive

terminal of my 9-volt battery is going

to go into the red rail and the negative

terminal of my 9-volt battery is going

to go into the negative rail or the blue

rail hair on my breadboard like so I'm

going to zoom in just a bit so that we

can see everything a bit more clearly so

now we have essentially the positive

terminal of my battery connected to this

far rail right here up running up and

down and the negative terminal of my

battery connected to this nearer rail

right here running up and down the

breadboard next I'm going to insert my

LED remember the longer lead always gets

connected to positive so I'm going to

take my LED here I'm going to stick the

longer lead right on into the positive

rail as you can see and I'm going to

stick the other lead into one of the

holes on one of the regular rows on the

breadboard if I rotate this a little bit

you'll see that the longer lead is

connected to the positive terminal and

the other lead is just connected to one

of the rows on the breadboard now of

course this LED is going to need a

resistor so I'm going to take my

resistor as well I'm just going to bend

the leads a little bit I'm going to

attach it to in this case my negative

terminal of my LED and I'm just going to

turn it around and I'm just going to pop

it into another set of five holes on my

breadboard here

rrrow like so hopefully you are able to

see that maybe if I focus a bit more

there we go the LED is connected or I'm

sorry the resistor is connected to the

LED and then it ranges over and it's

really hard to see and I really

apologize for that as you can see it

runs into this row right here as well

now to complete our circuit I'm just

going to use one of my fancy little

breadboard wires here pre-cut and pre

stripped for me and I'm going to attach

to the same row as the resistor here so

I'm just going to plug that into the

same rail and I should be able to plug

this into the negative terminal row like

so and if it'll stay in there we have

our LED lighting up so this is the same

circuit that we created in episode 8

except look at that it's much more

cleaner we didn't have to use any clips

or hold anything with our fingers it's

sitting there and it's working now again

I really apologize if you can't see the

wires too too well so if you have any

questions whatsoever on breadboards

please leave them down below in the

comments because bread boards are your

friend you really need to get used to

using them and how they're laid out so

now that we know about bread boards were

able to prototype almost anything

electronic that we want so let's

continue on with this tutorial series

thanks for watching everyone else see

you guys in the next tutorial