Basic Electronics Review

B. Furman
28JAN2014

Learning Objectives

Items to focus on this week

Explain in simple terms what is meant by:

Lab 1
PortMaster build
HW 1 and Questionnaire due Thursday
Term Project overview
Voltage
Current
Ground
Resistor, Capacitor, Inductor
Impedance
Power

Determine equivalent series and parallel impedances

Explain the significance of a voltage divider
Derive an expression for the impedance of a capacitor

Mechatronics Concept Map

Power
Source

User
Interface

ME 106
ME 120

Controller
ME 106

(Hardware & Software)

Power
Interface
INTEGRATION

ME 106
ME 154
ME 157
ME 195

Signal
Conditioning

ME 106
ME 190
ME 187

ME 106
ME 120

Actuator
Sensor
System to
Control

ME 110 ME 182
ME 136 ME 189
ME 154 ME 195
ME 157

ME 120
ME 297A

BJ Furman 22JAN11

Lab 1 Intro to the Mechatronics Lab

Read and
prepare
Take the pre-lab
quiz

PortMaster
Solder practice
Bit manipulation
and port IO
learning

HW 1 and Questionnaire
When are they due?
Hard and softcopy

Term Project Overview

Video sample of previous projects

Key Concepts

Voltage
Ground
Current
Resistor
Capacitor
Inductor
Impedance
Power

Take out a sheet of paper

Explain the concepts in
terms that a 6th grader
could understand
First, work on your own,
then, introduce yourself to
someone you have NOT
met yet, and share your
answers.

Basic Electronics Review - 1

Voltage put it in terms that a 6th grader could understand

Pressure

Pressure on electric charge (e-). Units are in Volts

Urges charge to flow
Measured relative to a reference pressure level

An across quantity we measure it across two points (Dont say the

voltage through)
A

High pressure

R1

R2

Vi

Low pressure

R3
D

Voltage source acts like a

pump
Ground is often taken as the
low pressure point, but any
point could be taken as
ground
ex. VAD = Vi = -VDA

Basic Electronics Review - 2

Current put it in terms that a 6th grader could understand

Flow

Flow of electric charge (e-). Units are in Amps

The response of charge to applied voltage
Need a complete circuit for current to flow

A through quantity we measure it through an element

A

High pressure

R1

R2

Vi

I
Low pressure

C
R3

We will assume
conventional current flow
positive charges flow out of
the + terminal and return to
the - terminal

Basic Electronics Review - 3

Resistor put it in terms that a 6th grader could understand

Flow restriction (causes a pressure (voltage) drop across it), an

impedance

Drinking a milkshake through a straw

Small diameter straw high resistance

Causes large pressure drop
Large diameter straw low resistance
Causes small pressure drop

Units are in Ohms

Dissipates power in heat!

A
High pressure

R1

R2

Vi

Low pressure

R3
D

Basic Electronics Review - 4

Ohms Law (know it cold!)

V=I*R

A relationship between current and voltage for a resistor

The slope of the V-I line

The voltage drop across a resistor is proportional to the current
through it

V
I

V,volts

R
I, Amps

R
increasing

Basic Electronics Review - 5

Original Circuit
A
Vi

Equivalent Circuit
A

R1

+
R2

Vi

Req

R3

Basic Electronics Review - 6

Power (units are in Watts)

P

= I2R = (V/R)2R = V2/R

P = I2R = I2(V/I) = IV

Note: can calculate the

power required for any
circuit by measuring I and
V and taking their product

Any circuit
A

R1

R2

Vi

C
R3
D

Capacitor

Capacitor put it in terms that a 6th grader could

understand

Accumulator, water tank

Pressure storage. Stores energy in an electric field

Voltage across the leads takes time to build up. Units of capacitance
are Farads

V
+

V A sin(t ) A sin( 2ft )

dV
d ( A sin(2ft )
iC
C
2fCA cos(2ft )

dt
dt

Q CV
dQ
dV
iC
dt
dt
1
V idt
C
1
E CV 2
2

Inductor

Inductor put it in terms that a 6th grader could

understand

Flywheel, merry-go-round

An inertia. Stores energy in a magnetic field

Tries to oppose changes in current flow. Units of inductance are
Henrys

i A sin(t ) A sin( 2ft )

di
V L
dt
1
i Vdt
L
1 2
E Li
2

di
d ( A sin( 2ft )
V L L
2fLA cos(2ft )

dt
dt

The Voltage Divider

Consider two resistances in series
What is VA in terms of

Vi,

R1 and R2
Vi

R1

VA
R2

So what? Why is this important?

Voltage divider effect occurs whenever one circuit is

connected to another

Voltage dividers can be used to set a voltage level

somewhere between a given supply voltage and ground

If significant current is desired, it is better to use a power supply

or voltage regulator