Multimeters:
We practiced using multimeters, a very important tool, that will be used throughout electrical enegineering, but really in all engineering classes and projects. With the multimeter we are able to measure current, voltage, and resistance of any object we use it on. The dial settings with the ohm signal measures resistance, the settings with v on them measure voltage, and the settings with A on them measure amps for current. This is helpful when we are testing batteries, to see if the bateries have enough voltage or power to opperate our project we are doing. The voltage always needs to be at least 3V. We practiced creating various diagrams or circuits to practice how to use a mutimeter and how the multimeter can detect a decrease in direct current when a light or fan is using power, but must be at least 3V to start, can drop below this after action began. Also, where we connect the multimeter can effect the amount of votage or power the multimeter reads, because it can be through where the power is being used or not, sometimes all power can be lost. One side is typically connected to the battery or power source, and the other to a ground or another part of the circuit or board. There are even a few places on the board, you should not put the other side of the multimeter because can effect or cause the multimeter to stop working.
Formulas:
We used Ohms Law and Kirchhoff's Law to calculate current, voltage, power, and resistance of a circuit. It can be a general circuit, or parallel or series circuit that we can calculate for. These are the types of measurements multimeters can make on physical objects or circuits, but before we test the circuit in real life, we can use math to test in theory, if the resistance, voltage, and current, and power will be enough to opperate a circuit or a project.
V= voltage, I= current, R= resistance, P= power, T= total
Ohms Law:
V=IxR
I=V/R
R=V/I
Kirchhoff's Laws:
Series Circuits:
Vt= V1 + V2 + V3
It = I1 = I2 = I3
Rt= R1 + R2 + R3
Pt = P1 + P2 + P3
Parallel Circuits:
Vt = V1= V2 = V3
It = I1 + I2 + I3
1/Rt = 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/R3
Pt = P1 + P2 + P3
Practice with Electronics:
We created several different circuits to practice making parallel and series circuits and to start understanding how to use a multimeter. With learning how to use the multimeter, we also learned how different types or how a light or fan can effect how much voltage is in the total circuit. We also learned how different resistors could effect how bright a light was. We created a series circuit for most of the examples and included connecting components, either a fan or a light bulb, two batteries, and sometimes a slide switch and other times resistors. Building these circuits was just to give us a starting basic concept of circuits because they are the basis of electrical enegineering and many other engineering projects.