Unit 4: Read a Sensor

In this unit you are going to connect a potentiometer to the arduino and measure the value that the Arduino is reading from it.

Connect the potentiometer to the Arduino as shown in this diagram:

Here is a photo showing the same thing:

In the Arduino software, click on File, Examples, Basics, AnalogReadSerial

Upload the program to your Arduino, and then click on Tools, Serial Monitor:

You will get a small window like this and pretty soon numbers will start running down it.

When you turn the knob on the potentiometer, you should see the numbers change.

That means you have got a sensor working.

The Arduino is measuring the voltage that is coming in on Pin A0 and converting it to a number.

1023 means the voltage is 5V.

You can get the program to print out the actual voltage that is being measured if you like.

To do this load: File, Examples, Basics, ReadAnalogVoltage.

Use the same potentiometer connected to A0. This time you will see the actual voltage being printed on the screen.