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 Preface 2 Chapter 3: Resistance 25
3-1 Resistors 26
Chapter 1: Basic Components & Circuits 2
3-2 LEDs 26, 27
1-1 Electricity 3
3-3 The Photoresistor 28
1-2 Wires 4
3-4 Resistors in Series & Parallel 28, 29
1-3 Batteries 5
3-5 Resistance 30
1-4 The Switch 6
3-6 Resistance of Water 31
1-5 The Lamp 6, 7
3-7 Introduction to Logic 32
1-6 The Base Grid 7-9
3-8 Digital Electronics 33
1-7 Series and Parallel Circuits 9-10

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Summary & Quiz 34
1-8 Short Circuits 11
1-9 Solder 11 Chapter 4: Electronic Sound
and Integrated Circuits 35
1-10 Schematics 12
4-1 Electronic Sound 36-38
Summary & Quiz 13
4-2 Whistle Chip 38

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Chapter 2: Motors & Electricity 14 4-3 The ICs in Snap Circuits® 39, 40
2-1 Motors 15, 16 4-4 Description of IC projects 44, 42
2-2 Motor Circuits
2-3 Fuses
2-4 Your Electric Company
2-5 Static Electricity
16-19
19
20, 21
22
O Summary & Quiz

Summary of Components

For Further Reading

42

43, 44

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2-6 Types of Lamps 23
2-7 Types of Switches 23 Glossary 45, 46
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2-8 Electricians 23
Summary & Quiz 24
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The Snap Circuits® project manual includes lots of The Project Manual contains:
useful information in addition to the projects
1. Parts List (partial, continued in second manual)
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themselves, as listed below. The project manual

summarizes much of the lesson in the Student 2. How To Use It - brief description of how to make
Guide while adding troubleshooting information. connections and understand the circuit
drawings.
Much of the text in all chapters is color-coded
3. About Your Snap Circuits® Parts - brief
green and blue so that instructors can easily adapt
description of what each component does
the course based on the skills and interests of the
(partial, continued in second manual).
students. The orange boxes are more advanced
material while the brown boxes are considered 4. DO’s and DON’Ts of Building Circuits - brief
additional/background material, either can but important guidelines for building circuits
generally be omitted without a significant impact on (additional guidelines are in second manual).
the course. 5. Basic & Advanced Troubleshooting -
systematic testing procedure for identifying
damaged parts (continued in second manual).
6. Project Listing
7. Projects 1-101

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This booklet is an introduction to the exciting world and so some basic knowledge of it is good for
of electronics. Following the “Learn by Doing®” everyone. Learning about it teaches how to do
concept, electronics will be easy to understand by scientific investigation, and the projects develop
using Snap Circuits® to actually build circuits as you basic skills needed in today's world.
learn about them. This booklet emphasizes the The first pages of the Snap Circuits® project
practical applications of electronics, without manuals contain a brief description of the parts in
bogging down in mathematics. Snap Circuits®, along with brief guidelines for
Why learn about electronics? Electronics plays an building circuits.
important and increasing role in our everyday lives,

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What is electricity? Nobody really knows. We only Electricity is energy that can be used to
know how to produce it, understand its properties, save us effort (electric toothbrushes and
and how to control it. It can be created by chemistry dishwashers), heat things (electric heaters and

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(batteries), magnetism (generators), light (solar microwave ovens), make light (light bulbs), and
cells), friction (rubbing a sweater), and pressure send information (radio and television). But
(piezoelectric crystals). electricity can also be dangerous if abused (electric

O shock).
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Microwave
Batteries
Oven
Electric
Generator Toothbrush
Dishwasher
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Electric
Light Bulb Heater
Radio
Rubbing a Sweater

Piezoelectric
Crystal
Solar Cells

In this section you will learn about basic electrical

components and circuits. By building circuits using
Snap Circuits®, you will begin to understand the Television
Electric Shock
electrical world.
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1. Draw a schematic for a circuit that consists of Chapter 1 Practice Problems
three lamps powered by a battery. 1. The flow of electricity is measured in ___________.
A. gallons B. minutes C. amperes D. volts
2. For each room in your home, make a
schematic drawing showing how the lamps and 2. To turn on a switch, you ___________ it.
switches controlling them are connected A. voltage B. open C. pressurize D. close
together. 3. Three of the choices below are the same circuit with
the parts arranged in different ways. Which choice
is a different circuit?

A B

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Summary of Chapter 1:

1. The electric current is a measure of how

much electricity is flowing in a wire, and is
expressed in Amperes.

2. The voltage is a measure of the electric

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pressure exerted into a wire or circuit by a
battery or other power source, and is
expressed in volts.
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3. Switches are used to turn on or turn off the

flow of electricity in a circuit.
4. Which of these is a short circuit?
4. A light bulb converts electricity into light.
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A B
5. Most electronic products have components
mounted on circuit boards with the wires
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literally printed on the board surface.

6. Electrical circuits are all combinations of

series and parallel configurations.

7. A short circuit is a no-resistance path

C D
across a power source, and causes
damage to components and batteries.

8. Solder is a special metal that is melted to

make solid electrical connections.

9. Schematics are engineering drawings of

circuits using symbols. Answers: 1. C, 2. D, 3. D, 4. C

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In this chapter you will learn about generators and are used to efficiently transport this
motors. A generator uses mechanical motion to energy to homes and businesses where it is
create electricity and a motor uses electricity to used. Motors convert the electricity back into
create mechanical motion. This statement may not mechanical form to drive machinery and
seem important to you but it is actually the foundation appliances. The most important aspect of
of our present society. Nearly all of the electricity electricity in our society - more important than the
used in our world is produced at enormous benefits of the Internet - is that it allows energy to
generators driven by steam or water pressure. Wires be easily transported over distances.

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Note that “distances” includes not just large large because we can’t make water pipes so small.
distances but also tiny distances. Try to imagine a Electricity allows complex designs to be made very
plumbing structure of the same complexity as the small.
circuitry inside a portable radio - it would have to be

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Water flowing under pressure in a pipe or a fast-
moving stream can be used to turn a
paddlewheel. If the paddlewheel was linked to a
fan blade then you could use the water pressure
to turn the fan, perhaps to cool yourself on a hot
day. If the water was flowing very fast due to high
pressure, then you could get the fan moving fast
enough it might create a strong airflow like a
propeller on a plane.

A similar thing happens in a motor, with electricity

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instead of water. A motor converts electricity into
mechanical motion.

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Snap Circuits® includes one motor, shown here with its
symbol. Snap Circuits® also includes a fan, which is O
used with the motor. An electric current in the motor will
turn the shaft and the motor blades, and the fan blade
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if it is on the motor.
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Motor Symbol Motor (M1) Fan Blade

How does electricity turn the shaft in the motor? The answer is
magnetism. Electricity is closely related to magnetism, and an
electric current flowing in a wire has a magnetic field similar to that
of a very, very tiny magnet. Inside the motor is a coil of wire with Consider this circuit (which is project 2):
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many loops wrapped around metal plates. This is called an

electromagnet. If a large electric current flows through the loops, it
will turn ordinary metal into a magnet. The motor shell also has a
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magnet on it. When electricity flows through the electromagnet, it

repells from the magnet on the motor shell and the shaft spins. If
the fan is on the motor shaft then its blades will create airflow.
Power Contacts

Magnet

Shell

Shaft
When the switch is on, current flows
from the batteries through the motor
making it spin. The fan blades will
force air to move past the motor. Be
Electromagnet careful not to touch the motor or fan
when it is spinning at high speed.

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Consider this circuit (which is project 98): Pure water (like distilled water) has very high
resistance, but drinking water has impurities mixed
in that lower the resistance. What would happen if
salt was added to the cup and dissolved in the
water?

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If the loose ends of the jumper wires are placed
into a cup of water, an alarm will sound. The circuit

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can be used as a water detector. The tone
depends on your local water supply. If more water
were added to the cup, the tone would change
slightly. Note that this circuit uses the alarm IC
(U2) and the speaker (SP), which you will learn
about in chapter 4. O Dissolving salt in water decreases the resistance of
the water, so the tone of the alarm is louder and
faster. It could be used as a salt-water detector.
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Integrated circuits are used in most electronic parts described in the preceding chapters, such as
products; there are probably more than a thousand the whistle chip and photoresistor. Here is a short
throughout your home. The range and uses of ICs description of each, the project manuals explain
available is hard to imagine. them in more detail:
Although Snap Circuits® contains only five IC Suggested Projects: 38, 51, 58, 61, 81, and
modules, more than half of the projects use at least 83.
one. There are many more examples of using the

Project 3: Uses the music IC with the Projects 40-44: Uses the motor and music IC
whistle chip as a vibration to control the alarm IC siren

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sensor. sounds.
Project 4: Uses the music IC with the Project 45: Uses the photoresistor,
whistle chip as a vibration music IC, and alarm IC to
sensor. control an LED.

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Project 10: Combines the sound effects of Project 46: Makes one of the alarm IC
the music and space war ICs. siren sounds.
Project 15:
Project 16:
Project 17:
Uses the music IC as a doorbell.
Uses the music IC as an alarm.
Makes one of the alarm IC siren
sounds.
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Project 52:
The alarm IC uses the
photoresistor to sense
reflections from a lamp.
The alarm IC uses the
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photoresistor to sense
Project 18: Makes one of the alarm IC siren reflections from a lamp.
sounds.
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Project 53: Sound and light controlled by

Project 19: This is the standard circuit using the alarm IC.
the space war IC. Project 54: Uses the alarm IC to control
Projects 20-21: This uses the photoresistor with the space war IC.
the space war IC.
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Project 58: Uses the music IC to control

Projects 22-26: Uses the photoresistor and the alarm IC, with additional
music IC to control the alarm IC control from the whistle chip
siren sounds. and photoresistor. Also
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shows how some parts can

Projects 27-31: Uses the whistle chip and music be used as wires.
IC to control the alarm IC siren
sounds. Project 60: Uses the alarm and space
war ICs to control the motor.
Projects 32-33: Uses the whistle chip and music
IC to control the space war IC. Projects 61-65: The alarm IC makes sound
with the whistle chip;
Projects 34-35: Uses the motor and music IC to loudness is controlled by the
control the space war IC. photoresistor.
Projects 36-37: Uses the motor and alarm IC to Project 66: Uses the space war IC in a
control the space war IC. mind-reading game.
Projects 38-39: Uses the alarm IC to control the Project 67: Uses the space war IC in a
music IC. An example of a mind-reading game.
periodic (repeating) signal.

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Project 68: Combines the sound effects of
the music and space war ICs.

Project 69: Combines the sound effects of Summary of Chapter 4:

the alarm and space war ICs. 1. A speaker uses a changing electrical signal to
make variations in air pressure.
Project 70: Uses the alarm IC as a water
2. All sounds are variations in air pressure that
detector.
your ears feel.
Projects 71-76: Use either the photoresistor, 3. Frequency measures how fast something
whistle chip, or motor to occurs, and is expressed in Hertz.
control a light using the 4. Audio refers to the range of frequencies that
music IC. can be heard by human ears.

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Project 77: Uses the alarm and space 5. Integrated Circuits are miniature circuits with
war ICs to control a light. many transistors, resistors, capacitors, and
wires all made on a semiconductor base.
Project 78: Makes an AND gate with the 6. The ICs in Snap Circuits® are modules
music IC. containing specialized integrated circuits and

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supporting parts that are always needed with
Project 79: Combines effects from the them.
music and alarm ICs.

Projects 81-82:

Project 83:
Allows you to DRAW an
activator for the alarm IC.

Effects from the music and

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alarm ICs are combined in Chapter 4 Practice Problems
several different ways. 1. Which of the following has the highest frequency?
A. A stoplight repeating its green-yellow-red cycle.
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Projects 84-85: Sound effects from the music B. The minutes hand on a clock passing twelve
and alarm ICs are combined o’clock.
with the motor (in most C. Your birthday.
manuals). D. The wipers sweeping across the windshield of a
car while driving in the rain.
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Project 86: Effects from the music and 2. The following parts can be built into an integrated
alarm ICs are combined in circuit except:
several different ways. A. Diodes
B. Switches
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Project 87: Makes a fun sound with the C. Resistors

space war IC. D. Transistors
3. Which of these electrical products is least likely to
Project 88: Makes fun sounds by have an integrated circuit in it?
controlling the space war IC A. Lamp
with the motor. B. Garage door opener
C. Car
Projects 89-91: The photoresistor and D. Radio
whistle chip are used to
4. Which of the following are advantages of integrated
control the space war IC.
circuits?
A. Size
Projects 92-97: Uses water to control the B. Reliability
space war IC in various ways. C. Cost
D. All of the above
Projects 98-101: Uses the alarm IC to make a
water alarm in several ways. Answers: 1. D, 2. B, 3. A, 4. D

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 Wire Connection of other components. Various

Battery Produce electrical voltage using a chemical reaction. 1

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Switch Connects or disconnects parts in a circuit. 2

Lamp Make light from electricity. 1

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Printed Circuit
–

–
Board

Solder
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Used for mounting and connection of components.

Special metal that is melted to make solid electrical

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none
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connections.
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Motor Make mechanical motion from electricity. 1

– Fuse Used to shut off a circuit when excessive current is 0

drawn.
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Resistor Limits and controls the flow of electricity in a circuit. 1

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Photo Resistor Light-sensitive resistor. 1

LED A one-way, low-current lamp. 1

Speaker Make sound from electricity, has low resistance. 1

Whistle Chip Make sound from electricity, has high resistance. 1

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Light Emitting Diode A diode made from gallium Resistor Components used to control
arsenide that has a turn-on the flow of electricity in a
energy so high that light is circuit.
generated when current flows Schematic A drawing of an electrical
through it. circuit that uses symbols for
Lightning A discharge of static electricity all the components.
between a cloud and the ground. Semiconductor A material that has more
Lightning Rod A metal rod between the roof resistance than conductors
and ground, used to protect but less than insulators. It is
houses from lightning. used to construct diodes,
transistors, and integrated
Magnetic Field The region of magnetic circuits.

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attraction or repulsion around
a magnet or an AC current. Series Circuit When electrical components
are connected one after the
Magnetism A force of attraction between other.
certain metals. Electric
currents also have magnetic Short Circuit When wires from different
properties. parts of a circuit (or different

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circuits) connect accidentally.
Milli (m) A prefix used in the metric
system. It means a Solder A tin-lead metal that becomes
thousandth (0.001) of a liquid when heated to above

Modulation

Motor
something.
Methods used for encoding
signals with information.
A device which converts
O Speaker
500OF. It makes a strong
mounting that can withstand
shocks.
A device which converts
electrical energy into sound.
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electricity into mechanical
motion. Static Electricity A naturally occurring build-up
of electrical charge between
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Ohm’s Law The relationship between materials, usually at high

voltage, current, and voltage.
resistance.
Switch A device to connect (“closed”
Ohm, (Ω) The unit of measure for or “on”) or disconnect (“open”
resistance. or “off”) wires in an electric
circuit.
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Parallel Circuit When several electrical

components are connected Transformer A device which uses coils to
between the same points in change the AC voltage and
the circuit. current (increasing one while
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Pitch The musical term for decreasing the other).

frequency. Transistor An electronic device that uses
Polarity Markings indicating which a small amount of current to
direction a device is positioned control a large amount of
in, usually (+) and (–). current.
Printed Circuit Board A board used for mounting Tungsten A highly resistive material
electrical components. used in light bulbs.
Components are connected Voltage A measure of how strong an
using metal traces “printed” on electric charge difference
the board instead of wires. between materials is.
Resistance The electrical friction between Volts (V) The unit of measure for voltage.
an electric current and the
material it is flowing through. Watt (W) The unit measure for electrical
power.

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Elenco® Electronics, Inc.
150 Carpenter Avenue
E
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 541-3800
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Web site: www.elenco.com

e-mail: [email protected]
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