Makpal Khozhamuratova
Electrical engineering
Lecture 3. Prototyping circuits using breadboard
2024-2025
Breadboard
➢ Breadboards are used to build temporary
circuits.
➢ They require no soldering.
Breadboard
➢ They consist of 3 parts:
○ Wiring rails
○ Power rails
○ Groove
➢ Power rails are typically used to supply
electrical power to your circuit when
you connect them to a battery pack or
other external power supply.
Breadboard
➢ Wiring rails are the main work area,
which are separated by the middle
groove.
➢ Each set of five
holes forming a half-column is
electrically connected.
➢ How many individual connections can we
make with this breadboard?
Task #1
➢ Make a simple circuit on the breadboard
using the resistor (under 500 Ohm), LED and battery.
Push button
➢ Push buttons are used to create a circuit with
button control. When button is pressed circuit
completes.
➢ 4 legged push buttons have 2 pairs of legs that
are always connected. When button is pressed
all legs are connected.
Task #2
➢ Make a simple circuit on the breadboard
using the resistor (under 500 Ohm), LED, button and battery.
Task #2
➢ Make a simple circuit on the breadboard using the resistor (under 500 Ohm),
LED, button and battery.
➢ Remember that button is usually connected over the groove.
- +
Task #3
➢ Make a series circuit on the breadboard using the 2 resistors (under 500
Ohm), 2 LEDs, button and battery. Make sure to connect the diodes with
correct polarity.
Task #4
➢ Make a circuit on the breadboard using the 2 resistors (under 500 Ohm), 2
LEDs, 2 button and battery. 2 LEDs should be controlled by two buttons
separately.
Task #4
➢ Make a circuit on the breadboard using the 2 resistors (under 500 Ohm), 2
LEDs, 2 button and battery. 2 LEDs should be controlled by two buttons
separately.
Task #5
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard and components shown on diagram
below.
Task #5
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard and components shown on diagram
below.
Task #5
➢ Question: How to increase the LED turning off time?
Task #5
➢ Question: How to increase the LED turning off time?
Answer: Add more capacitors in parallel!
Task #6
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard and components shown on diagram
below. Comment on the function of potentiometer.
Task #6
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard and components shown on diagram
below. Comment on the function of potentiometer.
Task #6
➢ Question: What if we do not use the middle leg of potentiometer and
connect its two ends?
Task #6
➢ Question: What if we do not use the middle leg of potentiometer and
connect its two ends?
Answer: It will act as a simple resistor!
Transistors
We will use two types of BJT transistors: NPN and PNP
1) BC547 - NPN, emitter on the right
2) 2N3904 - NPN, emitter on the left
3) 2N3906 - PNP, emitter on the left
4) BC557 - PNP, emitter on the right
Task #7
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard. You will need 1000 Ohm and 100 Ohm
resistors, button, NPN transistor, LED, and battery.
100Ω
1kΩ
NPN transistor
Task #7
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard. You will need 1000 Ohm and 100 Ohm
resistors, button, NPN transistor, LED, and battery.
Task #8
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard. You will need 1000 Ohm and 100 Ohm
resistors, button, PNP transistor, LED, and battery.
Task #8
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard. You will need 1000 Ohm and 100 Ohm
resistors, button, PNP transistor, LED, and battery.
Task #9
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard. You will need 510 Ohm and 100
Ohm resistors, button, NPN transistor, LED, and battery for power
supply.
510Ω
Task #9
➢ When transistor opens up, majority of current flows through the
transistor, not the LED and resistor (510Ω). Why this happens?
Task #9
➢ When transistor opens up, majority of current flows through the transistor, not the LED and
resistor (510Ω). Why this happens?
➢ Because resistance of an opened transistor is significantly lower(<1Ω) than the 510Ω, and
current wants to flow though the way of the least resistance (i.e. through transistor).
Task #10. Blinking LED
Collect the circuit illustrated below.
➢ Question: What happens if we
add one more capacitor in
parallel?
Task #10. Blinking LED
Collect the circuit illustrated below.
➢ Question: What happens if we
add one more capacitor in
parallel?
Answer: It will blink slower.
Task #10. Dual blinking LED
➢ Make this circuit using breadboard. Comment on the work of capacitors.
Comments & Questions?
