A Geek Girl's Guide to Electronics and the Internet of Things

A straightforward demystification of electronics and the Internet of Things

A Geek Girl's Guide to Electronics and the Internet of Things breaks down and simplifies electronics and the Internet of Things for the layperson. Written by a leading technical school instructor with a talent for bringing complex topics to everyday people, this book provides concrete examples and practical advice for anyone interested in building, repairing, or studying electronics and functional Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

A Geek Girl's Guide to Electronics and the Internet of Things explores a wide range of topics including, among others:

• Ohm's and Watt's Law
• Series and Parallel Circuits
• Diodes, transistors, capacitors and relays
• Motors and Pulse with Modulation
• Using light to control electricity
• Photovoltaic Cells and Transducers
• Enhancing circuits with Arduino
• Connecting circuits to networks

The distinguished author's website includes videos to help you build and enhance projects, along with deeper information to enrich your learning. Additionally, the book goes beyond theory and teaches readers how circuit components become IoT devices and provide the data that drive our modern world. The combination of hands-on activities and solid pedagogy ensures long-lasting retention of the material for everyone.

Audrey O'Shea is a professional educator. Her fascination with how things work began as a child and in high school she found herself as the only girl in what would now be called the electronics club. After a successful career in information technology, she turned to teaching and has taught courses in computer technology, electrical theory and practice for energy workers, general electronics, and other related fields. She holds a variety of computer industry certifications and is a member of the Phi-Kappa-Phi honor society, and active in helping young women prepare for STEM careers.

Introduction xxiii

Part I IoT and Electricity Basics 1

Chapter 1 IoT and Electronics 3

IoT in a Nutshell 4

Parts of an IoT System 4

Devices 4

Sensors 5

Circuits, Software, and Microprocessors 6

Communication 7

Levels 7

Protocols and Standards 7

Data Analytics and Management 8

The User Experience 8

Challenges in Implementing IoT 9

IoT into the Future 9

Chapter 2 Electricity: Its Good and Bad Behavior 11

Try This: Creating Some Static 11

Levitate a Styrofoam Plate 12

Bend Water 12

Creating Light with Static 12

Magically Move a Styrofoam Ball 13

Electricity at an Atomic Level 14

Conductors and Insulators 15

Characteristics of Electricity 17

Current 18

Voltage 18

Resistance 19

Induction and Conduction 19

Try This: Creating a Simple Breadboard Circuit 21

Light-Emitting Diodes 28

Jumper Wires 28

Building the Circuit 29

The Basic Circuit 31

Ohm’s Law 31

Resistor Values and Voltage Dividers 32

Opens and Shorts 35

Circuit Protection Devices 36

Fuses 36

Circuit Breakers 37

Bigger is Not Better 38

Chapter 3 Symbols and Diagrams 39

Types of Diagrams 39

Schematic Symbols 41

So Many Switches! 43

Drawing Your Circuit 48

Try This: Adding a Switch and Creating a Schematic 48

Chapter 4 Introduction to the Arduino Uno 53

What is Arduino? 53

The Arduino Board 54

Analog vs. Digital 60

The Arduino IDE 62

Try This: Creating a Simple Arduino-Controlled Circuit 65

What Went Wrong? 69

What Does the Code Mean? 69

Setup 70

Void 71

Try This: Changing Pins 71

Try This: Creating Arduino Running Lights 72

Try This: Adding a Switch to Your Circuit 74

Try This: Using the Serial Monitor 78

Chapter 5 Dim the Lights 83

Using a Multimeter 84

Try This: Repurposing a Power Supply 86

Measuring Voltage, Current, and Resistance 88

Measuring Voltage 89

Measuring Current 89

Measuring Resistance 90

Continuity 90

Try This: Dimming the Lights 91

Try This: Measuring Circuit Values 93

Using Arduino to Measure Electricity 95

Try This: Using an Arduino Voltmeter 95

Try This: Using an Arduino Ohmmeter 100

Try This: Using an Arduino Ammeter 102

Try This: Using an Arduino Continuity Tester 107

Try This: Building a Dimmable Arduino Camp Light 109

Soldering, Perfboards, and Shrink Tubing 115

Soldering 115

Perfboards 117

Shrink Tubing 118

Chapter 6 Feel the Power 121

Watt’s Law and the Power Wheel 121

Datasheets 122

The Power Wheel 123

Watts and Horsepower 123

Horsepower 124

Efficiency 124

Battery Power 124

The Other Resistor Value 125

Wattmeters 126

Wattmeter 126

Power Distribution 127

Try This: Using an Arduino Wattmeter 128

Setting Up the LCD Screen 129

Component Connections 130

The Test Sketch 132

Troubleshooting 132

Building the Wattmeter 133

Building the Wattmeter 133

Building the Test Circuit 134

Configuring the LCD 135

Programming the Meter 138

Chapter 7 Series and Parallel Circuits 143

Series, Parallel, and Complex Circuits 143

Try This: Testing Series and Parallel Configurations 144

Calculating Values in Series and in Parallel 147

Current 147

Voltage 148

Resistance 149

Power 149

Resistance of a Conductor 150

Sources in Series and Parallel 152

Sources in Series 152

Sources in Parallel 152

Aiding and Opposing Sources 153

Try This: Calculating Circuit Values 155

Calculating the Series Circuit 155

What Went Wrong 156

Calculating the Parallel Circuit 156

What Size Resistor is Needed? 156

Calculating the Complex Circuit 157

Part II Using Common Components 161

Chapter 8 Diodes: The One-Way Street Sign 163

Try This: Creating a Simple Polarity Tester 163

Determining Polarity Tester Maximum Voltage 165

Determining Resistor Needs 166

Typical LED Voltages 167

Putting It on a Perfbord 167

LED Features 168

The Inner Workings of Diodes 169

Determining Anode and Cathode 171

Types of Diodes 172

Diode Uses 172

Try This: Using a Seven-Segment LED 175

Seven-Segment LED 176

Bar LED 181

Chapter 9 Transistors 187

Try This: Using a Transistor as an Amplifier 187

The Purpose of Transistors 192

Types of Transistors 192

Distinguishing Transistor Types 193

Determining Transistor Connections 193

Bipolar Junction Transistors 193

Field Effect Transistors 194

Try This: Using a Transistor as a Switch 196

Verifying the Data 196

Building the Circuit 198

Troubleshooting 200

Chapter 10 Capacitors 201

A Quick Look at Capacitors 201

Try This: Creating a Time Delay Circuit 205

Capacitor Uses 209

Try This: Creating an Astable Multivibrator 210

Try This: Using Capacitors in Series and Parallel 213

Capacitors in Parallel 214

Capacitors in Series 215

Chapter 11 The Magic of Magnetism 217

The Electricity/Magnetism Relationship 218

Magnetism 218

Magnetism’s Relationship with Electricity 220

Try This: Building an Electromagnet 221

Magnetism in Circuits 223

Motors and Generators 224

Inductors 225

Doorbells 227

Relays 229

Parts of a Relay 230

Try This: Building a Relay Oscillator 231

Connecting the Coil 231

Connecting the Controlled Circuit 233

Try This: Setting Up an Emergency Lighting System 234

Connecting the Mains Circuit 236

Connecting the Backup Circuit 237

Chapter is Electricity’s Changing Forms 239

Try This: Creating a Water Alarm 239

Common Transducers 243

Speakers and Microphones 243

Light 245

Light-Controlled Devices 245

Light Output Devices 247

Laser Light 250

Other Transducers 251

Try This: Creating a Night-Light Circuit 252

Try This: Creating an Arduino Laser Security System 255

Building the Circuit 255

How the Voltage Divider Works 260

Other Considerations 262

Chapter 13 Integrated Circuits and Digital Logic 263

Integrated Circuits 263

Try This: Creating an Astable Multivibrator 265

Determining Circuit Timing 266

Examining the IC 267

Building the Circuit 268

Operational Amplifiers 272

Digital Logic 272

Logic Chip Construction 273

The Binary Number System 274

Logic Gates 275

Try This: Exploring AND and OR Gates 277

The AND Gate 278

The OR Gate 280

Logic Probes and Oscilloscopes 281

Part III More Please 285

Chapter 14 Pulse Width Modulation 287

Pulse Width Modulation Explained 287

Try This: Using a PWM LED Dimmer 289

PWM vs. Potentiometer 290

Building the Circuit 291

Observing the Changing Duty Cycle 295

Try This: Using a PWM Motor Control 295

Try This: Trying PWM and an Arduino 299

Chapter 15 Sources of Electricity 307

Chemical Reactions 307

Simple Experiment: Making a Voltaic Cell 308

Types of Batteries 309

Try This: Making a Thermocouple 311

Light 312

Try This: Displaying PV Output on an Arduino 315

Friction 323

Magnetism 324

Pressure 326

Wrapping It Up 326

Chapter 16 Transformers and Power Distribution 327

What is a Transformer? 327

Phase Relationships 330

Power and Turns Ratio 331

Transformer Losses 332

Taps, Autotransformers, and Variacs 334

Try This: Verifying Transformer Output 335

Alternating Current Values 342

Power Distribution Using Transformers 343

Chapter 17 Inverters and Rectifiers 345

Inverters vs. Rectifiers and Their Uses 345

Inverters and PV Systems 346

Other Inverter Uses 347

Rectifier Uses 348

Construction of Inverters 349

Try This: Filtering a Circuit 350

Setting Up the Circuit 351

Filtering the Circuit 353

Construction of Rectifiers 355

Single-Phase vs. Three-Phase Power 357

Try This: Building a Small Variable Power Supply 357

Chapter 18 Radio Waves and Tuned Circuits 363

Radio Waves 363

Try This: Building a Radio Receiver 364

Making Waves 369

Transmitting Radio Waves 369

Receiving Radio Waves 370

AM vs. FM 371

Try This: Building an Arduino FM Radio 371

The Shield 372

The Libraries 373

Verifying the Radio Works 375

Adding Station Tuning 377

Tuned Circuits 381

Part IV Putting the I in IoT 385

Chapter 19 Connecting Your Circuits to the Cloud 387

The Arduino IoT Cloud 387

Try This: Setting Up Your Device 389

Try This: Using Things, Properties, and Widgets 391

Chapter 20 Just for Fun 405

Electronic Fabrics and Wearables 405

Try This: Lighting Up a Teddy Bear 408

Paper Circuits 413

Try This: Creating a Conductive Paint Circuit 414

Try This: Creating a Copper Tape Circuit 416

Try This: Building Squishy Circuits 418

Chapter 21 What’s Next? 423

The World is Your Oyster 423

Recommended Reading and Resources 424

Words of Encouragement 425

Index 427

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