How to Build a Circuit

Breadboard Fundamentals The breadboard consists of a series of nodes and terminals for power supplies. On the breadboard below, the positive and ground terminals are identified, as well as some nodes. Positive Power Supply Terminal

Ground Terminal

D E A C B

Figure 1 1. The power supply plugs into the top of the Positive Power Supply Terminal. 2. The ground wire plugs into the top of the Ground Terminal. 3. Nodes A, B, C, D, and E all represent different nodes. Each set of five tie points in a column represents a node. Since A and B do not share a column, they are separate nodes. Although A and C share the same column, the break in the breadboard between the two separates them. Therefore, A and C are different nodes as well. Nodes D and E are located on the edge of the breadboard and are represented differently. Rather than columns, the entire - row is considered one node, and the entire + row is considered one node. Since D and E are separate rows, they are different nodes.

Constructing a Circuit

1. Connecting the Terminals: The positive power supply terminal and the ground terminal unscrew to allow for a connection to be set up. Put one wire into the ground terminal and another wire into the positive terminal. Screw the knob down to tighten the connection between the wire and the terminal. This is illustrated in Figure 2 and Figure 3. The positive and ground wires from the power supply will plug into the top of these terminals.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Next, take the wire from the ground terminal and connect it to the blue - row on the breadboard, and take the wire from the positive terminal and connect it to the red +. The connection should now look like the breadboard below.

Figure 4 2

2. Identifying Nodes: On the given circuit diagram, identify all elements of the circuit and all nodes. For this particular circuit, there are six nodes and seven resistors. Positive Power Supply Node Node
V

R1

Node
5.6k R2 5.6k V1 R3 5.6k
V+

12Vdc

R6 5.6k R4 5.6k
V

RL 5.6k R5 5.6k
V-

Ground node
0

Node Figure 5

Node

3. Choose a column on the breadboard for the positive power supply node and connect a wire from the red + node to that column. Next, identify all resistors and other circuit elements that come from that node. Put one end of each of these circuit elements into the node. For9.000V this circuit, there are two resistors that branch off from the power supply node. Figure 6 shows this connection.

12.00V

9.500V

0V

5.500V

7.5

Figure 6

4. Continue Building: Choose another column on the breadboard for the next node in the circuit and connect one end of any resistors/elements that go into that node. If a resistor that shares this node is also shared by the previous node, then the connection will make the resistor set in its final position in the circuit.

Figure 7 Figure 7 shows that one resistor from the first node is also connected to the second node. This resistor now has the proper placement in the final circuit. Coming out of the second node are also two more resistors that need to be placed at subsequent nodes. 4

5. Continue this same process until the circuit is complete. To finish the circuit so that it is grounded properly, connect a wire from the last node to the ground node in the blue - row. Figure 8 shows the completed circuit from Figure 5 built on the breadboard.

Figure 8 For a clearer representation, this circuit was constructed using wires flat against the breadboard rather than resistors that stick up. The curved grey and red wires represent the wires connecting to the power supply and ground. The other seven wires (color and size do not matter) represent the seven resistors. Where any resistors originate from the same column, they share a common node. The six nodes and the resistors can be seen in Figure 9.

Figure 9

The circuit is now ready for the power supply and ground wires to be connected, and can then be tested.