Introduction to Electronics

​​This laboratory course introduces students to some of the basic components of solid-state electronics, circuit design, and circuit fabrication. The course is open to students both with and without a theoretical understanding of electricity and magnetism, with the goal of introducing them to practical, hands-on electronics. Topics include Coulomb’s Law, electric and magnetic fields, Ohm’s Law, Kirchoff’s Laws, R-C circuits, semiconductors, transistors, integrated circuits, voltage regulation, DC motor control, environmental sensing, and lightwave and radiowave communications. Electronic components used in the class include, but are not limited to, resistors, capacitors, LEDs, audio output devices, diodes, switches and buttons, 741 and 386 op-amps, 555 timers, relays, DC motors, and a variety of discrete sensor components for measurements of such things as magnetic fields, temperature, light intensity, moisture, motion, wind speed, seismic activity, infrared light, sound, and force.

​The laboratory skills include measuring voltage, resistance, and electrical current with analog and digital meters, operating analog and digital oscilloscopes, reading and understanding circuit schematics, building circuits using a breadboard, designing printed circuit boards (PCBs) using CAD software, and fabricating, populating, and soldering PCBs for real-world applications. While some assessments involve pencil-and-paper calculations using some basic physics equations and electronics laws, most evaluations are in the form of hands-on tasks, including a final project of the students’ own choosing and design.

(This course will not be offered in 2024-25.)

Min-Max Credit Hours: 1.0-1.0