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Electronics & Computers

Electronics

Electronic Components

A list of some of the more common components used in electronics, with symbols for circuit diagrams.

Electronics Glossary

A list of some of the more common terms used in electronics.

LEDs

An explanation of what an LED is and how much voltage the different colours take to work. Because they are becoming so widely used in torches there is also some information about beam angles and white LED tints. Includes a list of commonly available high power LEDs.

Series and Parallel Circuits

A quick explanation of series and parallel circuits, and how to measure current and voltage.

Computers

Computer Acronyms

A list of some of the more common acronyms used in connection with computers.
Updated 19 May 2019.

Computer Parts and Peripherals

Input devices, output devices, computation, storage, communication, and other computer-related items.
Updated 16 April 2017.

Experiments

Silicon Amplification
(in the Chemistry section)

With a solar panel as a power source, use a silicon transistor as a touch switch for a power LED.

PDFs

Electricity & Electronics PDF (A4, 192 KB)
OR booklet layout of same thing (set two-sided printing, short-edge binding)

4 pages on electricity, voltage, current, resistance, Ohm's law, batteries & cells, circuits, series & parallel, resistors, capacitors, inductors, semiconductors, diodes & LEDs, and transistors.

Cave Tech PDF (2.55 MB)

A homemade headlamp I presented in the Auckland Home Educators 2011 Science Fair.

The programmable IC used to control the modes has more computing power than the flight guidance computer in the Apollo missions that went to the Moon. And it's in a headlamp.

Raspberry Pi & Arduino

Arduino Block Coding

A quick appraisal of several methods of using block coding to program Arduino microcontrollers.
Posted 6 June 2020.

RPi Linux Desktop Environment Alternatives

PIXEL is a great desktop environment for Raspberry Pi, but what are some lightweight alternatives?
Posted 19 May 2019.

Raspberry Pi Alternatives

The Raspberry Pi 3B+ and 4B are excellent little single board computers, but they're not perfect for every situation. Sometimes a smaller computer is called for (or even a microcontroller), sometimes something more powerful is needed.
Posted 21 May 2019.

Raspberry Pi Pico on Linux Mint

The Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller is not wonderfully easy to install on Linux Mint.
Posted 5 April 2022.