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Breadboard Basics
Breadboard is a construction base for prototyping electronics. It allows you to build circuits without soldering. Understanding the internal connections is crucial for successful circuit building:
+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+--...+-+---+-----+
- | - | - | - | - | - | | - | - | - | ... | - | - | GND (Power Rail) - Horizontally Connected
+ | + | + | + | + | + | | + | + | + | ... | + | + | VDD (Power Rail) - Horizontally Connected
---------------------------------------------------------
+ 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10+...+ 28+ 29+ 30+ Column Number
j | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area ┐
i | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area │
h | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area │ - Vertically Connected
g | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area │
f | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area ┘
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+...+---+---+---+ Central Divide
e | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area ┐
d | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area │
c | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area │ - Vertically Connected
b | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area │
a | | | | | | | | | | |...| | | | Component Area ┘
+ 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 + 8 + 9 + 10+...+ 28+ 29+ 30+ Column Number
---------------------------------------------------------
- | - | - | - | - | - | | - | - | - | ... | - | - | GND (Power Rail) - Horizontally Connected
+ | + | + | + | + | + | | + | + | + | ... | + | + | VDD (Power Rail) - Horizontally Connected
+----+---+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+--...+-+---+-----+
Power Rails:
- The top and bottom rows marked with “-“ (GND) are internally connected horizontally
- The rows next to them marked with “+” (VDD) are also internally connected horizontally
- These provide easy access to power and ground throughout your circuit
Component Area:
- The middle section (rows a to j) is divided into two halves by the central gap
- In each half, the five holes in each column (“a, b, c, d, e” or “f, g, h, i, j”) are internally connected vertically
- Each column (1 to 30) is independent vertically
- For example, all five holes (from a to e) in column ‘1’ are connected, but they’re not connected to holes of column ‘2’
Central Divide:
- The gap in the middle serves as an isolation point between the two halves of the component area
- This allows you to place integrated circuits or other multi-pin components across the gap
This connection layout allows for flexible circuit design:
- You can easily distribute power using the top and bottom rails
- Components can be placed across the central divide
- Connections between components are made by placing their leads in the same row or by using jumper wires
Remember, understanding these connections is key to successfully building circuits on a breadboard without unintended short circuits or open connections.