has a shorter wire (cathode = negative pole) and a
longer wire (anode = positive pole). Inside you can
see a slightly larger holder on the minus side, which
carries the actual LED crystal.
Once you have finished setting up, compare your
construction with the assembly picture. It’s a good idea to get
help from an adult who checks the first experiment again. In the
following projects, only a few modifications are carried out, so that it
becomes easier and easier.
Now the battery is connected for the first time. Your red LED light
with switch is now ready. Slide the left switch to the ON position and
your red LED will shine. If it doesn’t work, check once more. The
most common mistake is that the LED is installed the wrong way
around. But don’t be afraid, nothing will break. If used the right way
around, it works.
Circuit diagrams
The circuit diagrams in this manual do not
necessarily have to be observed in order to
set up the experiments successfully. But they
can help you understand everything better.
A circuit diagram shows the connections
of the parts in a simplified way with circuit
symbols for each part. Once you get used
to it, a circuit diagram will make it much
easier to understand how everything fits
together.
The battery consists of six battery cells of
1.5 V each. The longer line stands for the
plus pole. The fuse is drawn as a box with
a wire. The switch just shows an open
connection. The resistor is displayed as
a box. And the LED contains a triangle
that represents the current direction. Two
small arrows point to the light generated.
In this diagram you can easily see that all
components form a closed path. It’s called
a circuit. The path is only interrupted at one
point - at the switch that is just opened.
Attention! Never connect an LED directly
to a battery without a resistor. Without the
resistor the current would be too high, and
the LED would be destroyed.
Attention!
