Electronics Fundamentals

Starter · about 10 hours · 30 lessons and builds · for hobbyists and first-year students

Use a multimeter safely, predict voltages and currents in simple circuits, and wire LEDs, batteries and switches correctly.

The first ten hours: what voltage, current and resistance are, and how to measure them.

Before you start: None: start here

Start the course in the labFree. Sign in only if you want your progress on every device.

Module 1: Voltage, current and resistance

• Ohm’s law
• Power and power ratings
• Using a multimeter

Extra practice:

• Fuses and fault current
• Reading colour codes and markings
• Using an oscilloscope
• Oscilloscope: comparing two signals

Module 2: Series and parallel

• Series resistors
• Parallel resistors
• Series-parallel network
• Voltage divider

Extra practice:

• Current divider

Module 3: Batteries and cells

• Battery internal resistance
• Cells in series and parallel (LiFePO4)

Module 4: Diodes and LEDs

• Diode forward and reverse bias
• LED and its series resistor

Extra practice:

• Light sensor (LDR divider)

Module 5: Capacitors and time

• Capacitor charging
• Capacitor discharging

Extra practice:

• Capacitors in series and parallel

Module 6: AC basics

• Peak, peak-to-peak and RMS
• Single-phase AC circuit

Extra practice:

• Reactance of L and C

Module 7: Switching with transistors

• Transistor as a switch
• MOSFET low-side switch

Extra practice:

• 555 astable (LED flasher)
• Astable multivibrator (two transistors)
• Neon-lamp relaxation oscillator
• Continuity tester
• Water-level indicator