ECE 301

Lab number
Your name
Date of submission
Section 1. Lab exercise objectives:

1.A Lab 1 Summary

In this lab, I was asked to build a very simple electronic circuit that lights up a red LED using a
3V battery pack, a 330Ω resistor, and a breadboard. The goal was to understand how to read a
basic schematic, get familiar with standard circuit symbols, and learn how to use a breadboard for
prototyping instead of permanently wiring components.

1. B New Concepts Learned

1. Schematic Diagrams – A schematic is like a “map” of a circuit. It uses symbols to show

how components are connected instead of showing the physical parts.
2. Current Limiting – I learned why a resistor is needed before an LED: it controls the
amount of current so that the LED does not burn out.
3. Power Supply Basics (Vcc and GND) – The positive side of the battery (Vcc) provides
+3V, and the negative side (GND) is 0V. All voltage levels in the circuit are measured
relative to this ground.
4. Breadboard Prototyping – A breadboard allows temporary connections without
damaging parts. Rows and columns of holes are internally connected, so you can place
components and wires in the right spots to complete the circuit.

1.C New Components Introduced

• Resistor (330Ω): Used to limit the current. The lab also explained how to read resistor
color codes.
• LED (Light Emitting Diode): A diode that emits visible light when current flows in the
forward direction. It only works one way (anode to cathode).
• 3V Battery Pack: Two AA batteries connected in series to provide a stable 3V supply.
The red wire is Vcc (+3V) and the black wire is GND (0V).
• Breadboard: A prototyping tool to assemble and test circuits without soldering.
Section 2. System design:
The circuit designed in Lab 1 consisted of three main components: a 3V power supply (battery
pack), a 330Ω resistor, and a red Light Emitting Diode (LED). The goal was to create a safe and
functional circuit that allowed the LED to illuminate without being damaged.

2.A Circuit Structure

o The positive terminal (Vcc) of the battery pack provided +3V to the circuit, while
the negative terminal (GND) was set as the 0V reference point.
o A 330Ω resistor was placed in series with the LED to act as a current-limiting
element. Without this resistor, the LED would receive too much current and burn
out.
o The LED was oriented with its anode (long leg) connected toward the resistor and
its cathode (short leg, marked by the flat edge of the casing) connected toward
GND. This orientation ensured current could flow only in the forward direction,
causing the LED to light up.

2.B Connection Process

o First, the Vcc (red wire) from the battery pack was connected to the breadboard’s
positive supply rail, and the GND (black wire) was connected to the negative
supply rail. This made it easy to power other components across the breadboard.
o The resistor was then inserted so that one of its terminals was connected to the
positive rail (Vcc).
o The LED’s anode was placed in the same row as the other terminal of the resistor,
ensuring a direct series connection.
o Finally, the LED’s cathode was connected to the negative supply rail (GND).

2.C Final Circuit Behavior

When the battery pack switch was turned ON, current flowed from the positive terminal of the
battery, through the resistor, into the LED, and back to the ground terminal of the battery. The
resistor controlled the current, and the LED emitted visible red light.

2.D Design Considerations

o A direct connection of the LED to the 3V supply without a resistor was avoided to
prevent damage to the LED.
o The breadboard was used to provide a temporary, modular platform for building
the circuit, ensuring no permanent damage to the components (unlike twisting wires
together).
o No truth tables, K-maps, or logic functions were required for this design, since the
focus was on understanding circuit connections and prototyping.
o
Section 3. Testing approach:
To test the LED circuit, I first verified all connections on the breadboard matched the schematic:
the resistor was in series with the LED, and the battery pack was connected with the correct polarity
(Vcc to resistor, LED cathode to GND). Once the connections were in place, I switched on the
battery pack.

The primary verification method was visual: if the LED illuminated with a steady red light, the
circuit was functioning correctly. If the LED did not light up, I checked for common issues such
as reversed LED polarity, loose connections, or incorrect placement of components on the
breadboard.

Although this lab did not require advanced instruments, a multimeter could be used to confirm
the voltage across the LED (~2V) and resistor (~1V), as well as to measure the current (~3 mA).
This would quantitatively verify that the resistor was limiting current as intended and that the
circuit was safe.
Section 4. Results:

Fig. 1. The output of the experiment showcasing the LED working.

Section 5. Comments and Conclusions:
5.A Obtained Results

The experiment successfully demonstrated how to build and test a simple LED circuit using a
resistor, LED, and a 3V battery pack. When the power was switched on, the LED lit up, confirming
that the circuit worked as intended. The breadboard setup also allowed for a neat and reusable
connection of components.

5.B What Went as Expected and What Did Not

As expected, the LED illuminated when the circuit was completed, and the resistor prevented it
from burning out. The use of the breadboard simplified connections and kept the components intact
for future labs. One challenge encountered was ensuring the LED was oriented correctly (anode
vs. cathode). Initially, if the LED was inserted backwards, it did not light up, but after correcting
the orientation, the circuit functioned properly.

5.C Additional Discussion

This lab served as a good introduction to practical circuit building. I learned not only how to read
a schematic and translate it into a breadboard design but also why each component (especially the
resistor) is critical for safe operation. It also emphasized the importance of proper polarity and
careful wiring. Overall, the lab built a strong foundation for future experiments involving more
complex circuits and digital logic design.