Introduction: Simple Paper Heart Circuit

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About: Hands-on kits and programs to learn about science, technology and your environment.

Create your own personal light-up Valentine's Day's gifts by adding this paper heart circuit to a card or other papercraft creations.

Creative electronics projects using paper, LEDs and copper tape are a great way of lighting up your artwork. Instead of using wires to connect a battery to LEDs, paper circuits use conductive metal tape.

Level of Difficulty: Beginner

This activity is good for innovators of all ages that are new to creating with electronics. All you need to know how to do is cut paper and use tape. You will make a basic LED circuit on paper.

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Step 1: Materials and Tools

Materials:

  • 1 LED
  • 1 3 Volt Coin Battery (CR2032)
  • Copper tape - enough to make the heart shape

Tools:

  • Scissors
  • Pencil

Step 2: Draw Your Heart

On your piece of paper, draw two heart half shapes with a pencil.

Make sure there is a gap at the top and bottom of the heart. This is where you will later place the LED and the coin battery.

Step 3: Cut Copper Tape

Place a strip of copper tape along a little over half of your heart sketch. Cut the tape off the roll.

Cut the copper tape in half along into two long strips. This will help you form the shape of the heart.

Step 4: Tape Copper Tape Along Design

Tape the strips of copper tape over the pencil drawing of your heart.

Make sure there is a gap at both the top and bottom of the heart.

Step 5: Add LED

The LED will be placed at the top of the heart.

  • Identify the positive (+) lead of the LED. The positive(+) lead is the longer lead.
  • Bend the LED leads so that the positive lead is on the left side of the top of the heart
  • Cut the leads so that each lead is placed over the copper tape
  • Tape down the LED with additional small strips of copper tape

Step 6: Add Battery

The coin battery should be placed at the bottom of the heart.

  • Identify the positive side of the battery. It is labeled with a '+' sign. The other side of the coin battery is the negative(-) side.
  • Place the battery down onto the copper tape of the right half of the heart so that the negative side is touching the copper tape.
  • Using a small strip of copper tape, tape the positive side of the battery to the copper tape on theleft half of the heart.

Step 7: Light Up Your Heart

Your LED should light up!

If your LED is not on check the following:

  • Press down on the copper tape connections on the LED leads. Make sure they are making contact.
  • Press down on the copper tape on the battery.
  • Make sure the negative side of the coin battery is making contact with the copper tape.