Build a Simple Circuit from a Pizza Box (No Soldering)

I learn best through tactile teaching methods.  Teaching and learning basic circuits, electronics, and electricity from books is good, but why not build a simple circuit from scratch and learn from doing.  This is a great way to get hands on and teach/learn the basics of electricity.  With this project you can change the path of the electric current to run through different sensors.  With this design you can switch between lighting a Blue LED or activating a Buzzer.  You also have the choice of using a Light Dependent Resistor with the LED or Buzzer.  You can be creative and design your own circuit and add different sensors (other LEDs...).  

Step 1 Parts

Here is a list of the parts needed for this project:

• 1 - Pizza Box/Cardboard  (I used the bottom of a pizza box.  Make sure it is clean.)
• 1 - White or Blue LED  (I would stay with those 2 colors because they can handle 3 volts, other colors would need a resistor.)
• 1 - Piezoelectric Buzzer
• 1 - LDR (Light Dependent Resistor)
• 1 - 3 Volt Button Cell Battery
• ~ 25 Metal Brads  (I used large brads, small would work too.)
• ~ 20 Paperclips
• Small Nail (or something to poke holes in the cardboard)
• Tape  (I used black electrical tape on the underside and white tape to hold it closed.)

Comments

[hevengineer]

Hi, Matt:

How are you? Great I hope.

What are the minimum and maximum required specifications for the following components,
That, will work with the 3 volt - Button Cell Battery:

(1) White or Blue LED,
(2) Piezoelectric Buzzer,
(3) LDR (Light Dependent Resistor)

Thank You, for your assistance regarding this question.

Take Care,

Wilfred Wheeler

[matt.e.jenkins]

i'm well thanks,
I am not sure if understand your question but with 3 volts a white or blue LED will work but only one. The buzzer will work but not at the same time as the LED and any LDR can be used as you wish. Feel free to ask again if you have questions.
Matt

[TechwizWood]

I tried this and I am having a problem getting anything to work. I went to staples to buy paper clips and the brads and I am wondering if these paper clips have some type of coating prohibiting the flow.  Has anyone run into this problem?

[mrmadison]

I didn't run into the problem, but you certainly cannot use the colored plastic coated paperclips. The old fashioned bare metal ones are conductive...the plastic will just insulate the metal....

Good project BTW!!!!

[matt.e.jenkins]

I have been away, thanks for your input. I would just add that if you have a voltmeter you can check for small shorts (gaps in the circuit) you may have not have seen. Thanks

[bhushan21]

its very simple to understand and cool idea!

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thanks

[kostya]

Great idea for breadboarding simple circuits! I would substitute a LED with a blinker. Another possible enchancement is to hook up a music chip and a piezo disk instead of a buzzer. I vote!

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thank you and good ideas.

[yhdesai]

its too gooood!

[sds7]

This is a great idea for teaching scouts electronics for the activity badge.

[furrysalamander]

This would go perfect with my conductive play dough instructable for teaching circuits!

[SHIFT!]

I love this project and admire the simplicity of how taking something as complex as electronic circuitry and simplifying it so that anyone can understand it. I remember having something like this in my 3rd grade science class and was absolutely loved it.

Thanks for the nostalgia!

[Aquilla]

Really like how simple this is. You've got my vote. : )

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thanks

[tylervitale]

This is a really nice project! I remember doing something like it when I was young.

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thanks, me too. In 7th grade I think.

[curious youth]

to make the led go brighter in shadows i would need to connect it in reverse yes?

[matt.e.jenkins]

The LDR would do the same ether way you connect it. To make it go brighter in shadows would be a different circuit and i don't know it off the top of my head.

[furrysalamander]

No. That would cause some serious issues.

[El Colombiano]

Hi. Nice instructable. I really will try something like this.. But i want to ask you something. If i want to use more Leds to make a heart or something like that and i need more volt (a mayor number of bateries or a bigger batery) how do i know the limits of volts to be safe? i mean if i put a AA batery or 2 can it be safe to be manipulate the Paperclips or Metal Brads with hands?

Thanks and sorry but i dont know much about electricity and circuits but i want to make some cardboards love cards with your idea.

Thanks Again.

S.

[Ganoderma]

Usually it will be safe unless you're working with high voltages (at which point paperclips and batteries shouldn't be involved)

an AA battery is 1,5 volts so he actually used 2 of those for this project. You can go higher without problems. (although I'd say don't go over 4 as it's not needed for any project for testing like this)

Instead, you can also hook up the LEDs next to eachother (parallel) in stead of behind eachother (series) meaning that you won't need more voltage then with only 1 LED

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thanks Ganoderma, I was about to say the same thing. Thanks S. I'm glad you liked it.

[lahorichargha]

Very nice indeed! Thank you!

[matt.e.jenkins]

Glad you liked it.

[canucksgirl]

Thank you! - This is fantastic. I am a noob to anything electrical, but this reads very well and I already understand more than what I have tried to learn from several other sources.

Great Job. you got my vote :D

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thanks for your vote and the kind words. I'm glad it helped.

[iRuKuS]

Very nice i will use this to teach my 7 year old son thanks!

[matt.e.jenkins]

It was my pleasure. When you are done, go ahead and post a picture of what you came up with so we can see it. Thanks

[micraman]

I love these! Did this a lot when i was small!

[matt.e.jenkins]

Awesome, I can remember doing something like this in 7th grade. Thanks

[orvis]

What a wonderfully tactile way to learn how different components work. Well done!

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thanks

[RaisedByRobots]

This is cool, what a good idea!

[matt.e.jenkins]

Thank You