March 4, 2014

What is a switch?  switch: a component made of conductive material that controls the flow of current through the circuit

Hold down switch  when held down, two conductive ends touch together, completing the circuit  Examples: our blue circuit boards, remote controls (volume button or video game), power tools (the trigger)  Usage: when we want momentary control over current flow

On/Off Switch  A switch that is set in one of two positions: either the conductive materials touch or don’t touch  Examples: TV power button, light switches  Usage: to simply either have current flowing or not flowing, but not have to hold the switch in place.

Three-Way Switch  a switch that moves a piece of conductive material to one of two paths  Similar to a railroad switch  Examples: Traffic Lights  Usage: Switching current back and forth between several components

Motors  A component that uses current and internal magnets to cause a rod to spin.  Most electrical devices with moving parts have motors.