Designing a Thermostat
Students investigate circuits and their components by building a basic thermostat. They learn why key parts are necessary for the circuit to function, and alter the circuit to optimize the thermostat temperature range. They also gain an awareness of how electrical engineers design circuits for the countless electronic products in our world.
Students design thermostatsCopyright 2006 Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052-6399 USA. All rights reserved.
Circuits are pervasive in the modern engineered world. Most engineers have a good understanding of electricity and basic circuitry so as to better design everything from cars and houses, to cell phones and computers. Electrical engineers design the circuits that power our houses and appliances. Aerospace and mechanical engineers use their understanding of circuits to design control systems (such as anti-lock brakes), motors, amusement park rides, wave machines and space flight equipment. Other engineers design devices such as thermostats to reduce energy usage and waste.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Describe the relationship of a programmable thermostat to energy conservation.
- Develop a model of the circuitry in a programmable thermostat.
- Describe how engineers use circuit diagrams to design a circuit.
- List the advantages of using a breadboard during circuit design.