background image

Antenna: a conductor that can send or receive electromagnetic waves 

  Capacitance: 

the ability to hold an electric charge 

 Circuit: a path for electrical current to flow, 

made up of different electrical parts 

  Frequency: the number of times a wave 

repeats in a unit time 

• 

Integrated Circuit: also called a chip, a miniaturized circuit 

created on a thin semiconductor wafer 

 Pitch: the frequency of a sound 

 Resistance: 

the ability to resist the flow of electrical current 

  Timer: an integrated circuit 

which changed frequency based on resistance and capacitance 

  Troubleshooting: 

finding and solving problems in a system 

  Volume: the loudness of a sound

 ⚠ 

WARNING

• Small parts. DO NOT allow children under 3 years old to play with or near this product.

• NEVER connect any part of the kit or circuit to any AC electrical outlet.

• Discontinue use of any kits that malfunction, become damaged or broken.

• Components are subject to damage by static electricity. Handle with care.

• Keep conductive materials (such as paper clips, aluminum foil, etc.) away from the circuit and battery.

• Always turn OFF the battery pack when not in use, when left unattended, or when disconnected from the rest of the circuit.

• Incorrect connections can cause damage or overheating to system or batteries. Always ensure proper connections before turning on. 

• Never use the kit in or near any liquid, or in any extreme environments such as extreme hot or cold, high humidity, or sand.

Safety First!

©2017 MicroKits

Summary of Contents for MicroKits

Page 1: ...Therem in Electronics Kit M icroKits ...

Page 2: ... experiment with physics and music Stage 1 Audio and Power Stage 2 Pitch Control Stage 3 Volume Control 104 T IC K MICRO 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 104 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 104 TICK 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1...

Page 3: ...ving towards the left antenna increases volume Your theremin senses capacitance to figure out what note to play Capacitance is how easy it is to store energy between objects in an electric field By moving things like your hands closer to the theremin you increase capacitance 1 5 10 1 5 10 a b c d e f g h i j 104 TICK P I T C H More field lines more capacitance V O L U M E ...

Page 4: ...he right shows how different points are electrically connected inside the building board The points act like wires to connect different parts Points on the same row of the grid connect horizontally but not across the middle On each side of the grid are a pair of strips marked Positive and Negative These points connect vertically and will help deliver power to different parts of the circuit 1 5 10 ...

Page 5: ...parts 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO Micro can be programmed to do different things like being a theremin Place the building board with Row 1 on top Find me Micro I have 8 metal legs called pins Place the pins in rows 13 to 16 and column E F Make sure I lay flat ...

Page 6: ...r direction will work Place the capacitor between the strip and the strip in the location shown Connect the strip on the left to on the right using a long blue wire Connect the strip on the left to on the right using a long red wire 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO...

Page 7: ...the batteries The battery pack has two wires Plug the red wire into the strip and the black wire into the strip as shown Direction matters Double check your progress to make sure everything is connected correctly 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 104 No loose wires or parts Parts are in the correct spot Battery plugged in correctly Micro facing cor...

Page 8: ...d check for mistakes a process called troubleshooting With a bit of looking you ll find what to fix Let s think about what s going on Right now I m connected to a speaker a battery and a capacitor The battery gives me power and the capacitor stores extra energy for when I need it most With this power I create an electrical signal that I send to the speaker When the signal changes the magnet inside...

Page 9: ...trip with an orange wire 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 104 TICK Stage 2 Pitch Control TICK Connect G3 to G7 with a yellow wire Connect H6 to H14 with a gray wire Find the resistor with the following bands Yellow Purple Orange Place it in I3 and I6 either direction will work The colors show the value of the resistor This one is 47 000 Ohms 1 5 1...

Page 10: ...a big capacitor Give your circuit one more check and when you re ready turn it ON What happens when you reach toward the antenna If nothing changes and the note stays constant turn OFF the power and troubleshoot like before If the pitch increases as you approach congratulations Your theremin is working You can now create three octaves worth of notes just by waving your hand We re not done yet thou...

Page 11: ...z 0 001 nF 440 Hz Capacitance Signal Sound I bet you re wondering how Tick turns capacitance into a signal Tick contains a timer circuit a kind of clock This clock is based on the amount of time it takes to build up a tiny amount of charge In this case the theremin antenna is what is building up the charge Moving your hand toward the antenna adds capacitance and Tick needs extra time to charge The...

Page 12: ...e Grey Orange bands in B2 and B5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f g h i j a b c d e f g h i j MICRO 104 TICK 68 000 Ohms Stage 3 Volume Control Place the second long copper wire in A2 Bend it up and away from the circuit board and off to the side Make sure to keep this antenna away from the pitch antenna This is our volume antenna 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 a b c d e f ...

Page 13: ...you go How electric fields and capacitance work and are turned into electrical signals Playing the theremin is challenging but here are some tips Use your left hand to control the volume antenna and your right for pitch More surface area means more capacitance Move your whole hand toward the instrument and focus on the middle of the antenna not the end Bend the two antennas away from each other so...

Page 14: ...u can learn more about electronics experiment with music and investigate physics What will you do next Build a Box to Hold the Circuit Find Out More at MicroKits cc Test the Capacitance of Different Things Impress Your Friends with Science Research the History of the Theremin Learn to Play a Melody Build More Electronic Kits 104 T I C K M IC R O See Ya Later ...

Page 15: ...ess of a sound WARNING Small parts DO NOT allow children under 3 years old to play with or near this product NEVER connect any part of the kit or circuit to any AC electrical outlet Discontinue use of any kits that malfunction become damaged or broken Components are subject to damage by static electricity Handle with care Keep conductive materials such as paper clips aluminum foil etc away from th...

Reviews: