Dissection Activity

GOALS: Be able to identify resistors, capacitors, transformers, motors, switches, fuses, circuit breakers, potentiometers, diodes and LEDs, incandescent lightbulbs, speakers, piezoelectric buzzers, solenoids, heating elements, relays, variable capacitors, heat sinks, and thermostats (using bimetallic strips), and printed circuit boards in any device. In addition, be able to identify the parts listed below that are specific to a particular device, and figure out (or ask about) the answers to the questions posed below.

LIGHTBULB: filament
            Why does the filament glow?
            What shape is the filament? Why?
            Why is the filament surrounded by the glass bulb?

COMPUTER: Identify floppy drives, hard drives, power supply, speaker, CPU, chips, ports (serial, parallel, USB)

HARD DRIVE: platter(s), read/write head, air filter, spin motor, read/write head motor
            What's the purpose of the filter?
            How is information stored on the platter?

PRINTER: write head, platen

MONITOR: electron gun, CRT, yoke

VCR: record head, write protect switch
            How is information stored on the tape?

STEREO:
            What is the frequency range for the AM band? For the FM band?

CAMERA: Shutter, lens, flash tube, flash capacitor, capacitor charging switch
            What is the focal length of the lens?
            What is the purpose of the capacitor?

SPEAKER: cone, permanent magnet, coil
            How does a speaker work?

PORTABLE PHONE: antenna, speaker, microphone, rechargable battery

COFFEE MAKER: heating element, bimetallic strip/thermostat

TOASTER OVEN: heating element, bimetallic strip/thermostat, timer switch

HOT GLUE GUN: heating element

AC ADAPTER: transformer, rectifier diodes (if it has DC output)
                         What is the ratio of turns on the primary to turns on the secondary?

Read up on how these things work:

Toasters   http://home.howstuffworks.com/toaster1.htm
CD Players http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/cd4.htm
Digital Cameras http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/digital-camera.htm
Traditional (Film) Cameras http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/camera.htm
Hair Dryers http://home.howstuffworks.com/hair-dryer1.htm
Coffee Makers http://home.howstuffworks.com/coffee-maker1.htm
Laser Printers http://computer.howstuffworks.com/laser-printer1.htm
Inkjet Printers http://computer.howstuffworks.com/inkjet-printer2.htm
Speakers http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/speaker3.htm
Electric Motors http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/motor1.htm
Transformers http://science.howstuffworks.com/inside-transformer1.htm
VCRs http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/vcr2.htm