I'm doing a little project right now that involves making sounds with arduino. Right now I'm going to try this circuit - Use tone() with Arduino for an Easy Way to Make Noise - Programming Electronics Academy, but I'm not familiar with electronics, so I don't understand why there's a resistor between buzzer and GND.
The piezo is similar to a capacitor (acts like a short to AC) you have to limit the output pin current with a resistor.
I don't really understand the concept of short circuit. Is it the case when the voltage that comes from + is almost the same that gets to -? I.E. a circuit with nothing but a wire connecting + and -, or a circuit with elements with low power consumption?
Think of a short as placing a wire across the pos and neg terminals of a battery.
The wire will allow too much current to flow, the battery will get hot and the battery and/or wire may start smoking.
If you place a wire from an output pin on the Arduino to GND you will damage the Arduino controller.
If however, you add a resistor to the output pin circuit, you limit this output current to a safe level.
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The words "piezo" and "buzzer" are confusing if they are put together.
A piezo (flat disc) can be used as microphone and speaker, so ok to use with the tone library.
A buzzer (taller, with a + printed on it) makes sound by itself if you connect it to a DC voltage.
A DC buzzer can't be used as a speaker for the tone library.
Leo..