After what I've read about resistors and short circuiting, it doesn't make sense to me that this project won't damage your board. From what I understand, the pot is just a variable resistor. The one in the project is 10k Ohm. Since this is such a high value, no current will flow from the 5V pin to the ground pin or to pin A0. But as we move the wiper the value of the resistor changes. If the pot is turned all the way down, then won't the current going from the 5V pin to the ground and A0 pins be infinite, causing a short circuit?
I'm pretty sure my thinking is wrong, but my knowledge of electronics is limited, and I can't seem to make sense of this. Any help would be greatly appreciated
If that pin was an output you could have the problem you mention, but as it's an input you don't, the input is a VERY high impedance (resistance) that will have no effect on a 10k circuit like that pot and can be connected directly to any voltage in the GND/VCC range.
The one in the project is 10k Ohm. Since this is such a high value, no current will flow from the 5V pin to the ground pin or to pin A0.
Half right (or maybe half wrong) again, next to no current will flow into A0 (super high impedance remember) but 500uA will flow from 5V to GND through the pot, 10k is not very large a value.
