What is a prototype expansion and what does it do?

In addition I am 11 years old and I just bought the kit

I think you'll be more likely to get help if you provide more information.

Is the "prototype expansion" something that came in the kit you bought?

Can you post a link to where you bought the kit from? Or maybe a picture of this "prototype expansion thing?

All I know that you put it on top of the Arduino for some reason.

61NXE0bHlPL.SX425.jpg

61NXE0bHlPL.SX425.jpg

It's just a convenience.

  • The breadboard in the middle is just a handy place to jab components in to make up your circuits
  • There are 5 handy 5V and grounds on the left of the pic
  • There are 2x LEDs on there, which if it's the same one I have, already have resistors in series (edit: you can see them standing up there)
  • There's a button (part hidden in pic); I can't recall right now how it's wired
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Thanks a lot guys.

Essentially the same answer as Willpatel_Kendmirez provided while I was writing it, but there is a little bit different information so I'll post it anyway:

That's called a "prototype shield" It really doesn't do much. It's essentially just a way to mount a solderless breadboard (the white plastic thing) on top of your Arduino. Solderless breadboards make it very easy to prototype circuits by poking leaded components, modules, and jumper wires into the holes in the breadboard. Inside the breadboard are spring contacts that connect all the holes on each row on one side or the other of the breadboard together. There is a break down the center of the breadboard so the contacts on either side are not connected. There is also a small section of the prototype shield where you can solder components to form a permanent circuit. There is a SOT footprint for soldering a surface mount IC.

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That is impressive

adafruit has a great page about this board, including a schematic.

Here's some usage tips from my experience, ymmv:

  • Those leds are blinding, I stuck a flap of duct tape over mine to cover the light a bit
  • Check the schematic, and you'll see the leds' cathodes are grounded. So to illuminate you put 5V on the tiny silver plated hole* next to each led
  • Check the schematic, and you'll see the switch is grounded on one side. So to use it, you take a wire from its tiny silver plated hole* to one of the digital pins, and pinMode() that pin as INPUT_PULLUP. (Which you will read about in due course.)
  • *those tiny holes are designed for soldering. So what might be an idea is to solder wires to them and take those wires to the breadboard as semi permanent. Then when you want to use either LED or the switch, take a wire from the breadboard to wherever.
  • In spite of the markings on the board, I kept mixing the 5V and Gnd on those 5 hole headers, so I stuck some red (for +ve) insulation tape on and near the 5V ones so I can tell at a glance.
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Willpatel_Kendmirez:
In spite of the markings on the board, I kept mixing the 5V and Gnd on those 5 hole headers, so I stuck some red (for +ve) insulation tape on and near the 5V ones so I can tell at a glance.

Nail polish!

(Mind you, there is none in this house! :astonished: )

Paul__B:
(Mind you, there is none in this house!

Here neither, and married 37 years this month: I don't recall any ever, wife nor daughter. (Nor son...)

I have a bottle of black nail polish I bought to block out the light leaks from the sides of the backlight light pipe on LCDs. But for marking headers, I use paint markers:

“married 37 years this month”

Congratulations!

Make sure you plan on doing something special.

Maybe a new soldering iron for the spouse :wink: .

Maybe a new soldering iron for the spouse :wink: .

Dont forget some good quality solder to go with it. She would really appreciate the combo :wink:

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She needs a Logic Analyzer also