Constructing Logic Gates on a Breadboard

In summary: Fair enough. It has to do with the capacitance of the junctions and interconnects. When you wire things up from discrete transistors on a breadboard (or PC board), you will end up with a couple pF or so per connection. That slows down the currents that flow, since they have to charge and discharge those capacitances in order to change the voltages. In an IC, the size of the interconnects are much, much smaller than a breadboard, and the capacitances are a couple orders of magnitude smaller than a picofarad. In general, the smaller the IC geometry, the lower the capacitance, and hence, the faster the circuit can toggle. Have fun in school!
  • #1
Limpylegs
5
0
I've been reading articles on logic gates and What I want to do before I get to school is familiarize myself with what individual components are used in making those individual gates on say a breadboard.I keep searching for it on the web but it just gives me the schematic symbols and not what individual components make up the gate itself.I don't want to just plug in the black chip like most everybody else does,I want to dig in and see it work for myself.If anybody can link me to a website that will show you how to make individual nand,or,and etc gates on a breadboard I would appreciate it.
 
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  • #3
Oh man I'm going to be busy for hours now.Thanks much MATLABdude
 
  • #4
Limpylegs said:
Oh man I'm going to be busy for hours now.Thanks much MATLABdude

Keep in mind that a breadboarded version of a logic gate will be much slower than an actual IC gate. Can you tell us why?
 
  • #5
[/QKeep in mind that a breadboarded version of a logic gate will be much slower than an actual IC gate. Can you tell us why?
UOTE]

No idea,I haven't even started school yet.I just wanted to arm myself with knowledge to give me an edge.I would like to read any useful link anybody might have in their bookmarks or book suggestions they might have.
 
  • #6
Keep in mind that a breadboarded version of a logic gate will be much slower than an actual IC gate. Can you tell us why?

No idea,I haven't even started school yet.I just want to arm myself with enough knowledge ahead of time to give myself an edge.Why is it that they are slower?
 
  • #7
Limpylegs said:
No idea,I haven't even started school yet.I just want to arm myself with enough knowledge ahead of time to give myself an edge.Why is it that they are slower?

Fair enough. It has to do with the capacitance of the junctions and interconnects. When you wire things up from discrete transistors on a breadboard (or PC board), you will end up with a couple pF or so per connection. That slows down the currents that flow, since they have to charge and discharge those capacitances in order to change the voltages.

In an IC, the size of the interconnects are much, much smaller than a breadboard, and the capacitances are a couple orders of magnitude smaller than a picofarad. In general, the smaller the IC geometry, the lower the capacitance, and hence, the faster the circuit can toggle.

Have fun in school !
 

1. How do I construct a NOT gate on a breadboard?

To construct a NOT gate on a breadboard, you will need a power supply, a breadboard, a NOT gate IC, and a few jumper wires. First, connect the power supply to the breadboard. Then, insert the NOT gate IC onto the breadboard with the correct orientation. Finally, connect the input and output pins of the NOT gate to power and ground respectively using jumper wires.

2. Can I construct a logic gate using only discrete components on a breadboard?

Yes, it is possible to construct a logic gate using only discrete components such as resistors, transistors, and diodes on a breadboard. However, this method requires a good understanding of electronics and may be more complex than using integrated circuit chips.

3. What is the purpose of a pull-up or pull-down resistor in a logic gate circuit?

A pull-up or pull-down resistor is used to ensure that the input of a logic gate is in a known state when no other inputs are connected. This prevents the input from floating and producing unpredictable results.

4. How can I test if my constructed logic gate is functioning correctly?

To test a constructed logic gate, you can use a multimeter to measure the output voltage for different input combinations. You can also use a logic probe to determine the state of the output. Additionally, you can use a truth table to compare the expected output values with the actual output values.

5. Can I use a breadboard to construct complex logic circuits?

Yes, it is possible to use a breadboard to construct complex logic circuits. However, as the circuit becomes larger and more complex, it may become difficult to troubleshoot and maintain. In such cases, it may be more efficient to use a printed circuit board (PCB) for constructing the logic circuit.

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