Nuts and Volts - September/October 2018

September/October 2018 61

closed switches.

However, the right amount of charge restriction causes energy to be used in the device. The device can glow or heat or move or make sounds or many other things. Power is being used by such devices.

Summary

If a device is to use power, it must pass some charges but not freely. If no charges pass — no matter how high the voltage — then no power is used. If charges pass through with no restriction, again, no power is used. Only by partially restricting charge flow can we use power from a power source.

Charge flow restriction (resistance) is a characteristic of the light bulb allowing it to generate power from electricity where wires and switches and the surrounding air remain inactive. If we can learn how to use wires and switches and other devices, we can begin to make electricity do what we want. NV

Post comments on this article and find any associated files and/or downloads at www.nutsvolts.com/ magazine/issue/2018/09.

NEXT POSER: Pushing charges around.

Here, the bulb is on, yet the wires to the light remain dark and cool.

s

The engineer’s mixed-signal, ;exible-resolution solution.

MSOs available with 16 digital channels

NEW

For engineers in mixed-signal environments, capturing both high-speed digital measurements and high-precision analog waveforms is easier with a PicoScope® 5000D. Its innovative FlexRes® architecture combines multiple, high-resolution ADCs so users can selectively optimize sampling rate or resolution as needed.

In addition, 5000D MSO models allow users to accurately time-correlate digital and analog channels and apply advanced triggers across both. Include its powerful set of standard so;ware features, and a 5000D is both a great solution and a great value.

Includes serial bus decoding ( 18 protocols), spectrum analysis, mask limit testing, arbitrary waveform generator, so;ware development kit (SDK) and segmented memory all standard, with free so;ware updates and 5-yr warranty.