--- title: SparkFun Education Blog | What is a description: What is a | Maker Education Blog --- [![Sparkfun](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/img/logo.png)](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/index.html) - [SparkFun Webstore](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com) - [Higher Ed](https://sparkfuneducation.com/higher-ed/index.html) - [Contact Us](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/contact-us.html) - [Follow Us](https://twitter.com/SparkFunEDU) - [Home](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com) - [Blog](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com) - [Curriculum](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/curriculum.html) - [PD/Events](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/professional-dev.html) - [KITS/Materials](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/materials.html) - [Educator Stories](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/educator-stories.html) - [Activities](https://activities.sparkfuneducation.com) [Blog Home](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/) / SparkFun Education Blog [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/What%20is%20a%20Transistor.png)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-transistor) ## [What is a Transistor?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-transistor) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 7/14/20 6:57 AM [2](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-transistor#comments-listing) [teaching tools](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/teaching-tools) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Honored with a spot on IEEE’s Milestone’s list, transistors changed the world of electronics, making smaller and cheaper electronics possible. Even though they control just about every modern ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-transistor) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/Idea%20-%20Basic%20Measures%20of%20Electricity.jpeg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-the-basic-measure-of-electricity) ## [What is The Basic Measure of Electricity?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-the-basic-measure-of-electricity) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 5/5/20 6:25 AM [1](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-the-basic-measure-of-electricity#comments-listing) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Everything worth measuring has a unit of measurement associated with it. In the US, we use inches and feet to measure how tall something is, pounds and ounces to measure how much something weighs and ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-the-basic-measure-of-electricity) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/EDU/BLOG%20Images/Nov%2019/pcb.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-pcb) ## [What is a PCB?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-pcb) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 11/12/19 6:39 AM [2](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-pcb#comments-listing) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Printed circuit boards, or PCBs, are so fundamental in electronics, that people often forget to explain what they are. Here, we’re going to break down the mystery and explain what they are, how ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-pcb) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/EDU/BLOG%20Images/Sept%2019/thermistor1.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-are-diodes-thermistors-and-shields) ## [What are Diodes, Thermistors and Shields](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-are-diodes-thermistors-and-shields) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 9/3/19 6:12 AM [1](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-are-diodes-thermistors-and-shields#comments-listing) [getting started](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/getting-started) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) A large part of why I undertook this “What is a…” series around electronic components is because I wanted to better understand these components myself. Up until this point, the pieces that have been ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-are-diodes-thermistors-and-shields) [![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/m1lC9QJ6p58Zl51X25kZSzIL153JJqoFzGHyA4aUrzNmIKj2MzAlPchd92lSLitgQ5eCv112wpVFw3CZ_fwEBu6hFtjRv2Mp2uQKCnnJhL7O9zebCPIaHdZCx16o_wEnAavYRAPz)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-circuit) ## [What is a Circuit?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-circuit) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 6/11/19 6:19 AM [5](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-circuit#comments-listing) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Circuits are the basis of electronics, so, let’s take a few moments to break them down and discuss what they actually are. A circuit is a loop through which current can flow. A power source, such as ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-circuit) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/EDU/BLOG%20Images/April%2019/51968eb0ce395f352c000000.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-capacitor) ## [What is a Capacitor?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-capacitor) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 4/2/19 6:24 AM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-capacitor#comments-listing) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) Capacitors are used to store energy. But they aren’t batteries. So what are they used for and how do they work?... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-capacitor) [![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pXa0NJd3mmVu0lnvSeryZ4dh3SpxmY2YYgJfVqbRsm84f8LG2iE8RX_nQr-enrHu3xhQLM56qKMmgsJwcmQcmqvN9hSCCui_OycdksH2LviHGVlsMt9HUkIaiOgWpHNYN6rZyrQI)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/switches-blog) ## [What is a Switch? And SO MUCH MORE](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/switches-blog) BY [Maya Kleinbort](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/maya-kleinbort) 1/29/19 6:28 AM [3](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/switches-blog#comments-listing) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) One of the most elementary and easy-to-overlook circuit component is the switch. Switches don’t require any fancy equations to evaluate. All they do is select between an open circuit and a short ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/switches-blog) [![](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/UeA0uYrWS1ySQ0Sd-teEERcxpm-RHglyLd6QSya01r1RaMzvsj4LenXMypTYjEAq86DghknHeipjUy82u1Q8GLBb12Zuayi1KkpAP10bG-gQJ1FffIFzSRz0sC2BWC1bplNstFQ8)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-servo) ## [What is a Servo?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-servo) BY [Maya Kleinbort](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/maya-kleinbort) 1/10/19 6:28 AM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-servo#comments-listing) [helpful information](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) A servo, short for servomechanism or servomotor, is a simple mechanism that adds movement to any electronics project. This useful motor, originally found in remote-controlled cars and airplanes, is ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-servo) [![](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/hubfs/EDU/gator-bit/gator-boards-banner.jpg)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/how-to-use-sparkfun-gatorboards) ## [How To Use SparkFun gator:boards](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/how-to-use-sparkfun-gatorboards) BY [Melissa Felderman](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/melissa-felderman) 11/13/18 6:25 AM [0](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/how-to-use-sparkfun-gatorboards#comments-listing) [micro:bit](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/microbit) [basic circuits](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/basic-circuits) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) The SparkFun gator:board ecosystem is an amazing set of development and prototyping boards for students. The ecosystem interfaces with the micro:bit and all electrical connections are accessible via ... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/how-to-use-sparkfun-gatorboards) [![](https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/0ObhNtebun0Hs4VbaO3Neptbrknkms-Ht_uvXU-ivtcDfr_2MFGP4nAxltYtbh8_wE9cZFaKdHc4UtlV0DpipCI671GYzQ4d9sLwJUBWRxUrb-RXuVjvg281nvAbRO6yYCF69J3C)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-potentiometer) ## [What is a Potentiometer?](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-potentiometer) BY [Megan Hemmings](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) 5/24/18 6:38 AM [2](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-potentiometer#comments-listing) [teaching tools](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/teaching-tools) [getting started](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/getting-started) [What is a](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) If you want to create a project with a variable element - such as light or sound- chances are, you’re going to need a potentiometer. But what is a potentiometer and how do they work?... [Continue reading](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/what-is-a-potentiometer) [All posts](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/all) [Next](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a/page/2) ### Subscribe to SparkFun Education Blog ### Topics - [helpful information (79)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/helpful-information) - [Maker Education (60)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/maker-education) - [teaching tools (55)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/teaching-tools) - [getting started (54)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/getting-started) - [Guest Post (44)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/guest-post) - [computer science (40)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/computer-science) - [micro:bit (38)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/microbit) - [student projects (37)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/student-projects) - [STEM (36)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/stem) - [programming (34)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/programming) - [STEAM (31)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/steam) - [Events (28)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/events) - [Arduino (25)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/arduino) - [robotics (20)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/robotics) - [e-textiles (18)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/e-textiles) - [Professional Development (17)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/professional-development) - [basic circuits (17)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/basic-circuits) - [What is a (16)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/what-is-a) - [announcement (16)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/announcement) - [makerspace (15)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/makerspace) - [Community Partnership Program (14)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/community-partnership-program) - [Training (13)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/training) - [raspberry pi (13)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/raspberry-pi) - [python (11)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/python) - [AVC (10)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/avc) - [paper circuits (10)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/paper-circuits) - [Makey Makey (8)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/makey-makey) - [SIK (8)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/sik) - [Adventures in Science (7)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/adventures-in-science) - [microcontroller (7)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/microcontroller) - [Internet of Things (5)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/internet-of-things) - [Processing (4)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/processing) - [Javascript (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/javascript) - [LilyPad (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/lilypad) - [funding (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/funding) - [weather (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/weather) - [Insider (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/insider) - [Johnny-five (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/topic/johnny-five) All Tags ### Recent Authors - [Megan Hemmings (79)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-hemmings) - [Maya Kleinbort (22)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/maya-kleinbort) - [Derek Runberg (21)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/derek-runberg) - [Shane Diller (16)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shane-diller) - [Jeff Branson (15)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/jeff-branson) - [Angela Sheehan (12)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/angela-sheehan) - [Melissa Felderman (9)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/melissa-felderman) - [Megan Arnold (8)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/megan-arnold) - [Brian Huang (6)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/brian-huang) - [Shawn Hymel (6)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shawn-hymel) - [Shelby Landsman (6)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/shelby-landsman) - [Jahnell Pereira (5)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/jahnell-pereira) - [Hailey Blessing (5)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/hailey-blessing) - [Mike Grusin (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/mike-grusin) - [Peter Hanson (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/peter-hanson) - [Andrew Milne (3)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/andrew-milne) - [Toni Klopfenstein (2)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/toni-klopfenstein) - [Joanna Drusin (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/joanna-drusin) - [Joe Romano (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/joe-romano) - [Mrinali P. Kesavadas (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/mrinali-p-kesavadas) - [Christa Flores (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/christa-flores) - [Michelle Shorter (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/michelle-shorter) - [Colleen Graves (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/colleen-graves) - [Janelle Curtis (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/janelle-curtis) - [Eric Bogatin (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/eric-bogatin) - [Athena Zhang Baker (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/athena-zhang-baker) - [Janice Levenhagen (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/janice-levenhagen) - [Carol Hamilton (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/carol-hamilton) - [Vanessa Lail (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/vanessa-lail) - [Bobby Chan (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/bobby-chan) - [Glenn Samala (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/glenn-samala) - [Zack Weaver (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/zack-weaver) - [Dr. Jean-Sébastien Blouin (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/dr-jean-sébastien-blouin) - [Daphne Sipes (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/daphne-sipes) - [Axel Reitzig (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/axel-reitzig) - [Justin Weisz (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/justin-weisz) - [Kylie Peppler (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/kylie-peppler) - [Michael Megliola (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/michael-megliola) - [Casey Kuhns (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/casey-kuhns) - [Rebecca Grabman (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/rebecca-grabman) - [Sylvia Martinez (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/sylvia-martinez) - [Charles Randolph (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/charles-randolph) - [Ira Sather-Olson (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/ira-sather-olson) - [Kathy Strickland (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/kathy-strickland) - [Pete Lewis (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/pete-lewis) - [Jamie Roth (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/jamie-roth) - [Mimi Tran Zambetti (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/mimi-tran-zambetti) - [Ryan Jenkins (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/ryan-jenkins) - [Kristen Deuschle (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/kristen-deuschle) - [Erika Myers (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/erika-myers) - [Sara Gonzalez (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/sara-gonzalez) - [Celeste Moreno (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/celeste-moreno) - [Samantha Nagle (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/samantha-nagle) - [Pearce Melcher (1)](https://blog.sparkfuneducation.com/author/pearce-melcher) All Authors ### Recent Posts ### Submit Your Idea [![SparkFun Education](https://www.sparkfuneducation.com/img/logo.png)](http://www.sparkfuneducation.com/index.html) #### Other Resources - [Contact Us](http://www.sparkfuneducation.com/contact-us.html) - [About SparkFun](http://www.sparkfun.com) - [FAQs](https://www.sparkfun.com/static/faq) - [Customer Service](https://www.sparkfun.com/support) - [Shipping](https://www.sparkfun.com/support) - [Terms and Conditions](https://www.sparkfun.com/terms) #### Sign Up for Newsletter © Copyright 2016. All Rights Reserved.