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Example Circuit Connection Diagram for Bike Light Project

Run the Example Circuit Connection Diagram for Bike Light Project MicroSim Fullscreen

About This MicroSim

A p5.js interactive wiring diagram showing:

Learning objective: Applying - the student can trace any signal path from source to destination and identify which pin it uses.

How to Use

Use the on-screen controls - buttons, sliders, dropdowns, and clickable regions - to explore the idea. Every change updates the canvas immediately, so you can predict an outcome and then check it.

Iframe Embed Code

You can place this MicroSim on any web page by adding the following HTML:

<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/moving-rainbow/sims/bike-light-circuit-diagram/main.html"
        height="422px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Grade Level

Grades 6-12

Duration

10-15 minutes

Learning Objective

Applying - the student can trace any signal path from source to destination and identify which pin it uses.

Activities

  1. Explore (5 min): Open the MicroSim and try every control. Notice what changes on screen.
  2. Predict (5 min): Before each change, predict what will happen, then test your prediction.
  3. Discuss (5 min): Explain the idea in your own words and connect it to the LED code in Chapter 20.

Assessment

Ask students to describe, in one or two sentences, the relationship the MicroSim demonstrates and how it shows up when programming the LED strip.

References

  1. Chapter 20: Project Design, Capstone Projects, and Presentation - the chapter where this MicroSim is used.
  2. Moving Rainbow Intelligent Textbook - the full course this MicroSim belongs to.
  3. MicroSims Reference - the standards behind these interactive simulations.

Original Specification

Full specification used to generate this MicroSim 
Type: diagram
**sim-id:** bike-light-circuit-diagram
**Library:** p5.js
**Status:** Specified

A p5.js interactive wiring diagram showing:

**Components:**
- Raspberry Pi Pico (center, with all GPIO pins labeled on both sides)
- WS2812B LED strip (right side, 8 pixels shown as a row)
- Momentary button (left side, on breadboard)
- USB power bank (top right, labeled "5V source")

**Connections drawn as colored wires:**
- Red: USB power bank 5V → Pico VBUS pin → LED strip 5V pin
- Black: USB power bank GND → Pico GND → LED strip GND
- Yellow: Pico GP0 → LED strip Data In (with a note: "330Ω resistor in-line recommended")
- Green: Pico GP15 → Button one leg
- Black: Button other leg → GND

Clicking any component opens a tooltip explaining its role. Clicking any wire highlights its full path and shows voltage/signal name.

Canvas: 700 × 420 px. Responds to window resize.

Learning objective: Applying — the student can trace any signal path from source to destination and identify which pin it uses.