For this project we introduce a widely used component in electronics projects: the potentiometer. It is often called a "pot" for short by people who build electronics.
A dimmer switch to dim the lights found in many homes is an example of a potentiometer. A dimmer switch varies the amount of resistance it presents to electricity when you turn a dial, knob or screw on the potentiometer. More resistance lets less electric current through and the lights get dimmer; less resistance lets more current through and the lights get brighter.
By turning a dial all the way to the left (counter-clockwise) you increase the resistance in the potentiometer; all the way to the right (clockwise) decreases the resistance.
This project will read the resistance of a potentiometer several times a second and display the amount of resistance in a special window in the Arduino Web Editor.
What you will learn:
Now that you've wired up a few projects, try to build this one just by looking at the diagram above.
This will open a long vertical window that will show you feedback from the Arduino.
Experiment with the potentiometer by turning the dial up and down.