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ECE 110 Spring 2024 Calendar

This is the "staging" ground for the Spring 2024 semester. Students will only receive the updated weekly schedule on Canvas as we make the final changes.

Welcome to ECE 110!

Learn engineering by doing engineering!

ECE 110 is a lecture-plus-laboratory course with 100 minutes of lecture and 170 minutes of lab in a "normal" 5-day work week.

Many concepts will be introduced in the lab where the hands-on environment can be a better venue for learning.

Week Task Resources Comments

0 Pre-Semester

You need to order your kit ASAP. Order Window: Jan 9 - Jan 24 @5PM You have until January 31 to report any issues with your kit contents.


1 Jan 16-19

Reading: Required in the Canvas Textbook
  • Introduction
  • Professionalism and Ethics
  • Measurement and Significant Digits
Recommended

In-Lab:

No in-person Lab meeting in Week 1.

Don't go there; No one is there.


Lecture:
  1. Intro and Professionalism
  • Lecture meets Wednesday as scheduled in your classroom.
  • Lecture slides available on Canvas
  • Important technical content is covered from "Day 1" in lecture
  • Please read the textbook materials ahead of each lecture. We look forward to meeting you!

Homework: Each homework is a divided assignment.
  • PrairieLearn is generally numeric-short-answer and auto-graded.
  • GradeScope is typically two questions where the grade is dependent not upon your answer, but your ability to provide a detailed solution

Prelab for Week 2: Prelabs are to be done at home and are due before the usual start time of your lab each week. "Prelabs" (also thought of as at-home labs) may be assigned even if an in-person meeting may not happen the following week.
  • Always check GradeScope for deadlines of submission of Pre-lab and Lab materials.
  • How to Use Gradescope
  • Electronics Kit pickup window:
    Jan 16 - Jan 26 at Room ECEB 1024 in the Facilities Corridor on the 1st Floor - 10AM- 2PM.


Week Task Resources Comments

2 Jan 22-26

Textbook:
  • Energy
  • Resistance (and Ohm's Law)

In-Lab: Team Contracts.

Enter 1005 ECEB through the door on the East hallway. You will recevie 15-30 minutes of instruction before moving into the main laboratory space in 1001 ECEB. You will complete as a team these activities...
The lab kit will not be used in-person in Week 2.

  • Always check GradeScope for submission of Pre-lab and Lab materials.

Extra Credit Opportunity: Engineering Ethics [.pdf] [.docx] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit this extra credit material.

Lecture:
  1. Current and Voltage
  2. Measuring and Modeling

Homework:

Prelab: At-home exercises to be completed before Week 3


Week Task Resources Comments

3 Jan 29-Feb 2

Textbook:
  • Energy
  • Resistors and Ohm's Law

In-Lab:

Lecture:
  1. Power and Energy; Efficiency
  2. Electronic Devices.
Do you have any religious observances that might interfere with course activities? Be sure to contact your instructor(s) right away!

Homework:

Prelab for Week 4: Last day to request any missing parts: Sept 12

See these GradeScope submission instructions for prelab.


Week Task Resources Comments

4 Feb 5-9

Textbook:
  • Kirchhoff's Voltage and Current Laws
  • Circuit Analysis Tools (Shortcuts)

In-Lab: Always bring your kit to Lab! Right now, you don't yet need your car, but you do need the small breadboard and small kit components. Submit the procedure "markup" after lab (24 hour grace period).

Your Team also needs to submit a Weekly Team Report due before next week's lab.
Extra Credit Opportunity: What is Resistance? [*.pdf][*.docx] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit this extra credit material.

Lecture:
  1. Kirchhoff's Circuit Laws
  2. Series and Parallel, Power Ratings, Divider Rules

Homework:

Prepare for Week 5:
  • Extech MN35 Multimeter [Video] [.pdf] [.docx]
  • Kirchhoff's Laws on a Breadboard [.pdf] [.docx]
  • Make the wire "adapters" for your MN35 probes as described in the video. Consider bringing your DMM to class for measurements.
Due before Lab.


Week Task Resources Comments

5 Feb 12-16

Quiz 1: At CBTF Feb. 19-20

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Circuit Analysis Tools (Shortcuts)
  • Textbook: Waveforms

In-Lab:
  • Every student must come to lab prepared by completing all prelab activities. Unprepared students will lose points.
  • If you must miss lab for any reason, you need to notify your TA as soon as possible (before lab!) to minimize the likelihood of points lost. TA contact link is at the Home page of Canvas.
  • Submit the procedure "markup" right after lab.

    Your Team also needs to submit a Weekly Team Report due before next week's lab.
Extra Credit Opportunity: Plotting with Python [.pdf] [.docx] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit this extra credit material.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prelab for Week 6:


Week Task Resources Comments

6 Feb 19-23


Textbook:
  • Textbook: Power
  • Textbook: Current-Voltage Characteristics

In-Lab:
  • Remember to submit the procedure "markup" after lab (24 hour grace period).

    Your Team also needs to submit a Weekly Team Report due before next week's lab.
  • You may have noticed that the RC time constant (2.2 RC) does not give the exact period of oscillation for your circuit. Why not? Here is an extra-credit exercise on that explores the charging and discharging cycles of the capacitor taking into account the upper and lower threshold values of the Schmitt Trigger.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 7: Assemble Your Car Chassis: Due before Lab.

If you have a faulty motor, DO NOT BUILD the car. They are very difficult to disassemble and you may break it. Go to lab to get a replacement motor first.


Week Task Resources Comments

7 Feb 26-Mar 1

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Current-Voltage Characteristics
  • Textbook: Thevenin Equivalent

In-Lab:
Extra Credit Opportunity: Lissajous: The Oscope XY Mode [.pdf] [.docx] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit extra credit material.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 8: GradeScope Quiz due before Lab.


Week Task Resources Comments

8 Oct 9-Oct 13

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Norton and IV Tools
  • Textbook: Node Method

In-Lab:
Extra Credit Opportunity: IV Characteristics of a Motor [*.pdf] [*.docx] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit this extra credit material.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 9: Due before Lab.


Week Task Resources Comments

9 Oct 16-Oct 20

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Diodes
  • Textbook: Diode Circuits
Quiz 2: At CBTF Oct. 16-18

In-Lab:

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 10: Due before Lab.


Week Task Resources Comments

10 Oct 23-Oct 27

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Diodes (all notes)
  • Textbook: Bipolor Junction Transistor (intro)

In-Lab:

Finish the Team Storytelling Video project in lab if possible. Due before next lab.
Extra Credit Opportunity: Extra Credit: What is a Capacitance? [*.pdf][*.docx] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit this extra credit material.
Extra Credit Opportunity: Zener-based 9-to-5 volt DC-to-DC Converter [.pdf] There is a limited 4-week window to complete and submit this extra credit material.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 11:
  • Your team's Storytelling Video serves as a midterm report and is due before you meet in lab for Week 11.
Due before Lab.


Week Task Resources Comments

11 Oct 30-Nov 3

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Bipolor Junction Transistor (all notes)

In-Lab:
  • Revisit Team Contract [*.pdf]
  • Final Project: Applause Meter! [.pdf]
  • Example Video
  • Discuss with your team which teammate should be assigned to the procedures listed below. Working in pairs is encouraged both for collaborative learning and for efficient use of the bench equipment. Note that the weekly grade is not explicit to the module(s) completed, but based on the progress report that summarizes your work and shows strong progression and planning on the final project.
  • 30 minutes before the end of lab, meet with your team and finish the Team Weekly [Final Project] Progress Report on GradeScope (due before lab ends!).
  • Some highly-commended procedures:
  • If you finish your module early, help your teammates! This is a team project!!

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 12:
  • Meet as a team outside of lab (as planned) to continue working on your final design project. Include your progress in your next progress report to be completed at the conclusion of the next in-lab meeting.


Week Task Resources Comments

12 Nov 6-10

Textbook:
  • Textbook: Bipolor Junction Transistor (all notes)
  • Textbook: MOSFET

In-Lab:
  • Complete your second progress report as a team and submit it to GradeScope. Instructions for this submission are on GradeScope.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 13:
  • Upcoming (Week 13) is the LAST week prior to Fall Break and it is also the FINAL week with lab time allocated to finishing your final design project. Your week 12 progress report should have arranged a distinct plan for completing the project while staff assistance is readily available. The more you have done prior the lab meeting, the more you will be able to effectively utilize that assistance.


Week Task Resources Comments

13 Nov 13-17

Quiz 3: At CBTF Nov. 13-15

Textbook:
  • Textbook: MOSFET
  • Textbook: cMOS Logic

In-Lab:
  • Ascertain that the individual sub-circuits of your design are working properly.
  • Complete the working design through the combination of your sub-circuits. Use TA help while you have it!
A third progress report is due in GradeScope at the end of your lab session. Be sure to leave the last 30-ish minutes for completion of this.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 15 :
  • A team-produced video of your working applause meter is due before lab begins.
  • In the final lab meeting:
    • Bring your working applause meter.
    • Bring a schematic of your complete circuit.
    • Your TA will ask you questions and have you demonstrate the function of certain nodes in your circuit. Be familiar with the entire circuit operation.


Week Task Resources Comments

14 Nov 20-24 Fall Break!



Week Task Resources Comments

15 Nov 27-Dec 1

Textbook:
  • Textbook: cMOS Logic
  • Textbook: Solar Energy

In-Lab:
  • Final Project Q&A
WARNING: Midnight on Wednesday December 6 is the absolute last date any student-submitted materials may be accepted for ECE 110.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:

Prepare for Week 16 :
  • Final Project Report


Week Task Resources Comments

16 Dec 4-6 Dec 7 is Reading Day to prep for final exams!

Reading
  • Textbook: Re-read All Covered Chapters!

In-Lab:
  • No in-person lab meeting
No student-submitted materials in ECE 110 are accepted (labs, homeworks, extra credit, etc.) beyond midnight Wednesday, December 6.

Lecture:
  • Meets Monday and Wednesday as scheduled.

Homework:



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