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Circuit Display

Display voltage and current sensor measurements integrated with a circuit simulation.

Overview

  1. Circuit Toolbar

    • Current direction

      Display the current direction as electron flow or conventional current. Moving electrons are shown for electron flow, and moving arrows are shown for conventional current.

    • Hide components palette

      Toggle to show or hide the components palette.

    • Zoom in and out

      Click to zoom in or out of the workspace.

    • Start and stop the simulation

      Toggle to run or pause the simulation.

    • Pin toolbar

      Click to pin the toolbar to the display.

    • Properties

      Click to access the display properties, including changing the symbol style from American to IEC symbols.

    • Show or Hide Tools

      Click to show or hide specific tools from the toolbar.

  2. Components Palette

    The palette contains various circuit components for building a circuit. Drag a component to the workspace to use it in a circuit.

  3. Workspace

    Build a circuit in the workspace by dragging circuit components from the components palette to the workspace.

Draw a circuit

  1. Drag components from the components palette onto the workspace.

    Note

    Each component displays a boundary when dragged. It is not possible to overlap the component boundaries.

  2. If you need to rotate a component, click the component, then click Rotate Component.

  3. Connect components by clicking the end of a component and drawing wires. The simulation starts automatically when a complete circuit is created.

If you want to delete a component, click the component, then click Delete Component.

Change the value of a component

You can specify the value of the following components:

  • Battery voltage
  • Resistor resistance
  • Bulb resistance
  • LED turn-on voltage
  • Capacitor capacitance

To change the value:

  1. Click the component, then click Edit Component Parameter.
  2. Enter a new value in the window, then click OK.

Display a measurement

You can display a voltage or current measurement by adding a voltmeter or ammeter from the components palette. By default, the meter displays a simulated measurement above the circuit symbol. You can also display sensor data when a voltage or current sensor is connected to Capstone. Sensor data can be displayed as digits or in a graph.

  1. Drag a voltmeter or ammeter from the components palette to the workspace.
  2. Click the meter, then click Display Graph to display a graph, or click Display Digits to display digits.
  3. Click the meter, then click Select Measurement to select the sensor measurement to display.
  4. Click Record to view the sensor measurements.

Open and close a switch

You can manually open and close switches in your circuit. If a switch is open, click the switch, then click Close Switch. If a switch is closed, click the switch, then click Open Switch.

Discharge a capacitor

Electrons appear on the capacitor when it is charged. To discharge the capacitor manually, click Discharge Circuit.