Components
The parts that turn up inside machine after machine. Pick one to see what it does and every teardown that uses it.
Alternator
Makes alternating current by spinning magnets past coils of wire.
Battery
Stores energy chemically and releases it as electricity.
Belt
Flexible loop that carries rotation from one pulley to another.
Capacitor
Stores electric charge and releases it quickly.
Compressor
Squeezes a gas to raise its pressure.
Electric Motor
Turns electrical energy into rotation.
Gear
Toothed wheel that transfers rotation and changes speed or force.
Heating Element
Turns electric current into heat through resistance.
LED
Light-emitting diode: a chip that glows when current flows through it.
Magnet
Creates a magnetic field without needing power.
Piezo igniter
Makes a spark from a sharp blow to a piezoelectric crystal.
Pulley
Grooved wheel that guides a belt and sets the speed ratio.
Relay
An electrically operated switch.
Sensor
Measures a physical quantity and turns it into a signal.
Slider
The part of a zipper that joins or separates the two rows of teeth.
Spring
Stores energy when bent, stretched or squeezed.
Thermostat
Switches a circuit on or off at a set temperature.
Transformer
Steps an AC voltage up or down with two coils on a shared core.
Valve
Controls the flow of a liquid or gas.