4. Chips, Ahoy!
Before I get into the fascinating topic of integrated circuit (IC) chips, I have to make a confession: some of the things I asked you to do in Chapter 3 could have been done a bit more simply. Does this mean you have been wasting your time? No, I firmly believe that by building circuits with old-fashioned components—capacitors, resistors, and transistors—you acquire the best possible understanding of the principles of electronics. Still, you are going to find that integrated circuit chips, containing dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of transistor junctions, will enable some shortcuts.
Shopping List: Experiments 16 Through 24 ...