Data Sheet

6/30/2015 LightemittingDiodes(LEDs)learn.sparkfun.com
https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/lightemittingdiodesleds?_ga=1.43468261.1900427809.1434378181 9/13
RGB(RedGreenBlue)LEDsareactuallythreeLEDsinone!Butthatdoesn’tmeanitcanonlymake
threecolors.Becausered,green,andbluearetheadditiveprimarycolors,youcancontrolthe
intensityofeachtocreateeverycoloroftherainbow.MostRGBLEDshavefourpins:oneforeach
colorandacommonpin.Onsome,thecommonpinistheanode,andonothers,it’sthecathode.
SomeLEDsaresmarterthanothers.TaketheflashingLED,forexample.InsidetheseLEDs,there’s
actuallyanintegratedcircuitthatallowstheLEDtoblinkwithoutanyoutsidecontroller.Simplypowerit
upandwatchitgo!Thesearegreatforprojectswhereyouwantalittlebitmoreactionbutdon’thave
roomforcontrolcircuitry.ThereareevenRGBflashingLEDsthatcyclethroughthousandsofcolors!
SMDLEDsaren’tsomuchaspecifickindofLEDbutapackagetype.Aselectronicsgetsmallerand
smaller,manufacturershavefiguredouthowtocrammorecomponentsinasmallerspace.SMD
(SurfaceMountDevice)partsaretinyversionsoftheirstandardcounterparts.SMDLEDscomein
severalsizes,fromfairlylargetosmallerthanagrainofrice!Becausethey’resosmall,andhavepads
insteadoflegs,they’renotaseasytoworkwith,butifyou’retightonspacetheymightbejustwhat
thedoctorordered.