Arduino Tutorial 27: Understanding Pushbuttons and Pull Up and Pull Down Resistors 

Having binged these videos today, I would be dead if I drank the amount of coffee I've been told to drink

I am 71 years old and my grandson is 12. This old dog along with my grandson is trying to keep mentally stimulated. Because of Covid I have my 12yr old Grandson living with me as his mother is a nurse and being exposed to the virus on a daily bases. We are really enjoying the tutorials.

You are not just talking to yourself, professor... ...you are talking to 241.000 of us!! Cheers!!

Sir,I have learnt coding on arduino just because of your tutorials,and what I have observed is that in the other tutorials,they simply give the code without explanation,but because of your explanation and your funny actions,I have completely learnt how to code.

For the first time in my life followed a lesson for the entire day from 7 am to 7 pm, none stop. I usually cannot stay focused for 5 min max due to ADD I have, but your way of teaching makes me not to think anything else except listening every single word coming out from your mouth and remained concentrated on the computer screen.

sir , i am a student in high school and i have been learning cording from you from last year and to my surprise i have left the others who are learning for a couple of years back just because of you. thank you "SIR"

Still watching in 2024 and still havin' a good time with the whole creative process. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience my friend, Semper Fidelis!

I am 12 years old and your videos have sincerely amazed me so far. Arduino was already my favourite hobby but you helped me improve so much. Thanks !

i've recently found this channel and i'd like to thank you for your great professionalism and passion: you are definetly the teacher i've always wanted to have.

Paul, It's always a pleasure to see you explaining technology-stuff on youtube! Thank you for this! Greetings from belgium (vlaanderen).

THANK YOU so much for going into detail on these concepts! I've always heard people say "just use a pull-down resistor" etc. and could never quite understand explanations of what they were and why they were used before this. I love your videos :)

I've been wrapped up in some other tasks but have finally found some time to continue on with the New and improved Arduino tutorials I do appreciate all that you do in these videos. Thanks again for your valuable time.

The tutorials are really interesting and learning new concepts in each in every classes. Never seen a tutorial which goes into more details. Teaching method by Paul McWhorter is really great. Keep up the good work.

Unlike many other tutorial videos, you go deeper into explaining the details of how electricity flows and how the voltage varies depending on each scenario. I am a big fan of this way of teaching. Thank you sir!

I tried learning pull up and pull down resistors before from a book and couldn't make sense of it. This explanation was so easy to follow. I now feel I fully understand it. Thanks!

I came across this video and thought how in the world can a video be half an hour on this one topic and not be either dry or repetitive. All I can say is WOW! Outstanding instruction. I'm going to pick up a kit and work through all your videos with my kids. Awesome work and thank you.

I love how you explain in-depth how this all works. Other videos on arduinos tend to just tell the viewer "do this" and "do that" without explaining how it works. I think those videos tend to get more views because viewers want to click videos that they think will explain the topic in the shortest period of time. However, taking the extra time to watch your videos gives a much much better understanding of how it all works. Thank you :)

I'm getting an Arduino for Christmas (4 days away) and have been doing these lessons for the last few weeks. I like how you present things in bite-sized pieces and particularly how you show yourself thinking and figuring out stuff yourself and making mistakes and showing to solve them. I think too often people think engineers, or people in any profession for that matter, don't have to actually work, think and struggle at times. Your lessons are great!

I keep learning the hard way that all other tuts are trash and this man the plug with this shish

It took nearly all day to do the homework but it worked!! Love the videos and I am doing them with you. Thanks for some of the best content on RU-vid!!

This is the most excellent tutorial series I've ever watch in my live. I've learned proraming Allen Bradley PLC's in my Electrical Engineering class. Now that I use more of my electronics than my electrical skills, I wanted to learn how to program Arduino's too. fortunately, I came across Paul's tutorial. That was my best luck!! Thanks a lot Paul.

After watching this video yesterday I had an idea of a project that would put most of the things you have taught in these videos to work. I was able to have an RGB LED light have it's color controlled with a single potentiometer and have the push button switch color to adjust and then I was able to use three more buttons to store up to two RGB color combinations and was able to recall them when I wanted to. I showed this some people and they all rolled their eyes and called me a geek. I couldn't be more proud hahaha. Thank you again for the awesome videos.

I love the way you teach, you understand what a student is struggling with, so you show everything how does it work and why. Also what i like the most is when you debug problems. Hold your breath guys, because we are lucky to have amazing lessons from professor Paul . 🍎🍓

Thank you sir i am 13 years old and have interest in engineering u helped me to bring my dreams to life I wish every student gets a teacher like u

Had a bit of struggle with the switch, turned it other way, no joy. FInally had to press harder into the breadboard. What a joy to see the idea in action. Hope the lessons go beyond hundreds.

Paul I am a fan of your 'Pen and Paper' mode. I just so love it when you explain everything first....it just make everything so easy ahead. Thanks. Please keep teaching us ahead and ahead. Thankssss a ton.

Hi Paul, stumbled across your channel a few weeks ago, and I have to thank you for the clear and insightful lessons, I'm actually struggling with a pushbutton so im super excited about the new vid. Cheers from Cape Town, South Africa!

Thank you so much for these lessons, Mr. McWhorter! There is so much to learn before I can take on those robotics and AI lessons, but I watch your videos everyday and do the homework. You're doing me and the world a service. P.S. I love learning the fundamentals like the physics of what's happening. It's important for us to know.

Hi Paul...Greetings from Great Britain. I've been a professional sparky for twenty-odd years, and had never heard of this type of switching before! Congrats on another barn-storming description-fest that explained everything perfectly. Fair play to you, mate.....YOU DE MAN! There's no other Yankee git who can explain this subject like yourself...lol. Seriously though, thanks a lot, mate...and keep 'em coming! Regards from the Grumpy Limey.

I'm really happy I was able to match the real circuit we built with the diagram you made! Really nice lesson! :)

Hey Paul, I've been working through these courses and must say thank you so much and I for one give you a big thumbs up for teaching the math and other theory. Being a guy that slept through my High School days I have a lot of gaps and I appreciate the foundation along with tricks that you are presenting. I've learned a lot so far along with coming up with some fun technique. For example on this exercise I used your trick to read voltage and then set up serial output showing exactly what is going on "4.70 1" , 4.7 being volts and then when I push button, "0.00 0" Super cool, Learning a LOT! Thanks again, looking forward to moving forward with the rest of your classes.

Awesome Paul! . I am a structural engineer and just picked up this as a hobby, and am loving it, if you could make me do then I am sure a lot of others can also do it.. haha.. thanks again.. love the way you mix up pun , warnings, caution etc into the lectures. The kid inside of you is very much alive and I love it. BAAAAAM!

Aha! Now I understand what are pull up pull down resisters are. Thank you, Paul!👍

I've been watching your tutorials consecutively from Number 1. I've been saving all the program exercises both done together and assigned homework. I've also made documents, notes and drawings with graph paper too for each lesson. So your tutorials are not made in vain.

Sir, I learnt a lot through your classes. It is great that you teach through the basics. It helps clear up misconceptions and makes complicated projects feel easier

Practicing Mechanical PE here. I found this series and started watching it to learn how to program in a type of C (I'm a Fortran guy). Wonderful series that has information for persons of all levels of experience. I feel lucky to have found your channel. I get the feeling that you teach as a vocation probably high school or maybe community college. I'd not be surprised if you were a 'master' teacher. I like your technique, especially the repetitions of both correct and incorrect (subsequently corrected) actions. Also the gentle handholding with new concepts and the gradual weaning off of detailed instructions/demonstrations for concepts that should be fluent. Great pedagogy. I've overseen and mentored many new engineers. Many recent graduates with whom I have dealt had good technical foundation but lacked practical foundation. The process of understanding a problem, investigating viable solution options, choosing the option to use, and troubleshooting and fine tuning the result seem to be given very short shrift in engineering schools. You manage to incorporate many of those steps in your lessons, though. I wish there were more teachers like you out there. Thank you very much.

Great lesson! Important definitions for Pull-Up or Pull-Down. Cheers from New Zealand. The circuit [LED hookup] took me a few minutes to debug. Looking forward to #28

Keep up the great work. I like that you show the schematic of what we are doing. Understanding what you are doing is what it takes for me to understand.

Thank You Paul !!! Been here since episode #1. Loving this series, Stay Safe Paul. =D

Yes! Another Arduino video in the series! Oh, speaking of ice coffee: throw a half a glass of ice, shot of espresso (or a similarly strong coffee or a tablespoon of instant), pinch of salt into a blender (add sugar to taste). Blend to foam. Enjoy a fantastic frothy beverage. :) Great content Paul! Keep em coming!

Thank you for these lessons. I have been teaching hs physics for 29 years and like the way you pull together all elements of stem into your lessons. I plan to start using arduinos with my physics classes. You have really inspired me.

Your never alone Paul! Great content as always. I am really enjoying this and the NANO projects and I might get involved with the nine axis as well.

Haven't watched your videos in a couple of years. Your lessons hold up well over time. Thank you.

I AM LEGND! I did the toggle switch! I think I'm really grasping the concept of it. I was able to make the program in like 2 minutes!

Good explanation for the use of the pull up and pull down resistor. Really enjoy these projects. Thanks Paul.

It's great to just follow along at mine own pace . It make learning a whole lot a fun Thanks for doing these tutorials again for us.

Hey Paul, I really appreciate your videos. Thank you for taking the time to make them.

You're just amazing just now finished this video.. You're a great teacher please keep doing this good work forever. Wish to see more videos.. In short from this second am your fan sir !! 😊

Paul, so far up thru 9:48, and your all time BEST explanation of pull up and pull down circuits and how each type will send a different reading to Auduino, I will now continue with Lesson 27 !!! Sorry you had trouble on the LIVE broadcast this morning,

I have been binging these tutorials for weeks. I can hear the sounds of ice cubes clinking in your coffee while I sleep.

i'm having so much fun with yours teaching classes....

Wow sir! Thank you so much for teaching us the science behind these components. It makes my concept crystal clear which ultimately makes me so much more confident! You are not like the other RU-vidrs who just write down the code, and that's why you are the best!(Also, you make learning fun with your humor :) )

Hi Paul. I’ve also binged on your Arduino videos and I’ve learned such a lot. I was a programmer many years ago and had not used my knowledge for a long time. Your videos have reignited my interest in programming and I’m really enjoying the process. Thanks and keep up the good work.

I've been watching and learning from your many videos over the past few years. Just wanted to say 'thank you'.

Thank you very much Mr. McWorther, I love these tutorials, I did this and it was very exciting, you also answered my long time question of what pullup and pulldown resistors were!

Paul, I didn't realize that a pull up and pull down resistor acted that way with a push button. Nice!! Manny from Puerto Rico

I liked how you explained the component in a deep detailed way

Hello, I'm trying to learn how to use Arduino and you've been very useful, thank you so much for all the help and I'll most likely end up watching all of these videos multiple times. Thanks again!

Hi Paul, hope you gonna read this, I'm 26 yo self taught programmer coming from a poor family in south italy and didn't have the opportunity to study, I've been thinking about taking a Bachelor of Science for a long time but never really considered it cause I didn't finish high school. Last week I was watching videos about robotics and came across this channel, I was so excited that after 5 minutes I bought the ELEGOO kit, I've been flipping burger and loading trucks for the past 3 years while learning to code and finally few days ago I enrolled for Open University and a student loan here in London where I'm living now, a really good university that allow you to take a degree even without high school certification and let you choose what do you want to study and how, I asked for a mix of Computer Science and Engineering and I will start in september, all of this thanks to your arduino tutorial that made me fell in love with robotics engineering, thank you.

This is the last Lesson I am going to need for my Small project

Thnaks Paul a lot for your effort. I really appreciate the material you offer for all of us. I will continue the series... Tomorrow I will start with the the 28th.

The mist is clearing!! I am beginning to see the light! Thank you Paul, great video as always!

Thank You Sir McWorther for all the Arduino Tutorials you put on RU-vid. I live in Montreal region, Canada, my first language is french. I can say that your english speaking for people who's first language is not english, is excellent and clearly understandable. I will go up the tutorials until No 68, then get Python for beginners. Merci beaucoup monsieur, c'est toujours un plaisir de vous entendre!!!!

This one took me a long time to debug. I bridged my button over A and the - column instead of the gap between E and F. Silly me forgot the - column is all connected. The button was rendered useless since the circuit was always closed even if the button wasn't pressed. Mistakes are the best lessons outside of listening to you Paul.

Best tutorial on the Arduino programming!! Learned a lot and have started to build my own projects!

Confidence level is increasing for every class I attend. Thank you very much Paul.

You are trying to teach the basic things which is really helpful. Thank you Paul.

Thankyou Mr.McWhorter! At first our button did not want to work, but then it did. Also, we spotted then mistake you made with the dot and comma in the pinmode before you did and we were like, "Come on its right there! 🤣" very funny. Your lessons are amazing. Thankyou!!!!! :D

Another great lesson Mr. Mcwhorter. Thank you for all your help. Truly a great teacher!

A lovely simple session after the equation burn from the last one! Thanks Paul!

Omg, thank you for taking time into explaining this at a lower level, thank you!!!

i keep coming back to your videos and am learning so much but am enjoying it!

I have been using Tinkercad circuit to do the experiment. Its great time to be alive to be taught teachers like you and have platform like tinkercad where we can do the stuff even if we don't have.

great lesson, but the instructor makes them all GREAT. I really enjoy the lessons so much that I watch them twice, first time just to see what the lesson brings and then work on it the second time around, thank you, thank you, thank you . . . READY FOR THE SECOND WATCH and WORK ON IT.

Thanks for the great video! Your lessons are very easy to follow, and your explanations are very clear. Cheers!

Thanks so much Paul for your videos. This is the best button video ever made! I have watched this a few times when I need a refresher. I wish I had you as a teacher when I was in school. I have you now and thankful for it.

Thanks for this series I really enjoy it!

I love it that you integrate the Arduino coding, math, and basic electronics.

I it is getting time to call it a night when I start making silly mistakes. I did debug my code and it works great. Thank you Paul, always enjoy your lessons and I am learning a great deal here again thank you.

Thans, Paul. This is my first step in trying to understand pull up/down resisters.

I was watching Paul! I have learned a lot more that I knew before

I was not able to do this before you teach me how to do it and actually I see this video three time to get the full view of how this code works...I really enjoyed this one....Thanks.

For the first time in my life i find coding fun and easy . Bcoz of you am able to enjoy and learn you things . Thanks so much sir

Love this video and it added so much clarity on what pull up/down is. I have been seeing "those terms" referenced in many places and it was kinda fuzzy to me. As I'm new to the circuit side of things all I can say this was needed education. Thank you Paul!

Thanks for the lesson! I'm programming a control box for some flashing lights and this lesson was just what I needed!

I did this whole series 2 years ago, but I wanted to review a few things so here I am, holding my breath! BOOOOOOOM!!!! :P :P

Loved the push button lesson and getting more familiar with if statements. Thanks

Merci ! Even for a French "English draft dodger" as I'm and thanks to your sterling prononciation I finally understood the function of this damned 10k resistance ... Thank you Sir.

I just can not fined any bad thing to say, I love the Totorials!

Pull Up and Pull Down Resistors, simple to understand when it is well explained. Thank you!

Great teacher!!! I'm learning a lot and good from your tutorials, thank you!!!!!

Another great video, can't wait to get caught up!!

I wish i had a PROFESOR like yourself when i was young at high school ....THX!!!

After hitting my head against the wall, learning a little bit about c,I managed to complete the assignment using delay and break or goto statements . I am so happy and proud.Thank you so much for the great lessons!

Hi Paul, I use a variable I called flag which has the initial value 1. Every time the push button is hit, then flag=-flag with a short delay (so arduino wouldn't switch continuously), to switch flag value between 1 and -1. Then I use the structure "if (flag==1) else" to activate the LED. This works great!! Thanks a lot!

Skipped ahead several lessons for this one. Glad I did since I didn't know about the need for a resistor when using the pushbuttons. Have 8 LEDs and a Sketch that displays various "light show" animations (bounce, sweep, random, etc.). Tonight I added a pot (Lesson #12) to adjust the speed of the animation. And added two pushbuttons, one to cycle to the next animation and a second to toggle inverting the animation. Worked out great. Thx!

Please Continue uploading,your tutorials are amazing. ❤️♥️♥️💚💙💜 Love from India.

Thanks for the lessons Paul.

Really appreciate your efforts and thanks for these amazing lessons !

For something so simple, I've really struggled understanding push buttons. This is the only video that helped me. Thanks!