Light Sensor and Darkness detector circuit

Presentation
Objective: Simple Light sensor and darkness detector circuit using LDR and a transistor

Introduction:
Basically a light sensor circuit stay turn on in a light and turn off in a darkness same as a darkness sensor circuit turn on a light in
darkness and turn off light in brightness.
A photoresistor or light-dependent resistor, LDR is a light-controlled variable resistor.The resistance of a photoresistor decreases
with increasing incident light intensity,in other words,its exhibits photoconductivity.A photo resistor can be applied in light-sensitive
detector circuits,and light-and dark-activated switching circuits.

A photoresistor is made of a high resistance semiconducor. In the dark, a photoresistor can have a resistance as high as
several megaohms (MΩ), while in the light, a photoresistor can have a resistance as low as a few hundred ohms.

BC547 is an NPN bi-polar junction transistor. A transistor, stands for transfer of resistance, is commonly used to amplify current. A small current at
its base controls a larger current at collector & emitter terminals.BC547 is mainly used for amplification and switching purposes. It has a
maximum current gain of 800. Its equivalent transistors are BC548 and BC549.
Components Required: LDR 5mm
NPN Transistor
Potentiometer 10k
Potentiometer 100k
1k ohm Resistor
470k ohm Resistor
Breadboard
Power Supply: 9v
Few Breadboard Connectors
Circuit Diagram:

LIGHT SENSOR DARK SENSOR

Procedure:
1k ohm resister one end is connected with Negative (9v) 0f battery and other end is connected in series with LDR and LDR another
point is connected with positive of battery.470R resistor one end is connected with Positive (9V) of battery and other end is
connected with anode (positive) of LED .Cathode (negative) of LED is Connected with C (collecter) of BC547 Transistor,Emitter
(E) of transistor is connected with the negative of battery,Base (B) is connected Junction point of the 1K resistor & LDR.Instead of
1k resistance we can use 10k potentiometer,there result will be same.

Another we will see how to use LDR to make a darkness sensor circuit.
First,47K ohm resistor one end is connected with Positive (9V) of battery and other end is connected in series with LDR and LDR
another point is connected with negative of battery. I have used 470R resistor.470R resistor one end is connected with Positive (9V)
of battery and other end is connected with anode (positive) of LED,Cathode (positive) of LED is Connected with C (collecter) of
BC547 Transistor,Emitter (E) of transistor is connected with the negative of battery.Base (B) is connected Junction point of the 47K
resistor & LDR.It is a simple and powerful concept , which uses transistor (BC 547 NPN) as a switch to switch ON and OFF the
LED LIGHT automatically.It automatically switches ON lights when the light goes below the visible region of our eyes. ( e.g in
evening after Sunset ). It automatically switches OFF lights when light fall on it ( e.g in morning ) , by using a sensor called LDR
(Light Dependent Resistor) which senses the light just like our eyes.
Explanation of Circuit's
Working:
The sensing component in this circuit is LDR (short form for Light Dependent Resistor). The resistance of LDR depends on the
intensity or brightness of light incident on it and the relation is of inverse proportionality. Which means that when the intensity of
light increases, the LDR's resistance reduces and vice versa.
You can visually observe this effect by connecting the LDR in series with an LED and power up the circuit. Now if you reduce
the brightness of ambient light, the LDR's resistance increases, resulting in lesser current flowing through the circuit and so you
will observe that the LED's brightness reduces. Exactly the opposite happens when you increase the brightness of ambient light.
For an npn-transistor, the emitter, collector are of n-junction and the base is of p-junction. For the transistor to turn on or to allow
current to flow from collector to emitter, the voltage at the base should be above a certain threshold voltage.
We used a resistor in series with the LDR to convert the change in resistance of the LDR to change in voltage. This change in
voltage at the common point between LDR and resistor is used the trigger the transistor by connecting it to base of the transistor.
In the Light Sensor Circuit (first diagram) when the brightness of light increases, the LDR's resistance reduces and so the
voltage at the base of transistor increases. Once this voltage increases above the required threshold voltage at the base, the LED
turns on. You can now visualize what happens when you reduce the brightness of ambient light.
In the Dark Sensor Circuit (second diagram) when the LDR's resistance decreases when the intensity of light increases. So the
voltage at the base of transistor increases when the brightness of light decreases, and once it gets past the minimum threshold
voltage required at the base of transistor, it turns on the LED.
Cost:
Product Name Model Quantity Price Subtotal(BDT)
LDR 5mm SEN-00001 2 5.08 10.16
BC547 NPN SWD-00021 2 2.00 4.00
Transistor
Potentiometer 10k PCM-00429 2 25.05 50.1
Potentiometer 100k MOD-00082 1 50.00 50.00

1k ohm Resistor PCM-00044 2 1.50 3

470 ohm Resistor PCM-00075 2 2.02 4.04

Subtotal 121.3tk