Which way do LEDS go ?

[Anthrax]

i was looking at the Nurse Quacky Layout that Torchy had done, but i'm unsure how to orientate the LEDS.

which is + and which is - ?

[Seljer]

You mean on the layout or on the actual LEDs?

http://aronnelson.com/gallery/album28/Nurse_Quacky
the side of the LED on there has just a line (eg: not the triangle) is the - side

Code Select Expand

----|<|-----
   -   +


As for actual leds the shorter terminals is usually the - side. That side of the led is also slightly flattened most of the time.
On the inside of the LED you can also see something like |\ \__| in the actual construction, the fatter side of that is the -.

[darron]

electrical components usually have markings to indicate the negative side.

the negative leg of the led will probably be shorter, and there may be a notch missing from the round base of the LED which indicates the negative side.

capacitors, diodes etc. also have bars on the to indicate the negative side.

[R.G.]

You've just been given an LED, a 2.2K resistor and a battery on which the polarity is marked.

For ten points, describe how you would determine the correct orientation of the LED to make it light up.