Re: How do I show how to make a simple microchip?

Hi Andrew!

An actual silicon microchip is too hard to make.  You would 
need some expensive ultra-pure semiconductor, toxic chemicals, 
and lots of complicated professional chip-fabrication 
equipment.  I've never heard about any hobbyist making a 
microchip or even a simple transistor (including an 
adult!)

If you want to learn about electric circuits which can perform
binary addition, there are several places on the web
that you can go.  One is Marshall Brain's HOW STUFF WORKS
website.  It tells you about the theory:

  BOOLEAN LOGIC CIRCUITS
  http://www.howstuffworks.com/boolean.htm

On the above website look for the part about "adders."


Here's a guy in Germany who made a binary adder using
inexpensive electromagnetic relays:

  ONE-BIT ADDING MACHINE
  http://www.not-compatible.org/odds_ends/index.html



If you want to get started with computers and electronics,
one way to do this is with Parallax Stamp education kits.
They are real computers and they use the "BASIC" programming 
language.  These are widely used in classrooms and by 
beginners, so there are online forums with lots of other kids 
working on the same thing.

  BASIC "stamp", getting started
  http://www.parallaxinc.com/html_files/getting_started/gettingstarted.htm


Another place to start is with Lego "Mindstorms" robot 
kits:

   Mindstorms: robotics invention system
   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005NLID

Both the Mindstorms and the Parallax kits are fairly
expensive.   For cheaper kits, try the Mondo-Tronics
Robots catalog:

   http://www.robotstore.com/


And finally, here's a good book (your local library might
be able to order a copy if they don't already have it.)

   Bebop to the Boolean Boogie
   http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D1878707221/