What is Raspberry Pi 4? Pinout, Specs, Projects & Datasheet
Hi Folks! I welcome you on board. Today, I am sharing the 2nd
tutorial in the Raspberry Pi 4 learning series. In this post today,
we’ll cover What is Raspberry Pi 4?
Raspberry Pi 4 Pinout, Specs, Projects, Datasheet etc.
Raspberry
Pi 4 is a tiny dual-display single-board computer, developed by
Raspberry Pi Foundation. This foundation has introduced a series of
Raspberry Pi boards to teach computer basics in schools.
With Raspberry Pi 4, you can control two monitors at once. Moreover, it
is incorporated with a quad-core processor that is powerful and comes
with more speed compared to its predecessors.
I suggest you read this post till the end as I’ll cover Raspberry Pi 4
in detail.
Let’s get started.
What is Raspberry Pi 4?
- Raspberry Pi 4
is a dual-display, single-board
computer (introduced on 24th June 2019) and is widely used in automation
and robotics. It is highly economical and has a leg over previous
modules in terms of speed and performance.
- This module is tiny, robust, and can fit into difficult-to-reach
places. It is laced with GPIO pins and can be employed for several
typical computer operations i.e. surfing the web, writing programs,
computing complex equations etc.
- Raspberry Pi 4 features Gigabit Ethernet, coupled with Bluetooth(BLE) and onboard wireless networking.
- This device comes with a powerful and efficient 1.5GHz quad-core processor
which is considered the brain of this device. It features everything needed to process input/output and store information.
- The CPU clock frequency
of this machine is 1.5GHz
which plays a key role in the synchronization of internal functions.
- This module is available with variants of RAM including 1GB, 2GB, 4GB and 8GB
which you can select based on your requirements. The RAM temporarily
stores the information and with the removal of the power supply from the
module, this memory is also wiped off, the reason it is called volatile
memory.
- Two mini HDMI ports
are available on the board. These ports are employed for transmitting audio and video signal between devices.
- This machine supports different communication protocols including I2C, SPI, and UART
which are used to lay out the communication with external devices.
- Raspberry Pi 4 comes with three USB ports
out of which one is a USB-C power port
used to power up the module. While others are USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports
.
- In these USB ports, you can connect external peripheral devices like mice, webcams, and keyboards for additional functionality.
- Using this tiny computer you can make a range of embedded
projects. Just connect this module with the computer through the USB
port and start playing with it as you like better.
- Raspberry Pi 4 is normally used in Robotics, IoT and Embedded Projects.
Raspberry Pi 4 Pinout
- The following figure represents the Raspberry Pi 4 pinout:
Raspberry Pi 4 Pin Description
This was the little intro to the Raspberry Pi 4. In this section, we’ll
cover the description of each pin incorporated into this tiny module.
Power and Ground in RPi4
This board comes with three types of power pins.
- 5V
- 3V3 (3.3V)
- Ground (0V)
For example, if you have PIR or humidity sensors, you can use these power pins to power up those sensors.
GPIO Pins in Raspberry Pi 4
- GPIO pins are general-purpose input/output pins that are used for
connection with external devices. These pins can be configured to either
general-purpose input or general-purpose output pins or as one of up to
six special settings those functions are pin-dependent.
- External labels (from GPIO2 to GPIO27) come with the Broadcom
(BCM) naming convention. This convention is useful when you are going to
program with Python libraries.
- Internal labels (from 1 to 40) project the Board naming
convention. This convention is useful when BCM is not supported. It is
used with some programming libraries.
SPI Pins in Raspberry Pi 4
- This Raspberry Pi 4 module comes with SPI (serial peripheral
interface) communication protocol. This is the type of communication
protocol that is used for master-slave communication.
- It is employed to layout the communication between the controller
and other peripheral devices like shift registers and sensors. Two Pins
are used for SPI communication… i.e. MOSI (master output slave input)
and MISO (master input slave output)
- The data synchronization is done by using a clock (SCLK at GPIO11)
from the master (RPi) and the data is conveyed to the SPI component
from the module using the MOSI pin. If the component needs to reply to
our module, then it sends back data through the MISO pin.
I2C Pins in Raspberry Pi 4
- This RPi4 module is incorporated with the I2C communication protocol. That comes with two pins SDL and SCL.
- The SCL is the serial clock line that ensures the synchronization
of data transfer over the I2C bus and the SDL is the serial data pin
that carries the data while. This communication protocol requires
master-slave roles between the devices.
UART Pins in Raspberry Pi 4
- This board also features UART serial communication protocol. The UART serial port comes with two pins Rx and Tx.
- The Tx is the transmission pin that is used for the transmission
of serial data and Rx is the receiving pin that guarantees the receiving
of serial data.
Raspberry Pi 4 Datasheet
Before incorporating this device into your project, it’s wise to scan
through the Raspberry Pi 4 datasheet. The datasheet comes with the main
characteristics of the device. You can download the Raspberry Pi 4
datasheet by clicking the link below.
Raspberry Pi 4 Specs
The following are the specs of Raspberry Pi 4.
- Comes with Broadcom BCM2711, Quad-core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC 1.5GHz processor
- 4 GHz and 5.0 GHz IEEE 802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 5.0, BLE
- Carries Gigabit Ethernet to connect computers in physical space
- RAM is available with different memories. Pick from 2GB, 4GB, or 8GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM (depending on model)
- 2-lane MIPI DSI display port
- 2-lane MIPI CSI camera port
- One USB 3.0 port; One USB 2.0 port and One USB-C power port.
- 2 × micro-HDMI ports that can support a 4K display
- 4-pole stereo audio and composite video port
- H264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode), H.265 (4kp60 decode)
- OpenGL ES 3.0 graphics
- Raspberry Pi standard 40-pin GPIO header (which is compatible with previous modules)
- Contains a Micro-SD card slot for loading the operating system and data storage
- 5V DC via GPIO header (minimum 3A*)
- Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled (requires separate PoE HAT)
- Operating temperature: 0 – 50 degrees C ambient
- 5V DC via USB-C connector (minimum 3A*)
Difference between Raspberry Pi Zero and Raspberry Pi 4
- You’ll find a range of tiny computers in the Raspberry series.
They are used to develop embedded systems and automation projects.
- Raspberry Pi Zero is the earlier version of the Raspberry Pi
series that was introduced in Nov 2015. This machine is incorporated
with a single-core 1GHz processor with no Ethernet and WiFi modules on
the board. Moreover, there is only one mini HDMI port available on the
board. And the RAM of this module is 512MB.
- While Raspberry Pi 4 is the advanced version of the Raspberry Pi
series and was introduced in June 2019. It is better in terms of speed
and performance compared to the Pi Zero module.
- RPi4 features a quad-core dual display processor with a CPU clock
speed of 1.5GHz. Plus, it also incorporates an Ethernet port which is
the traditional way to connect devices in a wired local
area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN), allowing devices to
communicate with each other via a protocol. An Ethernet is a physical
wire on which the data is transmitted.
- Raspberry Pi 4 comes with two HDMI ports that can support two 4K
displays. Plus, the RAM of this module comes in variant i.e. pick from
1GB, 2GB, and 4GB LPDDR4.
Raspberry Pi 4 Applications
The following are the Raspberry Pi 4 Applications.
- Used in making a portable game console
- Employed in-network Ad-blocker
- Used in Airplay speaker
- Used in wearable timelapse camera
- Incorporated in-home network music system
- Used in embedded system IoT projects
- Employed in making guitar pedal
- Used in making FPV robot
- Incorporated in WiFi security camera
That’s all for today. This was all about the Raspberry Pi 4 module. If
you have any questions you can pop your comment in the section below.
I’d love to help you the best way I can. Feel free to share your
valuable feedback and suggestions around the content we share so we keep
producing quality content tailored to your exact needs and
requirements. Thank you for reading this post.
What is Physics? Definition, Branches, Books and Scientists
Hello Friends! I hope you all are doing well. Today, I am going to give you a very basic and detailed tutorial on
What is Physics? We will also discuss Physics branches, popular Physics books, famous physicians, great inventions in the field of Physics etc. When I was thinking of writing this tutorial on Physics, the first thing came to my mind was
"Big Bang Theory" (the TV show, not the event itself).
Sheldon was a Physicist & in season finale, he won Nobel Prize in Physics for super asymmetry.
In the 19th century, scientists have divided Physical Sciences in 5 major sections:
- Physics.
- Chemistry.
- Metorology.
- Astronomy.
- Geology.
Physics is considered as the most important branch of Science & mainly focuses on energy & matter. Let's discuss in detail: What is Physics?
What is Physics?
Fundamentaly, this universe is divided into 3 main categories, named as:
- Extremely-Large matter: It involves planets, galaxies etc.
- Extremely-Small matter: It involves micro-structures i.e. electrons, neutrons, protons etc.
- Middle-Sized matter: It involves wide range of matter ranging from small objects to Earth itself.
Physics is all about this middle-sized matter & their energies. In physics, we analyse all naturally occuring processes/laws and their effects on matter i.e. motion laws, space & time quantum, forces holding objects together, transmission of energy, physical properties, compositions of different matter etc.
So, now let's have a look at a proper Physics Definition:
Physics Definition
- Physics(originated from Latin word Physica means ‘natural thing’) is a field of science, mainly focuses on matter & energy and the relationship between them.
- It provides the mathematical formulas for all natural activities happening on our planet earth.
- Physcics involves the study of all natural laws defined for matters or forces i.e. heat, light, magnetism, sound, nuclear etc.
- Physics is considered as the most fundamental branch of science and is divided into numerous sub-branches.
- Physics has also provided many fundamental laws which formulated the basis of other science branches.
Physics Overlapping
- Physics has also overlapped with other fundamental branches of science & formulated new advanced branches, few of them are:
- BioPhysics.
- AstroPhysics.
- Physical Chemistry.
- Health Physics.
Now, let's answer this question: Why is Physics important?
Why is Physics important?
Plysics plays an important role in improving our everyday life. If we look around, we will find application of Physics in almost every thing. Our transport system is the foremost application of Physics as it involves inertial laws, thermodynamics knowledge, vehicle's structure etc. We have seen a rapid growth in science which has become possible mainly because of Physics. Let's have a look at few important daily life fields using Physics Laws:
- Transportantion vehicles.
- Irrigation systems.
- Home appliances.
- Communication systems.
- Measuing Instruments.
- Medical Equipments.
- Weather Forcasting.
- Defensive Systems.
- Nuclear Energy.
- Space Travel.
Branches of Physics
As we have discussed, physics deals with middle-sized matter so its applications range from a simple tyre to nuclear energy and thus it is further
divided into several branches. Few of Physics branches are as follows:
1. Mechanics
- It deals with motion of objects, why & how is motion produced in different objects and what are the effects of different types of motions.
2. Thermodynamics
- It deals with heat energy, how is heat transffered from one object to another and effects generated by heat.
3. Sound
- It studies the physcial behavior of sound energy, how is it produced, travelled and transformed.
4. Light (Optics)
- It studies the physical behavior of Light energy, how is it produced, travelled and transformed.
5. Electricity & Magnetism
- It studies the physical behavior of electrical charges i.e. either moving or at rest, alongwith its relationship with magnetism.
6. Atomic Physics
- It deals with the study of physical structure & activities of atoms.
7. Nuclear Physics
- It deals with the study of nuclei & the energy it releases under different circumstances.
8. GeoPhysics
- It studies the structure, behavior, forces etc. related to Earth.
9. Biophysics
- It is the deep experimental study of biological problems using laws of physics.
- One of the outstanding and remarkable discoveries happened under this branch is the DNA structure by James Watson.
10. Astrophysics
- It deals with the study of universe i.e. planet, galaxies, and stars using laws of physics.
Other Physics Branches
Few other physics branches are as follows:
- Cosmology
- Plasma Physics
- Condensed Matter
- General physics
- Optics & Lasers
- Mathematical Physics
- Nonlinear Dynamics.
- Quantum Mechanics
- Mathematical Methods
- Statistical Mechanics and Entropy
- Numerical Methods or Simulations
- Classical Mechanics
- Nuclear Physics
- Atomic Physics
- Astronomy
- Special Relativity
- Fluid Dynamics
- General Relativity
Popular Books of Physics
Although numerous books have been publised, discussed difference aspects of Physics or Physicists. Here I have mentioned two of my favorite Physics books:
1. What is Real?
- What is Real? This Physics book tells the gripping stories about the ideology and the courage of physicists, who stand up for the truth.
2. For the Love of physics
- This book provides the wide range of information about different energies and its forms.
Few other Physics Books
Some other famous physics books are listed below:
- You have changed my life.
- The Feynman Lectures on Physics.
- Physics of the Impossible.
- Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.
- The Physics of Time.
- Relativity: The Special and the General Theory.
- Astrophysics for People in a Hurry.
- The Universe in a Nutshell.
- The Strange Theory of Light and Matter.
- A Brief History of Time.
Greatest Physics Scientists(Physicists) of all Times
Physics has evolved with time. There's a long list of real world heroes, who have made Physics their passion and because of their fruitful efforts, today we have lucuries in our lives. Let's have a look at few of world's greatest physicists:
| Greatest Physics Scientists(Physicists) of all Times |
| No. |
Physicist Name |
Achievement |
| 1 |
Albert Einstein |
Theory of Relativity(E=mc2), Quantum light theory, Avogadro's Number etc. |
| 2 |
Isaac Newton |
Laws of motion, Gravitational force etc. |
| 3 |
Nikola Tesla |
Worked mostly in Electrical Energy. |
| 4 |
William Gilbert |
Proposed that Earth is a giant magnet. |
| 5 |
Willbrod Snell |
Laws of refraction i.e. Snell's Laws. |
| 6 |
Galileo Galilei |
worked in astrophysics. |
| 7 |
Blaise Pascal |
Famous for Pascal's Laws. |
| 8 |
Daniel Bernoulli |
Famous for Bernoulli's Theorem. (Fluid Flow) |
| 9 |
Christiaan |
Famous for Hagen’s Principle. (Geometrical Theory for Light)
|
| 10 |
Benjamin Franklin |
He discovered electrical charges. |
| 11 |
Leonard Euler |
Worked in Fluid dynamics, Lunar Theory, Mechanics etc. |
| 12 |
Henry Cavendish |
Worked in GeoPhysics. |
| 12 |
Joseph Louis |
Worked in Mechanics. |
| 12 |
Robert Milikan |
Worked on charges & cosmic rays etc. |
| 12 |
C. Wilson |
worked in GeoPhysics. |
Few remarkable Physicists
Here's the list of few other remarkable physicists:
- Sir O. Richardson
- L. Ernest Rutherford
- Guglielmo Marconi
- Johannes Stark
- S. Chandrasekhara Raman
- C. Glover Barkla
- Albert Einstein
- Otto Hahn
- Max von Laue
- P. A. Carruthers
- James Franck
- V. Franz Hess
- Peter Debye
- Niels Bohr
- D. J. Thouless
- Gustav Hertz
- Erwin Schrödinger
- Otto Stern
- K. M. Georg Siegbahn
- P. Williams Bridgman
- J. Baptiste Perrin
- G. A. Baym
- Stanley J. Brodsky
- Haim Harari
- K. S. Thorne
- Francesco Iachello
- Gabriele Veneziano
- Chris Quigg
- Howard Georgi
- J. Dirk Walecka
- Nathan Isgur
- Edward Witten
- R. Charles Merkle
- O. Wallace Greenberg
- K. Eric Drexler
- Nathan Seiberg
- Stephen Wolfram
- John N. Bahcall
- Stanley Mandelstam
- Peter Higgs
- A. Arima
- Joel Lebowitz
- J. P. Schiffer
- T. A. Witten
- Kenneth Fowler
- Tullio Regge
- M. S. Dresselhaus
- Daniel Kleppner
- Jeffrey Goldstone
- Ludvig Faddeev
- J.D. Bjorken
I hope this article will help to understand the basics of physics & its importance in our everyday life. If you have any questions/suggestions, please use the comments section below. Thanks for reading. Have a good day. :)