Transistor Question (Possible error in Tutorial?)

I’ve been brushing back up on transistors before jumping into a few new projects… I decided to sit and do a read through of:

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/transistors/all

Right below the text (in the section on PNP transistor as a high side switch)

“The circuit above is called a low-side switch, because the switch – our transistor – is on the low (ground) side of the circuit. Alternatively, we can use a PNP transistor to create a high-side switch:” – okay, this makes sense

https://cdn.sparkfun.com/assets/learn_t … otor_3.png – This image does not

Why would it be “off” when the base is 5v? The base would still be lower than the emitter which would make the emitter/collection junction essentially be a “closed switch”?

The text below the image also suggests that the image is in error.

“This circuit works just as well as the NPN-based switch, but there’s one huge difference: to turn the load “on” the base must be low. This can cause complications, especially if the load’s high voltage (VCC in this picture) is higher than our control input’s high voltage. For example, this circuit wouldn’t work if you were trying to use a 5V-operating Arduino to switch on a 12V motor. In that case it’d be impossible to turn the switch off because VB would always be less than VE.”

Is there something I am missing? I’m a bit confused.

Thank you

Good catch!

The image for the high side switch is wrong, or represents an incorrectly functioning circuit, but the text is correct. For the circuit to work, the image should show the emitter of the PNP transistor connected to 5V, not 12V.

As you suggest, with the emitter connected to 12V, the PNP transistor is on regardless of whether the base is at 0V or 5V.

Disregard! I misread the diagram/text! Tutorial is correct

The diagram is wrong, because it states that if control = 5V, the motor is off. This is not correct.