dc motor - Multiplying the voltage of an output pin on an Arduino board

I am in hold of an Arduino board and 12V DC motor. I need to be able to control the motor speed gradually, my intention is to output a PWM current in range of between 0 and the maximum 5V of the board to the motor.

My question is what do I need to have in order to multiply the output from the range of 0 - 5V to 0 - 12V to fit the motor?

Answer

^{image selected at random from somewhere in the intertubes.}

^ditto

Some people prefer MOSFETs

^ditto

See also prior art

For a bigger motor you might use a BJT to turn on a heftier MOSFET

^ditto

Important notes

• Ensure you use a switching device that can comfortably handle more than whatever maximum current the specific motor will need.


• It is good practice to have a snubber diode across the motor to prevent it causing damage to the switching elements.


• The ground of the motor's power source should be connected to the ground of the Arduino's power source (e.g. the header socket marked "GND")