[EricH]

Guess who just got done with the EE version of that?

I also think that you've got your emitter and collector swapped. (Emitter emits; emit means put out; ergo, emitter puts out whatever it's supposed to be dealing with.) Collector collects *whatever it collects*. On the diagram I have in front of me, I have B and C going into E through a transistor.

Short answer: The current (and voltage) into the base controls how much current (and voltage) goes out the emitter. V=IR, so if you know your resistances, you're set.

There is a longer answer, but I'd probably go into my EE301 textbook for that. (EE301: Intro to Circuits at SDSM&T, colloquially referred to as "Circuits for Non-Believers" because EE majors aren't supposed to take it, but most other majors that might deal with electronics need to.)

Over the weekend, talk to an EE or someone like that. They'll be able to give a more complete picture.