PIC32M and a light bulb (12 VDC, 12 watt), and 120VAC 100 watt

Hi everyone, I'm new, but am trying to learn how to control power/current/switching in electronics. I'm pretty good at normal stuff, ohms law, trouble shooting, etc, but I don't have a clue how to setup something simple from a chip.

I have complete control over the PIC32 chip, it performs as expected when I turn on an output. I get 5 VDC from output pin to ground. Everything works great there, but I want to start controlling the physical world with this thing, real stuff, not just LEDs.

I would like that output to power a 12 volt DC light bulb (via non mechanical), and another circuit to control a 120 watt (AC) light bulb. On/Off should be simple.

I'm imagining a transistor, a resistor and I should be in operation? I just don't know where to look to get the basics, from there I can expand. Current project is a house cooling system with evaporative cooler, 4 temp gauges, circulation fans, water pump. If I can turn on a light bulb, I can figure out the rest - minus some research on inductive high amps loads (relays probably).

So if you could send a link in the tutorials (i looked to no avail) or an outside link, or just say simply how to do it, and I'd be forever grateful.

And mind you, imagine I have a 5 volt battery with 10ma max output, I just want that (in conjunction with another power supply) to be able to control the light. IIRC, output is an open collector, but it can be open drain also. (I don't know what that means)

 

Perfect, Thank you. That lead me to some real simple examples using a PIC and 2N2222A for driving a real relay.