A. BASIC ELECTRONICS – THE BEGINNING B.

INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS
• Circuit – a path where electric current
• Electronics – is the study of the flow of
flows.
electrons and its applications in devices and
• Electronics – science of controlling
systems.
electrical energy for signals and data.
• Amber – fossilized tree sap observed by
• Voltage (V) – electrical pressure that
Thales to attract light objects (early study of
pushes current (V = IR).
electricity).
• Current (I) – flow of electric charge (I = V/R).
• Electron – a negatively charged particle
• Resistance (R) – opposition to current (R =
discovered by J.J. Thomson.
V/I).
• Coulomb – unit of electric charge, named
• Power (P) – rate of energy use (P = VI = I²R =
after Charles Coulomb.
V²/R).
• Thales – observed static electricity using
• Energy (E) – total work done over time (E =
amber.
Pt).
• Charles Coulomb – discovered force
• Ohm’s Law – relationship between voltage,
between electric charges.
current, and resistance.
• Alessandro Volta – discovered voltage
• Direct Current (DC) – flows in one
(electric potential).
direction, constant.
• Hans Oersted – discovered magnetic field
• Alternating Current (AC) – changes
from current.
direction periodically.
• Andre Ampere – formulated
electromagnetic force theory. C. ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS OVERVIEW
• Michael Faraday – discovered
• Electronic Components – basic building
electromagnetic induction; unit “farad.”
blocks of circuits that control electricity.
• George Ohm – formulated Ohm’s Law.
• Resistor – limits current flow and divides
• James Clerk Maxwell – electromagnetic
voltage.
theory of light.
• Capacitor – stores energy in an electric
• Heinrich Hertz – proved electromagnetic
field.
waves.
• Diode – allows current in one direction only.
• Thomas Edison – invented incandescent
• LED (Light Emitting Diode) – emits light
lamp.
when current flows.
• Samuel Morse – invented telegraph.
• Transistor – acts as a switch or amplifier.
• Guglielmo Marconi – developed radio
• Inductor – stores energy in a magnetic field.
communication.
• Integrated Circuit (IC) – compact circuit
• Fleming and De Forest – invented vacuum
with multiple components.
tube.
• Resistance – ability to oppose current (unit:
• Nick Holonyak Jr. – invented LED.
ohms, Ω).
• Bardeen, Shockley, Brattain – invented
• Resistor Color Code – system used to
transistor.
determine resistor value.
• Mnemonic: Big Boys Race Our Young Girls
But Violet Generally Wins
• Capacitance – ability to store charge. E. DIODE
• Condenser – old term for capacitor.
Diode – a two-terminal device that allows
• Ideal Diode – has zero resistance in forward
current to flow in only one direction.
bias and infinite resistance in reverse bias.
• Non-linear Device – current is not directly
proportional to voltage.
• Anode – positive terminal.
D. CAPACITOR
• Cathode – negative terminal.
• Capacitor – a passive device that stores • P-type Semiconductor – positive side of
energy in an electric field between two plates. diode.
• Charge (Q) – stored electrical energy (Q = • N-type Semiconductor – negative side of
CV). diode.
• Capacitance (C) – ability to store charge. • PN Junction – boundary where diode
• Voltage (V) – potential difference across operation occurs.
plates. • Bias Voltage – voltage applied to a diode.
• Conductive Plates – store electric charge. • Forward Bias – allows current flow (low
• Dielectric Material – insulating material resistance).
between plates. • Reverse Bias – blocks current (high
• Ceramic Capacitor – small, stable, used in resistance).
high-frequency applications. • Depletion Region – region with no charge
• Electrolytic Capacitor – high capacitance, carriers.
polarized. • Forward Current – large current in forward
• Tantalum Capacitor – compact and bias.
reliable. • Reverse Current – very small leakage
• Film Capacitor – used for stability and current.
precision. • Zener Breakdown – controlled reverse
• Voltage Rating – maximum voltage a conduction.
capacitor can handle. • Avalanche Breakdown – breakdown due to
• Tolerance – variation in capacitance value. high voltage.
• Leakage Current – small unwanted current • PN Junction Diode – basic diode type.
flow. • LED (Light Emitting Diode) – emits light
when current flows.
• Series Capacitors – total capacitance
• Photodiode – converts light into current.
decreases.
•Zener Diode – regulates voltage.
• Parallel Capacitors – total capacitance
• Rectifier – converts AC to DC.
increases.
• Half-Wave Rectifier – uses one diode.
• Energy Stored – E = 1/2 CV²
• Full-Wave Rectifier – uses multiple diodes.
• Filtering – removes noise from signals. •Bridge Rectifier – uses four diodes.
• Timing Circuits – controls delay using • Clipper Circuit – limits voltage levels.
charge/discharge. – graphical method to determine operating
• Coupling/Decoupling – separates AC and point (Q-point).
DC signals.