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Electronic Circuits

The document provides an overview of electronic circuits, categorizing components into passive and active types. Passive components, such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, and diodes, do not generate power but manage energy flow, while active components like transistors, voltage regulators, thyristors, and relays can modify current flow. Each component type is described with its function and characteristics, highlighting their importance in electronic devices.

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18 views

Electronic Circuits

The document provides an overview of electronic circuits, categorizing components into passive and active types. Passive components, such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, and diodes, do not generate power but manage energy flow, while active components like transistors, voltage regulators, thyristors, and relays can modify current flow. Each component type is described with its function and characteristics, highlighting their importance in electronic devices.

Uploaded by

sahngwain795
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS

Electronic components are any discrete part of an electronic circuit that may affect the flow of
electrons or their surroundings. Electronic components may seem basic but complex connections
of such basic components account for most of the devices we use today. Electronic devices can be
generally divided into two; passive and active components.

1. PASSIVE COMPONENTS
These are components that do not generate power but instead dissipates energy, stores and/or
releases energy. For physical structures passive components have mostly 2 terminals but not
always, examples include resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors etc

1.1 RESISTORS
A resistor is an electronic component that resist/opposes the flow of current through it. In other
words, it doesn’t allow current to flow through it stress free
Analog primitive resistors can have their value known just by looking at them, the value of each
resistor is encoded in the colors of the resistor but for most modern digital circuits, the value of
the resistor is inscribed on the resistor using a particular notation.

1.2 CAPACITORS
Capacitors are components that oppose the change in voltage in an electric circuit. They store
charges in the electric field they create and release back those charges into the circuit when the
voltage starts dropping, thus compensating for the voltage drop. Capacitor values and ratings are
clearly written on the component but for some it’s not that obvious, it’s also encoded using a
specific notation.
Capacitors are generally divided into two; polarized and nonpolarized capacitors. Polarized
capacitors are mostly electrolytic in physical composition while nonpolarized ones are mostly
ceramic

1.3 INDUCTORS
Unlike capacitors, inductors oppose the change in current in an electric circuit. They are simply
coils that are coiled together in a way that it creates a strong magnetic field, this magnetic field
helps the inductor maintains a more stable current in the circuit.

1.4 DIODES
These are two terminal devices that only allow current to flow through it in one direction and
blocks in the reverse direction. It is very useful when trying to control the direction of current flow.
2. ACTIVE COMPONENTS
These are components capable of modifying the flow of current in an electronic circuit. They can
either inject, amplify or regulate electrical properties in a given circuit, some examples include
transistors, thyristors, linear voltage regulators, relays etc

2.1 TRANSISTOR
This is a three terminal current-controlled current device capable of controlling the flow of high
quantities of current using a very small current at the base. The ration of the collector current to
the base current is known the current gain commonly abbreviated as hfe or β. The transistor could
actually be NPN or PNP. The transistor has two basic applications which it is often used for, it can
either be used as a switch or as an amplifier.

2.2 LINEAR VOLTAGE REGULATORS


These voltage regulators are three terminal devices that oppose change in voltage while trying to
maintain a constant volage at the output. They can either be positive voltage regulators, negative
voltage regulators or adjustable voltage regulators. We can determine the value of the voltage it
regulates by looking at the writings inscribed on the regulator.
The first two numbers are either 78 or 79 with 78 indicating a positive voltage regulator and 79
indicating a negative voltage regulator. Similarly, 7812 will mean positive 12volts and 7909 will
mean negative 9volts.
Uniquely we have the LM317 which regulates from 0 to 30 volts

2.3 THYRISTOR
The thyristor is typically a diode with a gate terminal that is used to trigger it similar to the way
the base is used to switched the transistor. However, unlike the transistor, the thyristor remains in
the conducting state even after the gate signal cut off, it stays in the “ON” state until the power
supply is cut off. This component can be used both as passive and active.

2.4 RELAY
A relay is an electromechanical switch used to link two different parts of a circuit, mostly used to
link DC and AC components of a circuit.
The relay contains a coil like an inductor that gets excited when charges flow through it and flips
a mechanical switch in the relay.

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