A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding Electronic Components
Modern technology’s building blocks encompass electronic components. Therefore, anyone interested in electronics should understand these components’ functions, making them crucial to comprehend. To facilitate this comprehension, our beginner’s guide introduces you to the most common types of electronic components and their functions.
Resistors
Engineers employ resistors to limit current flowing through a circuit, identified by their resistance value, measured in ohms. For instance, carbon film resistors are the most commonly used resistor type due to their accuracy, widespread availability, and low cost.
Capacitors
Capacitors keep the electrical energy stored in an electric field. Engineers use them in power supplies, filters, and timing circuits for this reason. Additionally, capacitors come in various types like electrolytic, ceramic, and tantalum capacitors. A capacitor’s capacitance value is measured in farads and is used to characterize the capacitor.
Inductors
Inductors store energy by producing a magnetic field. Consequently, engineers use inductors regularly in filters, transformers, and oscillator circuits. Additionally, the inductance value characterizes an inductor and is measured in henrys.
Diodes
Electronic components known as diodes permit current flow in only one direction. Engineers regularly use them to rectify AC currents in power supplies. Diodes are of numerous kinds, including zener diodes, rectifier diodes, and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
Transistors
Engineers utilize transistors to amplify or alter electronic signals. A broad spectrum of applications, ranging from audio amplifiers to computer processors uses them. Bipolar junction transistors (BJTs) and field-effect transistors (FETs) are the most commonly used transistor types.
Integrated Circuits
Integrated circuits (ICs) are miniaturized electronic circuits that contain multiple electronic components, such as transistors, resistors, and capacitors. They are essential components in electronic devices, such as computers, mobile phones, and televisions.
In conclusion, modern technology’s functioning primarily depends on electronic components. Engineers utilize resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, transistors, and integrated circuits as the building blocks for most electronic devices. Therefore, to have a decent understanding of electronics, comprehending the function of each electric component is necessary. It is critical to remember that electronic devices must never exceed eight times their resonance frequency for proper functioning.