Speakers, Types And Applications

Speakers are electronic components that converts electric signals into sound. They are use for converting electrical signals generated from a microphone into audible sound.

In smartphones, voices and vedios are transmitted over the internet, let's take for example Facebook, when you click on a vedio appearing on your newsfeed, what you will observe next is sound and visuals, what actually converted the digital signals of the vedio into audio signal is simply the speaker

     Symbol of a speaker and buzzer.

A speaker contains coils, diaphragm and a permanent magnet. When electric signals is connected to a speaker it is converted to sound due to the movement of the diaphragm which is resonated at the same frequency of the signal. Speakers works on the principle of electromagnetic induction. What the heck is electromagnetic induction? Below is a brief explanation on what it is. When direct current flows through a coil of wire wound around a laminated soft iron bar or a block of iron the iron becomes magnetised due to the magnetic fields generated by the flow of current in the coil. So electromagnetic induction is the process of inducing magnetism on a metal by the movement of current around a coil of wire.

Let's take a solenoid for example, it working principle is based on electromagnetic induction. When current flows through the wounded copper coil on the laminated iron block it becomes magnetised, so it is able to draw metallic materials like nails, iron fillings and metal blocks onto itself.

Working principle of an electric speaker.

Since we have been introduced to the basic of electromagnetism, thus making us know how speaker works partially. Simply, speaker works by the movement of it diaphragm made to resonate or move at the same frequency of a  copper wire placed in a magnet's magnetic field is set to vibration by fluctuating electric signal connected to it.

For a clear or lucid understanding, when a fluctuating current or electric signals is connected to the (terminals) coil of a speaker, the coil produces magnetic field and vibrate due to the presence of a magnet placed before it. The magnetic vibrates forward and backward depending on the signal's frequency. The coil which is glued to a diaphragm also moves at the same frequency of the coil therefore converting it movement into sound.

Types of electric speakers.

1. Buzzer.

Buzzers are electrical components usually made from piezoelectric crystals converts electric current into a ringing sound. Unlike other speakers that converts  current signals to audible sounds which conveys a particular information to listeners. What it actually does is, it converts normal direct current directly to a buzzing sound.  It is use in alarm systems, notification sounds, fire alarms, measuring instruments like multimeter etc.

2. Woofer or bass speaker.

Woofers speakers produce thick sounds from current signals, they have high bass quality and loud sound because of the their big diaphragm and they are often used in big speakers used in churches, mosques, parties and big conference and to round it up places that requires loud and audible sound.

3. Tweeter.

Usually small in size, it produces audible, sharp and high frequency sounds. It is usually use in cars, MP3 players and vocal instruments.

4. Normal loud speaker.

They are general or multipurpose speakers they are use in MP3 players, radios, DVDs and so on... They give a loud and quality sound which also depend on the signal passed through it by tunning amplifiers. They're usually assigned a resistive value like 8 ohms and 16 ohms.

5. Mini speaker.

They are the one in earpiece, earphones, ear pods and even phone's ear piece. Mini speakers are small in size, this makes them suitable in potable earing aid devices.