Electronic components are the building block of modern devices, they are connected together to form circuits which controls and manipulate current. Electronic components can store charges, resists current, step up or switch current. Before diving into the world of electronics, you need to understand how electronics components works, inorder to know how circuits works and also be able to make circuits according to your taste.
Types of electric components.
There are basically two types of electronic components, they are passive and active.
1.Passive components.
These types of components don't require a separate power source before they can perform their specified task, they are listed below;
•Resistor.
It is a component that resists current and voltage in circuits. It is made of a resistive material.
•Capacitor.
It stores current in form of electric charge. It is made of two metals seperated by a dielectric material.
Inductor.
it converts current to magnetic field. The magnetic field produced prevents sudden change of current in circuit, hence it is use for regulating current and filtering signals.
•Diode.
It consists of a P-TYPES and N-TYPE semiconductor. It allows current to flow through them only when connected in the right polarity (forward bias) and blocks current when connected wrongly (reverse bias), hence it is use for rectification, filtering and short circuit protection.
•Fuse.
It is made from a fuseable metal of low melting point. When excess current flows through them it breaks because of the heat developed in it, hence it is us for protecting circuits from excess voltage or current that can cause fire or burn.
•Transformer.
It converts alternating current to electromagnetic waves. It is use for stepping AC either up or down. It consists of an insulated iron core with copper windings on them.
Switch.
it is the most common and familiar component. It is use for switching on and of current in circuit. There are many types of switches, some are used on PCB.
Active components.
They are components that requires a separate power source before they perform their specific task. Examples are;
• Transistor:
It is a semiconductor component that is made up of three terminals for connecting to external circuits.
It is is as a switch for switching on an off current with time. The transistor turns off and on only when current flows through it terminals. It is basically use for amplification and switching of signal.
•Integrated circuit (IC).
They are also known as chips. ICs arrade from wafer of semiconductors which consists of diodes, capacitors and resistors.
It's simply a solid block of circuit which has a very large circuit compressed into it.
•Liquid Crystals Display (LCD).
It is made from glass and fibres, it requires a separate power source to activate it's crystals as well as another power source to iluminate it.
LCDs converts signals from it chip into images or vedios. It needs to be illuminated with an LED in order display properly.
•Vaccum diode.
It's now of little use, it consists of a cathode and an anode. The cathode needs to be heated with a separate power supply to produce electrons which are the charge carrier.
It behaves as a diode which allows current to flow in one direction.
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Basic Electronics