Electronic components affect the way that current flows around a circuit. There are numerous basic electronic components that are used for building electronic circuits. Without these components, circuit designs are never complete or didn’t function well. These components include resistors, diodes, capacitors, integrated circuits, and so on. Some of these components consist of two or more terminals which are soldered to circuit boards. Some may be packaged type like integrated circuits in which different semiconductor devices are integrated. Here is a brief overview on each of these basic electronic components and you can get in depth information by clicking links attached to each component.
An electronic circuit comprises of various types of components, which are classified into two types: active components like transistors, diodes, IC’s; and passive components like capacitors, resistors, inductors, etc.
Resistors
A resistor is a two-terminal passive electronic component, used to oppose or limit the current. Resistor works based on the principle of Ohm’s law which states that “voltage applied across the terminals of a resistor is directly proportional to the current flowing through it” Resistors are further classified based on the following specifications such as the power rating, type of material used and resistance value. This resistor types are used for different applications.
Fixed resistors:
This type of resistor is used to set the right conditions in an electronic circuit. The values of resistance in fixed resistors are determined during the design phase of the circuit, based on this there is no need to adjust the circuit.
Variable resistors:
A device that is used to change the resistance according to our requirements in an electronic circuit is known as a variable resistor. These resistors comprise of a fixed resistor element and a slider which taps on to the resistor element. Variable resistors are commonly used as a three terminal device for calibration of the device.
Capacitors:
A capacitor made from two conductive plates with an insulator between them and it stores electrical energy in the form of an electric field. A capacitor blocks the DC signals and allows the AC signals and also used with a resistor in a timing circuit. These capacitors are different types like film, ceramic, electrolytic and variable capacitors. For finding its value number and color coding methods are used and it also possible to find the capacitance value with LCR meters.
Active Electronic Components
These components rely on a source of energy and are able to control the electron flow through them. Some of these components are semiconductors like diodes, transistors, integrated circuits, various displays like LCD, LED, CRTs and power sources like batteries, PV cells and other AC and DC supply sources.
Diodes
A diode is a device that allows current to flow in one direction and usually made with semiconductor material. It has two terminals, anode and cathode terminals. These are mostly used in converting circuits like AC to DC circuits. These are are of different types like PN diodes, Zener diodes, LEDs, photo diodes, etc.
Transistors
A transistor is a three terminal semiconductor device. Mostly it is used as switching device and also as an amplifier. This switching device can be a voltage or current controlled. By controlling the voltage applied to the one terminal controls the current flow through the other two terminals. Transistors are of two types, namely bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and field effect transistors (FET). And further these can be PNP and NPN transistors.