Introduction to Basic Electronics

Introduction to Basic Electronics

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Electronic devices rule today's world and we really can't do without electronics, they are fun, facinating and useful, and have recently become very intelligent. This devices are found everywhere and are doing almost everything. They are made up of small lifeless componentes that work together to create amazing gadgets.

In this basic electronic post, I will be cutting deep into electronics to reveal those components that make our electronics. Follow me as I take a deep dive into the world of electronics and explor the building blocke that brings them to life.

Workshop 1

Electronic Symbology:

Most electronic devices start their life as a concept in someones mind or as an upgrade to an existing system. The idea and working principle is often represented on paper, using universally accepted circuit symbols interwoven to create a circuit diagram which can be interpreted and constructed.

Below are examples of circuit symbols you will likely see in a circuit diagram. They were all designed using PhotoStudio.

Alternating current.

_{The red wave here represents alternating current.
Circuit symbol for AC Voltage and AC Current.}

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Direct current.

_{The red line here represents direct current.
A circuit representation of DC Voltage and DC Current.}

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Amperage.

_{Amperage is sometimes measured in mili or micro amp.}

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Resistance

_{Resistors are represented as a rectangle or a wavy line}

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Potentiometer or variable resistor

_{Represented as a resistor with an arrow cutting the middle.}

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Rectifier diode

_{Diode pointing to direction of flow}

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Zener diode.

_{Zener diode with something like a z in front of its symbol}

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LED diode

_{Light Emitting Diode}

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Diode bridge

_{Four diodes arranged as a Rectifier}

Electrolytic capacitor

_{A polarised component with one side being positive.}

Ceramic Capacitor

_{A non polarised component with no polarity.}

Coil

_{An inductor coil.}

Fuse

Transformer.

_{An iron core transformer}

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Battery.

_{A two cell battery}

Ground.

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NPN and PNP transistor

Motor

Workshop 2

**Alternating Voltage. **
This is a type of electrical energy that switches polarity between positive and negative continously, it is the type of power that comes from generator. In nigeria the power grid provides 140 voltes of alternating current.

Direct Voltage
This type of electrical energy maintains its polarity at all time and travels in one direction such that one cable is positive and the other remains negative without switching.

Resistance
This is anything that restricts the free flow of electric current. A resistor is a component that creates resistance to the free flow of electric current in a circuit.

Potentiometer
This is a type of variable resistor that has a nub which can be used to vary the resistance across its terminals.

Rectifier diode:
This is an electronic component that restricts the flow of electronic current to a single direction.

Diode bridge:
This is mostly made up four Rectifier diodes arranged in such a way that it directs the flow of electric current thereby converting an alternating current into a direct current in a process called rectification.

Capacitor:
This is an electronic conponent that stores charges and can quickly discharge the stored charges, some capacitors are used as filters and are also used to create resonance and timing.

Transistor:
This is an active component in an electronic circuit that acts as an amplifier or as a switch in digital electronics.

Transformer:
A transformer is a coupled device that either steps up or steps down voltage or current. They are also used to isolate sections of a circuit. Transformers work using the principle of induction.

Fuse:
A fuse is a safety mechanism that is design to protect a circuit for excessively high power.

Lithium battery:
This is a type of reservoir that holdes power and used Lithium-Ion as one of its key component.

Workshop 3

Resistors:
Resistors are basically devided into Fixed Resistors and Variable resistor.
When looking at their make-up, we can have metal film resistors, wirewound resistors, metal oxide resistors, Carbon Composition Resistors etc.

Capacitors:
Capacitors can be grouped as fixed and variable capacitore, we can also arrange them as electrolitic capacitors that have polarity and those that have no polarity like ceramic capacitor.

Diodes:
Power diodes
Zener diodes
Diode bridge
Light Emitting Diode
Tunnel diodes
Photo diodes
PN junction diode

Transistor according to their encapsulation:

Through-Hole transistors are the usual transistors with legs that gets into holes on the board and are soldered on the other side.

Surface-Mount transistors are solderd on top of the board, they don't go out of the other side of the board.

Dual-In-Line transistors (DIL) have connectors on two opposite sides of the transistormuch like the regular IC.

Small-Outline transistors (SOT) small rectangular transistors that are surface mounted with short legs.

Power Transistors transistors with huge metal heat sinks to cool it down.

BGA (Ball Grid Array) Transistors these are surface mounted rectangular chip with small connectors on one side. After soldering to the board its connectors are not visible.

Coils
Iron core: a coil with iron in the middle.
Air core: only coil with no iron in the middle.
Coupled Inductor: two coils side by side
Soft Ferrite Core Inductor: coil with black material in the middle
Hard Ferrite Core Inductor: coil with hard ferrite

Component Identification

_{Image from Electronics Academy}

Identifing the various components on this board,

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
a = Power diode
b = Zener diodes
c = Diode bridge

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
d = Ceramic Capacitors
e = Electrolitic Capacitors

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
f = Fixed Resistors

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
g = Coupled Inductor
h = Transformer

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
i = Transistor

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
j = heat sink
k = Opto isolator

_{Image from Electronics Academy edited with PhotoStudio}
fuse

I got this board from an old Logik television for the purpose of identifing some components on it.
_{Captured with Galaxy-A15}

_{Captured with Galaxy-A15 and edited with PhotoStudio}
Oscillator

_{Captured with Galaxy-A15 and edited with PhotoStudio}
Surface mounted capacitor

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