Electronic Components and Electronic Symbols

​Are you familiar with these electrical components?

Do you know the use of each electrical component?

What do you think is the relevance of electrical components to electronic symbols?

How important are these symbols in consumer electronics?​

By Teacher Zab Senosin

​ * are part of an electronic system or device that when combined, forms electronic circuits. These components are connected together using soldeing tools and printed circuit board (PCB). Here are some of the basic electronic components.

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​ 1. Capacitor temporarily stores electrical charge in an electric field. This is used to make the supply voltage more stable in a circuit. It also has the capacity​ to remove noise and charge and discharge like a battery.

By Zab Senosin

2. Diodes let the current flow in only one direction.

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3. Integrated Circuit (IC) contains an entire electronic circuit that is contained inside a chip.

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4. Light-emitting diode (LED) emits light when current passes through it. It is present in devices such as laptops and mobile phones.

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5. Resistor resists the flow of current.

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6. Transistor is a semiconductor device that is capable of amplification.​

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By Elizabeth Senosin

Each electronic component has an electronic symbol. This symbol is used when creating a schematic diagram. Below are lists of electronic symbols.

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A. WIRES

​ 1. Wires : this simply connects one component to the other so that current can pass through easily from one part of a circuit to another.

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2. ​Wire joined : placing a 'blob' is optional. It just shows that two wires are joined or connected.

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3. ​Unjoined wires : wires that are not connected to one another should create a bridge symbol. When 'blob' is not placed, the person might have the tendency to misread a joined wire.

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By Elizabeth Senosin

B. Power Supply​

1. Cell : This supplies electrical energy to a circuit. The short vertical line in the symbol represents a negative end while the longer line represents a positive end.​

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2. Battery : this consists of more than one cell. It has the same function as cell, which supplies electrical energy.

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3. DC Supply (Direct Current) : This indicates a DC power supply. It means that the current is flowing in one direction.

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4. AC Supply (Alternating Current) : This indicates an AC power supply. It means that the current is continuously changing its direction.​

By Elizabeth Senosin

C. Resistor​

1. Resistor : This limits the amount of current flow.

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2. Rheostat : This has two contact that controls the current.

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3. Potentiometer : This has three contacts that controls the current.

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4. Preset : This is operated with the help of a screwdriver to control the charge flow.

By Elizabeth Senosin

D. Capacitor

1. Capacitor, Polarized : This can be used with a resistor on a timing circuit.

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2. Capacitor : This device is used to store electrical energy.

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By Elizabeth Senosin