Electronics Glossary

I generated the following definitions from chatGPT for easier reference in the future.

1. Electricity/Electron Flow: Electricity is the flow of electrons through a conductor. Electron flow refers to the movement of electrons from the negative terminal to the positive terminal in a circuit.
2. AC vs DC:
   • AC (Alternating Current): Flows periodically in one direction and then reverses direction. Symbol: ~
   • DC (Direct Current): Flows in one direction only. Symbol: ─|
3. Electronics Circuit: A closed loop or pathway that allows electricity to flow, typically composed of components such as resistors, capacitors, and transistors.
4. Ohm's Law: Ohm's Law states that the current flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points and inversely proportional to the resistance between them. Mathematically, it is expressed as V = I * R.
5. Resistance: Resistance is the opposition to the flow of electric current in a circuit. It is measured in ohms (Ω).
6. Voltage: Voltage is the electrical potential difference between two points in a circuit, measured in volts (V).
7. Current: Current is the flow of electric charge, typically measured in amperes (A).
8. Load: A load is a component or device within a circuit that consumes electrical energy.
9. Polarity: Polarity refers to the positive or negative orientation of a voltage or a component in a circuit.
10. Anode & Cathode: In electronic components such as diodes and batteries, the anode is the positive terminal, and the cathode is the negative terminal.
11. Parallel vs Series circuit arrangements: In a parallel circuit, components are connected across the same voltage, while in a series circuit, components are connected in a single path.
12. Resistor:
    • Unit of measurement: Ohms (Ω)
    • Symbol: Usually depicted as a zigzag line
    • Function: Resistors limit the flow of electric current
    • Common use: Controlling current flow, voltage division, and signal conditioning



13. Conductance: Conductance is the reciprocal of resistance and measures how easily current flows through a material. Symbol: G.

Here is a short video that explains Conductance and conductivity.

14. Capacitor:
    • Unit of measurement: Farads (F)
    • Symbol: Usually depicted as two parallel lines
    • Function: Capacitors store and release electrical energy
    • Common use: Filtering, timing, and energy storage in circuits

Here is a short video that explains Capacitor

15. Diode:
    • Symbol: Arrow pointing towards a line
    • Function: Allows current to flow in one direction only
    • Common types: Rectifier diodes, Zener diodes
    • Common use: Rectification, voltage regulation, signal demodulation

Here is a short video that explains Diode

16. LED (Light Emitting Diode):
    • Symbol: Similar to a regular diode with two arrows pointing away from the diode
    • Function: Emits light when current flows through it in the forward direction
    • Common types: Through-hole LEDs, Surface mount LEDs
    • Common use: Indicator lights, displays, and lighting applications

Here is a video that explains How LED works?

17. Transistor:
    • Symbol: Various symbols depending on the type (e.g., BJT, FET)
    • Function: Amplifies or switches electronic signals
    • Common types: Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT), Field Effect Transistor (FET)
    • Common use: Amplification, switching, and signal processing in circuits
18. Regulator:
    • Symbol: Usually depicted as a rectangle with three terminals
    • Function: Maintains a constant output voltage regardless of input voltage fluctuations
    • Common types: Linear regulator, Switching regulator
    • Common use: Power supply stabilization, voltage regulation
19. MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor):
    • Symbol: Similar to a transistor but with an extra line connecting the gate
    • Function: Controls the flow of current between the source and drain terminals using an electric field
    • Common types: Enhancement-mode MOSFET, Depletion-mode MOSFET
    • Common use: Switching and amplification in digital circuits
20. Tactile Button:
    • Symbol: Depicted as a button
    • Function: Provides momentary contact when pressed
    • Common types: Momentary push-button switches
    • Common use: User interface controls, reset buttons
21. Bypass Capacitor Circuit: A bypass capacitor circuit is used to shunt high-frequency noise to ground, preventing it from affecting sensitive components in a circuit.
22. Low-Pass & High-Pass Circuits:
    • Low-pass filters allow low-frequency signals to pass while attenuating high-frequency signals.
    • High-pass filters allow high-frequency signals to pass while attenuating low-frequency signals.