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Electronic circuits and components
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Basic Circuit Symbols<^< Conductors and Insulators | Course Index | Voltage and Current >^> We shall shortly be introducing some essential concepts of electronic circuits. However, before we do, this is a good point to make you aware of four of the most common electronic components: resistors, capacitors, inductors and batteries. We shall explain each of these components in much more detail later but, in the meantime, you should check out whats bellow to find out what you need to know now! Resistors
Resistors provide us with a means of accurately determining the voltage and current present in a circuit. In simple terms, resistors oppose the flow of current in a circuit - the higher the resistance the smaller the current.
Capacitors
Capacitors are simply reservoirs for storing electric charge. The larger the value of capacitance the greater the electric charge that will be stored when a given voltage is applied. Note that electric fields are produced by voltage.
Inductors
Inductors provide us with a means of storing electrical energy in the form of a magnetic field. The larger the value of inductance the greater the magnetic flux that will appear when a given current is applied. Note that magnetic fields are produced by current.
Batteries
Batteries are a source of electrical energy. A battery normally consists of a number of cells connected in series to produce a particular voltage. Here four 1.5 V cells are connected in series to produce an electromotive force (or e.m.f.) of 6 V (the other two batteries can not be seen on the photograph as they are underneath the top two). When a battery is connected to a circuit of given resistance, the larger the value of voltage, the greater the value of current that will flow.
<^< Conductors and Insulators | Course index | Voltage and Current >^> |
