Circuits

What is a Circuit?
A Circuit is composed of varies individual electronic parts that have been connected with wires or traces through which electric current can flow. They are used in all electronic devices that are manufactured.

How does a circuit work?

Electronical current is the flow of electrons through a wire or component and it is what powers a device. The circuit takes the voltage (the force that drives the current) from the wall socket and Figure 1: A Typical Circuit Board converts it into amperes (also known as current). However, because the voltage is so strong, the circuit needs several electronic components to protect it from breaking or blowing up.

What are some electronic components?

In the past, electronic circuit had to be huge to handle the amount of electricity that was flowing through them. However, technology and our knowledge of electricity have advanced to the point that most electronic components are quite small. In the photo on the left, the size of the components is quite surprising. The components consist of resistors, transistors, amplifiers, capacitors, inductors, and diodes.
Figure 2: Various component that could be in a Circuit

What do the components do?

Resistors do what their name implies; they resist the flow of the electrons. The resistance is in proportion to the voltage and the current. Amplifiers increase the power of the circuit. These are usually used in speakers to increase the output without damaging the circuit. Transistors are similar to amplifiers in that they amplify the current that is being put out. Once transistors were developed, they made it possible to make smaller and cheaper radios, televisions and computers, making it available for everyone. Capacitors store energy. The batteries in cell phones and laptops are basically a capacitor. Unlike the battery in your car which is self-recharging, the batteries in electronic devices need to be charged as they run out of electricity. Inductors increase the magnetic field of the current. This means that it makes its own voltage across it. Diodes only let the current flow in one direction, preventing it from coming back into the same spot, increasing the load. Circuit can have all or only some of these components.

"Electronic Circuit." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 04 Nov. 2013. Web. 12 Apr. 2013. Rizzoni, Giorgio. Fundamentals of Electrical Engineering. Dubuque, IA: McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.