INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRONICS

Overview
To begin the learning in electronics devices and circuits student must learn the history and basic principle of electronics. Knowing the
milestone in electronics will show how technology develops. Familiarizing the famous people with their different invention. How they contribute to the
changes that give a huge impact in the technology. This topic is divided into three parts, part one is for the history or milestone in electronics, second
is the atomic structure and third is for the tubes and other devices.

Learning Outcomes
After this particular topic students must:
1. Define what is electronics and its application.
2. To determine where electronics started.
3. Classify different materials, components, devices
4. Identify the technological development in electronics.

What is Electronics?

Electronics is the branch of science that deals with the study of flow and control of electrons (electricity) and the study of their behavior and
effects in vacuums, gases, and semiconductors, and with devices using such electrons. This control of electrons is accomplished by devices that resist,
carry, select, steer, switch, store, manipulate, and exploit the electron.

Milestone in Electronics

1814-1879 Heinrich Geissler

Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Geissler was a skilled glassblower and physicist, famous for his invention of the Geissler tube, made of glass used
as low-pressure gas discharge tube.

1897 Joseph John Thomson

A British physicist, he showed that cathode ray tube were composed of a previously unknown negatively charge particle or the birth of
electron.

1904- John Fleming

The first thermionic valve was invented. Diodes were initially just referred to as rectifiers.

1906 Lee De Forest

The father of radio and the first triode was invented. The device was called “audion”.

1947 William Shockley, John Bardeen and Walter Brattain

The first transistor was made. It was a point contact transistor, which could amplify electric signals invented at Bell Labs. But John Pierce
coined the term transistor.

1954 Gordon Teal

The first silicon transistor at Texas Instrument.

1958 Jack Kilby

Invented the first IC at Texas Instrument. He is also the daddy of the first hanheld calculator and the first thermal printer.

1971 Intel
Intel introduces the first CPU on a chip, the first microprocessor.

Basics of Electricity

Current – Andre’ Ampere’

Voltage – Alessandro Volta
Resistance – Georg Ohm
Power – James Watt

Types of Electricity
 Static Electricity is an electrical charge at rest.
 Produced Electricity is produced by either magnetism, chemicals, light, heat, or pressure.

Passive: Capable of operating without an external power source. Typical passive components are resistors, capacitors, inductors and diodes (although
the latter are a special case).

Active: Requiring a source of power to operate. Includes transistors (all types), integrated circuits (all types), TRIACs, SCRs, LEDs, etc.

Magnetism – Generator
Chemical – Battery
Light – Photocell (solar cell)
Heat – Thermocouple (nuclear power)
Pressure - Crystals

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 DC and AC

 DC: Direct Current. The electrons flow in one direction only. Current flow is from negative to positive, although it is often more convenient
to think of it as from positive to negative. This is sometimes referred to as "conventional" current as opposed to electron flow
 AC: Alternating Current. The electrons flow in both directions in a cyclic manner - first one way, then the other. The rate of change of
direction determines the frequency, measured in Hertz (cycles per second).

 Ohm's Law is the mathematical relationship among electric current, resistance, and voltage.

Frequency: Unit is Hertz, Symbol is Hz, old symbol was cps (cycles per second). A complete cycle is completed when the AC signal has gone from
zero volts to one extreme, back through zero volts to the opposite extreme, and returned to zero. The accepted audio range is from 20Hz to
20,000Hz. The number of times the signal completes a complete cycle in one second is the frequency.

Voltage: Unit is Volts, Symbol is V or U, old symbol was E . Voltage is the "pressure" of electricity, or "electromotive force" (hence the old term E). A
9V battery has a voltage of 9V DC, and may be positive or negative depending on the terminal that is used as the reference. The mains has a
voltage of 220, 240 or 110V depending where you live - this is AC, and alternates between positive and negative values. Voltage is also commonly
measured in millivolts (mV), and 1,000 mV is 1V. Microvolts (uV) and nanovolts (nV) are also used.

Current: Unit is Amperes (Amps), Symbol is I . Current is the flow of electricity (electrons). No current flows between the terminals of a battery or
other voltage supply unless a load is connected. The magnitude of the current is determined by the available voltage, and the resistance (or
impedance) of the load and the power source. Current can be AC or DC, positive or negative, depending upon the reference. For electronics,
current may also be measured in mA (milliamps) - 1,000 mA is 1A. Nanoamps (nA) are also used in some cases.

Resistance: Unit is Ohms, Symbol is R or Ω . Resistance is a measure of how easily (or with what difficulty) electrons will flow through the device. Copper wire has
a very low resistance, so a small voltage will allow a large current to flow. Likewise, the plastic insulation has a very high resistance, and prevents current from
flowing from one wire to those adjacent. Resistors have a defined resistance, so the current can be calculated for any voltage. Resistance in passive devices is
always positive (i.e. > 0

What is Electrical Circuit?

Electrical circuit or power circuit is arrangement of electrically conductive path for flow and movement of electric charge or electricity. A home
electrical wiring system is an example of electrical circuit.

Circuit Laws

 Kirchoff’s voltage law(KVL) states that algebraic sum of all voltages around any close loop of a circuit is zero.
∑𝑛𝑘=1 𝑣𝑘 = 0, where n is the total number of passive and active element voltages around the loop under consideration.
 Kirchoff’s current law(KCL) states that algebraic sum of all currents entering every node(junction of all elements) must be zero
∑𝑚
𝑘=1 𝑖𝑘 = 0 , where m is the total number of currents flowing into the node under consideration.

Network theorems

 Millman’s Theorem treats circuits as a parallel set of series-component branches.All voltages entered and solved for in Millman’s Theorem
are polarity-referenced at the same point in the circuit (typically the bottom wire of the parallel network ).
 The Superposition Theorem states that a circuit can be analyzed with only one source of power at a time, the corresponding component
voltages and currents algebraically added to find out what they’ll do with all power sources in effect. To negate all but one power source for
analysis, replace any source of voltage (batteries) with a wire; replace any current source with an open (break).
 Thevenin’s Theorem is a way to reduce a network to an equivalent circuit composed of a single voltage source, series resistance, and
series load.
Steps to follow for Thevenin’s Theorem:
(1) Find the Thevenin source voltage by removing the load resistor from the original circuit and calculating voltage across the open
connection points where the load resistor used to be.
(2) Find the Thevenin resistance by removing all power sources in the original circuit (voltage sources shorted and current sources open)
and calculating total resistance between the open connection points.
(3) Draw the Thevenin equivalent circuit, with the Thevenin voltage source in series with the Thevenin resistance. The load resistor re-
attaches between the two open points of the equivalent circuit.
(4) Analyze voltage and current for the load resistor following the rules for series circuits
 Norton’s Theorem is a way to reduce a network to an equivalent circuit composed of a single current source, parallel resistance, and
parallel load.
Steps to follow for Norton’s Theorem:
(1) Find the Norton source current by removing the load resistor from the original circuit and calculating current through a short (wire)
jumping across the open connection points where the load resistor used to be.
(2) Find the Norton resistance by removing all power sources in the original circuit (voltage sources shorted and current sources open) and
calculating total resistance between the open connection points.
(3) Draw the Norton equivalent circuit, with the Norton current source in parallel with the Norton resistance. The load resistor re-attaches
between the two open points of the equivalent circuit.
(4) Analyze voltage and current for the load resistor following the rules for parallel circuits

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What is an electronic circuit?

An electronic circuit is path made out of electronically conductive material such

as metal, with electronic components on the path for controlled flow of electricity
of electric charge. Electronic gadgets such as the TV, Computer, and Cell
Phones etc all have electronic circuits.

Electronic Components

Switches and Keyboard

In electrical engineering, a switch is an electrical component that can break an electrical circuit, interrupting the current or diverting it from
one conductor to another.

Semiconductors
A semiconductor material has an electrical conductivity value falling
between that of a conductor, such as copper, and an insulator, such as glass.
Semiconductors are the foundation of modern electronics. Semiconducting
materials exist in two types - elemental materials and compound materials. The
modern understanding of the properties of a semiconductor relies on quantum
physics to explain the movement of electrons and holes in a crystal lattice.

Transducers

Resistors
Resistors as the name implies, are designed to provide some desirable,
or necessary amount of resistance to current flow in a circuit.

Capacitors
A capacitor is basically a device which stores an electric charge.

Electron Tubes

Magnetic

• Electronic Systems
Communications
Computers
Consumer
Industrial
Test and Measurement
Biomedical

Self-Check Test:

I. Fill in the blanks. No erasures.

________________1. A skilled glassblower and physicist, famous for his invention of a tube that is made of glass used as low-pressure gas
discharge tube.
________________2. The year first transistor was made. It was a point contact transistor, which could amplify electric signals invented at Bell Labs.
But John Pierce coined the term transistor.
_________________3. This means that the direction of current flowing in a circuit is constantly being reversed back and forth.
4. The filament battery and the filament itself form a series circuit. This circuit is known as the ___________________.
5. _________________________ requiring a source of power to operate.

II. Multiple Choice. Encircle the letter of the best answer.

1. A component which is used to close or break a circuit is
A. Bulb C. wire
B.Switch D. electric cel

2. A diagram which is drawn using symbols and represents electrical components is called
A. circuit diagram C. charges diagram
B. electric diagram D. current diagram

3. Component which are provided for resistance are called

A. heat C. product
B. resistor D. energy

4. Gadgets, Devices and machines in modern world use energy that is

A. electrical C. heat
B. chemical D. magnetic

5. Luigi Galvani discovered effect of electricity on legs of

A. Lizard C. human
B. Horse D. frog

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