Electrical Symbols & Electronic Symbols

Electrical symbols and electronic circuit symbols are used for

drawing schematic diagram.
The symbols represent electrical and electronic components.
Table of Electrical Symbols
Symbol Component name Meaning

Wire Symbols
Conductor of electrical
Electrical Wire
current

Connected Wires Connected crossing

Not Connected Wires Wires are not connected

Switch Symbols and Relay Symbols

Disconnects current when
SPST Toggle Switch
open

Selects between two

SPDT Toggle Switch
connections

Momentary switch - normally

Pushbutton Switch (N.O)
open

Momentary switch - normally

Pushbutton Switch (N.C)
closed
 DIP switch is used for
DIP Switch
onboard configuration

SPST Relay Relay open / close

connection by an
SPDT Relay electromagnet

Close connection by jumper

Jumper
insertion on pins.

Solder Bridge Solder to close connection

Ground Symbols
Used for zero potential
Earth Ground reference and electrical
shock protection.

Connected to the chassis of

Chassis Ground
the circuit

Digital / Common
Ground

Resistor Symbols

Resistor (IEEE)
Resistor reduces the current
flow.
Resistor (IEC)
Potentiometer (IEEE)
Adjustable resistor - has 3
terminals.
Potentiometer (IEC)

Variable Resistor /
Rheostat (IEEE) Adjustable resistor - has 2
Variable Resistor / terminals.
Rheostat (IEC)

Trimmer Resistor Preset resistor

Thermal resistor - change

Thermistor resistance when temperature
changes

Photoresistor / Light Photo-resistor - change

dependent resistor resistance with light intensity
(LDR) change

Capacitor Symbols

Capacitor Capacitor is used to store

electric charge. It acts as
short circuit with AC and
Capacitor open circuit with DC.

Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic capacitor

Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic capacitor

Variable Capacitor Adjustable capacitance

Inductor / Coil Symbols

Coil / solenoid that generates
Inductor
magnetic field

Iron Core Inductor Includes iron

Variable Inductor

Power Supply Symbols

Voltage Source Generates constant voltage

Current Source Generates constant current.

AC Voltage Source AC voltage source

Electrical voltage is
Generator generated by mechanical
rotation of the generator

Battery Cell Generates constant voltage

Battery Generates constant voltage

Generates voltage as a
Controlled Voltage
function of voltage or current
Source
of other circuit element.

Generates current as a
Controlled Current
function of voltage or current
Source
of other circuit element.

Meter Symbols
Measures voltage. Has very
Voltmeter high resistance. Connected
in parallel.

Measures electric current.

Ammeter Has near zero resistance.
Connected serially.

Ohmmeter Measures resistance

Wattmeter Measures electric power

Lamp / Light Bulb Symbols

Lamp / light bulb

Generates light when current
flows through
Lamp / light bulb
Lamp / light bulb

Diode / LED Symbols

Diode allows current flow in
Diode one direction only - left
(anode) to right (cathode).

Allows current flow in one

direction, but also can flow in
Zener Diode
the reverse direction when
above breakdown voltage

Schottky diode is a diode

Schottky Diode
with low voltage drop

Varactor / Varicap Diode Variable capacitance diode

Tunnel Diode

Light Emitting Diode LED emits light when current

(LED) flows through

Photodiode allows current

Photodiode
flow when exposed to light

Transistor Symbols
Allows current flow when
NPN Bipolar Transistor high potential at base
(middle)
 Allows current flow when low
PNP Bipolar Transistor
potential at base (middle)

Made from 2 bipolar

Darlington Transistor transistors. Has total gain of
the product of each gain.

N-channel field effect

JFET-N Transistor
transistor

P-channel field effect

JFET-P Transistor
transistor

N-channel MOSFET
NMOS Transistor
transistor

P-channel MOSFET
PMOS Transistor
transistor

Misc. Symbols

Motor Electric motor

Change AC voltage from

Transformer
high to low or low to high.

Electric bell Rings when activated

Buzzer Produce buzzing sound

Fuse The fuse disconnects when
current above threshold.
Used to protect circuit from
Fuse high currents.

Bus

Contains several wires.

Bus
Usually for data / address.

Bus

Optocoupler / Opto- Optocoupler isolates

isolator connection to other board

Converts electrical signal to

Loudspeaker
sound waves

Converts sound waves to

Microphone
electrical signal

Operational Amplifier Amplify input signal

Operates with hysteresis to

Schmitt Trigger
reduce noise.

Analog-to-digital Converts analog signal to

converter (ADC) digital numbers

Digital-to-Analog Converts digital numbers to

converter (DAC) analog signal
 Used to generate precise
Crystal Oscillator
frequency clock signal

Antenna Symbols

Antenna / aerial
Transmits & receives radio
waves
Antenna / aerial

Dipole Antenna Two wires simple antenna

Logic Gates Symbols

NOT Gate (Inverter) Outputs 1 when input is 0

Outputs 1 when both inputs

AND Gate
are 1.

Outputs 0 when both inputs

NAND Gate
are 1. (NOT + AND)

Outputs 1 when any input is

OR Gate
1.

Outputs 0 when any input is

NOR Gate
1. (NOT + OR)

Outputs 1 when inputs are

XOR Gate
different. (Exclusive OR)
D Flip-Flop Stores one bit of data

Multiplexer / Mux 2 to 1
Connects the output to
selected input line.
Multiplexer / Mux 4 to 1

Demultiplexer / Demux1 Connects selected output to

to 4 the input line.