Stanley College of Engineering & Technology for Women

Department of ECE

SYMBOLS OF COMPONENTS
Wires
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

Wire Circuit Symbol

Wire Used to connect one component to another.

One device may be connected to another

through wires. This is represented by drawing
Wires Joined Circuit Symbol “blobs” on the point where they are shorted.
Wires Joined

When circuits are drawn some wires may not

touch others. This can only be shown by
bridging them or by drawing them without
Wires Not Joined Circuit blobs. But bridging is commonly practised as
Unjoined Symbol there will not arise any confusion.
Wires

 Power Supplies

Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

Cell Circuit Symbol

Cell Used to provide a supply for a circuit.

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 Stanley College of Engineering & Technology for Women
Department of ECE

A battery has more than a cell and is used for

the same purpose. The smaller terminal is
negative and the larger one is positive.
Battery Circuit Symbol Abbreviated as ‘B’.
gBattery

DC Supply Circuit Symbol Used as a DC power supply, that is, the current
DC Supply will always flow in one direction.

AC Supply Circuit Symbol Used as AC power supply, that is, the current
AC Supply will keep alternating directions.

Used in circuits where a probability of

excessive current flows. The fuse will break the
Fuse Circuit Symbol circuit if excessive current flows and saves the
Fuse other devices from damage.

Used as an ac power supply. Consists of two

coils, the primary and secondary that are linked
together through an iron core. There is no
physical connection between the two coils. The
principle of mutual inductance is used to obtain
Transformer Circuit Symbol power. Abbreviated as ‘T’.
Transformer

Used in electronic circuits to represent the 0

volts of the power supply. It can also be
defined as the real earth , when it is applied in
Earth Circuit Symbol radio circuits and power circuits.
Earth/Ground

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 Stanley College of Engineering & Technology for Women
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Resistor
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

A resistor is used to restrict the amount of

Resistor Circuit Symbol current flow through a device. Abbreviated as
Resistor ‘R’.

A rheostat is used to control the current flow

Rheostat Circuit Symbol with two contacts. Applicable in controlling
Rheostat lamp brightness, capacitor charge rate, etc.

A potentiometer is used to control the voltage

Potentiometer Circuit flow and has three contacts. Have applications
Symbol in changing a mechanical angle change to an
Potentiometer electrical parameter. Abbreviated as ‘POT’.

Presets are low cost variable resistors that are

used to control the charge flow with the help of
a screw driver. Applications where the
Preset Circuit Symbol resistance is determined only at the end of the
Preset circuit design.
 

Capacitor
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

Capacitor is a device that is used to store

electrical energy. It consists of two metals
plates that are separated by a dielectric. It is
applicable as a filter, that is, to block DC
Capacitor Circuit Symbol signals and allow AC signals. Abbreviated with
Capacitor the letter ‘C’.

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 Stanley College of Engineering & Technology for Women
Department of ECE

Capacitor-Polarised Circuit
Capacitor – Symbol Capacitor can be used in a timer circuit by
Polarized adding a resistor.

Used to vary the capacitance by turning the

knob. A type of variable capacitor is the
Variable Capacitor Circuit trimmer capacitor that is small in size. The
Variable Symbol notations are all the same.
Capacitor

Diode
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

A diode is used to allow electric current to

flow in only one direction. Abbreviated as
Diode Circuit Symbol ‘D’.
Diode

LED is used to emit light when a current is

Light Emitting LED Circuit Symbol passed through the device. It is abbreviated as
Diode (LED) LED.

After a breakdown voltage, the device allows

current to flow in the reverse direction as
Zener Diode Circuit Symbol well. It is abbreviated as ‘Z’.
Zener Diode

Photo Diode Photodiode works as a photo-detector and

converts light into its corresponding voltage
or current.

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 Stanley College of Engineering & Technology for Women
Department of ECE

Photo Diode Circuit Symbol

Tunnel Diode is known for its high-speed

Tunnel Diode Circuit Symbol operation due to its application in quantum
Tunnel Diode mechanical effects.

Schottky Diode Circuit The Schottky Diode is known for its large

Symbol forward voltage drop and hence has great
Schottky Diode applications in switching circuits.

Transistor
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

This is a transistor with a layer of P-doped

semiconductor fixed between two layers of
Transistor NPN Circuit N-doped semiconductors that act as the
Symbol emitter and collector. Abbreviated as ‘Q’.
NPN Transistor

This is a transistor with a layer of N-doped

semiconductor fixed between two layers of
P-doped semiconductors that act as the
Transistor PNP Circuit Symbol emitter and collector. Abbreviated as ‘Q’.
PNP Transistor

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 Stanley College of Engineering & Technology for Women
Department of ECE

The working of a phototransistoris similar

to that of a bipolar transistor with a
difference that it converts light into its
corresponding current. The phototransistor
Phototransistor Circuit Symbol can also act as a photodiode if the emitter is
Phototransistor not connected.

Like a transistor, a FET has three terminals,

the Gate, Source and Drain. The device has
Field Effect Transistor Circuit an electric field that controls the
Field Effect Symbol conductivity of a channel of one type
Transistor charge carrier in a semiconductor substance.

The Junction Field Effect Transistor

(JFET) is the simplest type of FET with
applications in Switching and voltage
variable resistor. In an N-channel JFET an
n-channel Junction Field N-type silicon bar has two smaller pieces of
Effect Transistor (JFET) P-type silicon material diffused on each
N-Channel Circuit Symbol sides of its middle part, forming P-N
Junction FET junctions.

P-channel JFET is similar in construction to

N-channel JFET except that P-type
p-channel Junction Field semiconductor base is sandwiched between
Effect Transistor (FET) Circuit two N-type junctions. In this case majority
P-Channel Symbol carriers are holes.
Junction FET

Abbreviated as MOSFET. MOSFET is a
Metal Oxide three terminal device and is controlled by a
Semiconductor gate bias. It is known for its low
FET Given Below capacitance and low input impedance.

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The enhancement MOSFET structure has

no channel formed during its construction.
Voltage is applied to the gate, so as to
develop a channel of charge carriers so that
a current results when a voltage is applied
across the drain-source terminals.
Enhancement e-MOSFET Circuit Symbol Abbreviated as e-MOSFET.
MOSFET

In the depletion-mode construction a

channel is physically constructed and a
current between drain and source is due to
voltage applied across the drain-source
Depletion d-MOSFET Circuit Symbol terminals. Abbreviated as d-MOSFET.
MOSFET

Logic Gates
Gate Standard Symbol IEC Symbol Description

If all the inputs of

an AND gate are
HIGH, then the
output will also be
HIGH. If any one of
them is LOW, the
output will also be
AND AND GATE Symbol AND Gate IEC Symbol LOW.
Gate

Short form for NOT

AND Gate. Of all
the inputs are
HIGH, the output
will be LOW. If any
one input is LOW,
the output will be
NAND NAND Gate Symbol NAND Gate IEC Symbol HIGH.
Gate

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If any one of the

input is HIGH, the
output will also be
HIGH. If both
inputs are LOW, the
output will also be
OR OR Gate Symbol OR Gate IEC Symbol LOW.
Gate

Short form for NOT

OR. If both inputs
are LOW, the output
will also be LOW.
For other cases, the
output will be
NOR NOR Gate Symbol NOR Gate IEC Symbol HIGH.
Gate

Short form for

Exclusive NOR. If
both inputs are
either in LOW state
r HIGH state, the
output will be
LOW. If both inputs
are different, the
EX- output will be
OR EX-OR Gate Symbol EX-OR Gate IEC Symbol HIGH.
Gate

Short form for

Exclusive NOT OR.
If both the inputs
are the same, the
output will be
HIGH. If both are
different, the output
EX- will also be
NOR EX-NOR Gate Symbol EX-NOR Gate IEC Symbol different.
Gate

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Also known as the

inverter Gate. There
is only one input for
this gate. If the
input is HIGH, the
output will be
LOW. If the input is
LOW, the output
NOT NOT Gate Symbol NOT Gate Symbol will be HIGH.
Gate

Meters
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

Voltmeter Circuit Symbol Voltmeter is used to measure the voltage at a

Voltmeter certain point in the circuit.

An Ammeter is used to measure the current

that passes through the circuit at a particular
Ammeter Circuit Symbol point.
Ammeter

Galvanometer Circuit A galvanometer is used to measure very

Symbol small currents in the order of 1 milli ampere
Galvanometer or less.

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Department of ECE

Ohmmeter Circuit Symbol Resistance of the circuit is measured using an

Ohmmeter Ohmmeter.

An oscilloscope is used to measure the

voltage and time period of signals along with
Oscilloscope Circuit Symbol their shape display.
Oscilloscope

Sensors
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

It is abbreviated as LDR. Light Dependent

Resistor is used to convert light into its
Light corresponding resistance. Instead of directly
Dependent LDR Circuit Symbol measuring the light, it senses the heat content
Resistor (LDR) and converts it onto resistance.

Instead of directly measuring the light, a

thermistor senses the heat content and converts
Thermistor Circuit Symbol it into resistance. Abbreviated as ‘TH’.
Thermistor

Switches
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

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Department of ECE

Push Switch Circuit Symbol This is an ordinary switch that passes current
Push Switch only upon pressing.

The push to break switch is usually kept in

Push to Break Switch Circuit the ON state (closed). It turns to OFF state
Push to Break Symbol (open) only when the switch is pressed.
Switch

Also known as the ON/OFF switch. This

Singe Pole On Off Switch (SPST) Circuit switch allows the flow of current only when
Single Throw Symbol it is kept ON. Abbreviated as SPST.
Switch

Also known as the 2-way switch. It can be

also called as an ON/OFF/ON switch as it
has an OFF position in the center. The switch
causes the flow of current in two directions,
Single Pole 2-Way Switch (SPDT) Circuit depending on its position. It can be
Double Throw Symbol abbreviated as SPDT.
Switch

Abbreviated as DPST. Can also be called as

a dual ON-OFF switch. This is used to
Double Pole Dual On-Off Switch (DPST) isolate between the live and neutral
Single Throw Circuit Symbol connections in the main electrical line.
Switch

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Abbreviated as DPDT. The switch uses a

Double Pole central OFF position and is applied as
Double Throw DPDT Circuit Symbol reversing switch for motors.
Switch

Relay is abbreviated as ‘RY’. This device

can easily switch a 230 Volt AC mains
circuit. It has three switching stages called
Relay Circuit Symbol Normally Open (NO). Normally Closed
Relay (NC), and Common (COM).

Audio and Radio Devices

Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

This device is used for converting sound to its

corresponding electrical energy. Abbreviated
Microphone Circuit Symbol as ‘MIC’.
Microphone

Earphone Circuit Symbol Does the reverse process of microphone and

Earphone converts electrical energy into sound.

Does the same operation as an earphone, but

converts an amplified version of the electrical
Loudspeaker Circuit Symbol energy into its corresponding sound.
Loudspeaker

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Department of ECE

PiezoTransducer Circuit
Piezo- Symbol It is a transducer that converts electrical
Transducer energy into sound.

Used to amplify a signal. It is mainly used to

represent a whole circuit rather than just one
Amplifier Circuit Symbol component.
Amplifier

Aerial Circuit Symbol This device is used to transmit/receive signals.

Aerial Abbreviated as ‘AE’.

Output Devices
Electronic
Component Circuit Symbol Description

Lighting Lamp Circuit Symbol

Lamp This is used to provide light for the output.

Lamp Indiator Circuit Used to convert electrical energy into light. The
Indicator Symbol best example is the warning light on a car
Lamp dashboard.

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Department of ECE

Heater Circuit Symbol This transducer is used to change electrical

Heater energy into heat.

This device is used to convert electrical energy

into mechanical energy. Can be used as a
Motor Circuit Symbol generator as well. Abbreviated as ‘M’.
Motor

Used to produce a sound as the output,

according to the electrical energy produced as
Bell Circuit Symbol the input.
Bell

It is used to produce an output sound

corresponding to the electrical energy in the
Buzzer Circuit Symbol input.
Buzzer

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