Electronic Symbols

What is It

Electronic Symbols
In order to easily plot circuits, engineers use diagrams. These diagrams makes it easier to do plans and
adhere to the design during the construction of the actual circuit. Since plans do circulate in the industry, it is
important to standardize the symbols. It will be very confusing if no centralized body is used to formally
recognize notation, nomenclature, and symbols. Electronics is a sophisticated body of science and technology,
therefore it is expected that practitioners of this field are going to follow guidelines and standards. The two
prevailing standards that we will use in this module for symbols shall be based on the International
Electrotechnical Commission and the American National Standards Institute. Being familiar with the symbols
from these two standards will make you understand majority of the circuit diagrams you will encounter.

Ground

Power Source

Resistor

Rheostat symbol also used for variable resistor.

 Capacitor

Inductor

Diode

The symbols of the diodes here are based on the ANSI symbols. The IEC symbols are similar in
appearance albeit the triangle having no black fill and sometimes with a line going through.
Switch

Transformer
Transistor

JFET stands for Junction Gate Field-Effect transistor

MOSFET stands for Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor
BJT stands for Bipolar Junction Transistor
Pay attention to the direction of the arrows in the symbols
The circle is optional for some schematics do not include the circle Relay

Analog

Logic Gate

Miscellaneous