Electrical and Electronics

Symbols
 Wire
Used to connect one
component to
another.

Wires Joined One device may be connected

to another through wires. This
is represented by drawing
“blobs” on the point where
they are shorted.
Unjoined Wires When circuits are drawn some wires
may not touch others. This can only be
shown by bridging them or by drawing
them without blobs. But bridging is
commonly practised as there will not
arise any confusion.

Cell
Used to provide a
- +
supply
for a circuit.
Battery 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.
Abbreviated as ‘B’.

DC Supply Used as a DC power

supply, that is, the current
will always flow in one
direction.
AC Supply Used as AC power
supply, that is, the
current will keep
alternating directions.

Used in circuits where a

Fuse probability of excessive current
flows. The fuse will break the
circuit if excessive current flows
and saves the other devices from
damage.
Transformer Used as an ac power supply.
Consists of two coils, the primary
and secondary that are linked
together through an iron core.

Earth/Ground 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 radio circuits and
power circuits.
Resistor A resistor is used to restrict
the amount of current flow
through a device.
Abbreviated as ‘R’.

Capacitor 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 signals and allow AC
signals. Abbreviated with the letter ‘C’.
 Potentiometer A potentiometer is used to control the
Variable Resistor voltage flow and has three contacts.
Have applications in changing a
mechanical angle change to an
electrical parameter. Abbreviated as
‘POT’.
Capacitor - Polarized
Capacitor can be used
in a timer circuit by
adding a resistor.

Variable Capacitor Used to vary the capacitance by

turning the knob. A type of
variable capacitor is the trimmer
capacitor that is small in size. The
notations are all the same
 Diode
A diode is used to allow
electric current to flow in only
one direction. Abbreviated as
‘D’.

Light Emitting LED is used to emit light

Diode (LED) when a current is passed
through the device. It is
abbreviated as LED.
Zener Diode After a breakdown voltage,
the device allows current to
flow in the reverse
direction as well. It is
abbreviated as ‘Z’.

Photo Diode Photodiode works as a

photo-detector and
converts light into its
corresponding voltage or
current.
NPN Transistor This is a transistor with a layer of
P-doped semiconductor fixed
between two layers of N-doped
semiconductors that act as the
emitter and collector.
Abbreviated as ‘Q’.

PNP Transistor This is a transistor with a layer of

N-doped semiconductor fixed
between two layers of P-doped
semiconductors that act as the
emitter and collector. Abbreviated
as ‘Q’.
 a phototransistor is similar to that of
Phototransistor
a bipolar transistor with a difference
that it converts light into its
corresponding current. The
phototransistor can also act as a
photodiode if the emitter is not
connected.
Field Effect FET has three terminals, the Gate,
Transistor Source and Drain. The device has
an electric field that controls the
conductivity of a channel of one
type charge carrier in a
semiconductor substance.
Voltmeter Voltmeter is used to
measure the voltage at a
certain point in the circuit.

Ammeter An Ammeter is used to

measure the current that
passes through the circuit at
a particular point.
Galvanometer A galvanometer is used
to measure very small
currents in the order of 1
milli ampere or less.

Ohmmeter Resistance of the

circuit is measured
using an Ohmmeter.
Oscilloscope An oscilloscope is used to
measure the voltage and
time period of signals along
with their shape display.

Light LDR. Light Dependent Resistor is

Dependent used to convert light into its
Resistor corresponding resistance. Instead of
(LDR) directly measuring the light, it
senses the heat content and
converts it onto resistance.
Thermistor Instead of directly measuring
the light, a thermistor senses
the heat content and converts
it into resistance. Abbreviated
as ‘TH’.

Push Switch This is an ordinary

switch that passes
current only upon
pressing.
 Push to The push to break switch is
Break Switch usually kept in the ON state
(closed). It turns to OFF state
(open) only when the switch
is pressed.

Singe Pole
Single Throw
Also known as the ON/OFF
Switch switch. This switch allows the
flow of current only when it is
kept ON. Abbreviated as SPST.
Single Pole Also known as the 2-way switch. It can
Double Throw be also called as an ON/OFF/ON switch
Switch as it has an OFF position in the center.
The switch causes the flow of current
in two directions, depending on its
position. It can be abbreviated as SPDT.

Double Pole
Single Throw Abbreviated as DPDT. The
Switch switch uses a central OFF
position and is applied as
reversing switch for motors.
 Relay Switch Relay is abbreviated as ‘RY’. This
device can easily switch a 230 Volt
AC mains circuit. It has three
switching stages called Normally
Open (NO). Normally Closed (NC),
and Common (COM).

Microphone This device is used for

converting sound to its
corresponding electrical
energy. Abbreviated as
‘MIC’.
Earphone Does the reverse process
of microphone and
converts electrical energy
into sound.

Loudspeaker Does the same operation as an

earphone, but converts an
amplified version of the
electrical energy into its
corresponding sound.
Amplifier
Used to amplify a signal. It
is mainly used to
represent a whole circuit
rather than just one
component.
Antenna This device is used to
transmit/receive
signals.

Lighting
This is used to provide
Lamp
light for the output.
Indicator Used to convert electrical
Lamp energy into light. The best
example is the warning
light on a car dashboard.

Heater This transducer is

used to change
electrical energy into
heat.
 Inductor is used to produce a magnetic
Inductor field when a certain current is passed
through a coil of wire. The wire is coiled
on a soft iron core. Have applications in
motors, and tank circuits. Abbreviated
as ‘L’.

Motor This device is used to convert

electrical energy into
mechanical energy. Can be
used as a generator as well.
Abbreviated as ‘M’.