Electronic component

Discrete device in an electronic system

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Various electronic components, with a 15 cm ruler to scale.

An electronic component is any basic discrete electronic device or physical entity part of an electronic system used to affect electrons or their associated fields. Electronic components are mostly industrial products, available in a singular form and are not to be confused with electrical elements, which are conceptual abstractions representing idealized electronic components and elements. A datasheet for an electronic component is a technical document that provides detailed information about the component's specifications, characteristics, and performance. Discrete circuits are made of individual electronic components that only perform one function each as packaged, which are known as discrete components, although strictly the term discrete component refers to such a component with semiconductor material such as individual transistors.[1][2][3]

Electronic components have a number of electrical terminals or leads. These leads connect to other electrical components, often over wire, to create an electronic circuit with a particular function (for example an amplifier, radio receiver, or oscillator). Basic electronic components may be packaged discretely, as arrays or networks of like components, or integrated inside of packages such as semiconductor integrated circuits, hybrid integrated circuits, or thick film devices. The following list of electronic components focuses on the discrete version of these components, treating such packages as components in their own right.

Classification

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Components can be classified as passive, active, or electromechanic. The strict physics definition treats passive components as ones that cannot supply energy themselves, whereas a battery would be seen as an active component since it truly acts as a source of energy.

However, electronic engineers who perform circuit analysis use a more restrictive definition of passivity. When only concerned with the energy of signals, it is convenient to ignore the so-called DC circuit and pretend that the power supplying components such as transistors or integrated circuits is absent (as if each such component had its own battery built in), though it may in reality be supplied by the DC circuit. Then, the analysis only concerns the AC circuit, an abstraction that ignores DC voltages and currents (and the power associated with them) present in the real-life circuit. This fiction, for instance, lets us view an oscillator as "producing energy" even though in reality the oscillator consumes even more energy from a DC power supply, which we have chosen to ignore. Under that restriction, we define the terms as used in circuit analysis as:

• Active components rely on a source of energy (usually from the DC circuit, which we have chosen to ignore) and usually can inject power into a circuit, though this is not part of the definition.

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  Active components include amplifying components such as transistors, triode vacuum tubes (valves), and tunnel diodes.
• Passive components cannot introduce net energy into the circuit. They also cannot rely on a source of power, except for what is available from the (AC) circuit they are connected to. As a consequence, they cannot amplify (increase the power of a signal), although they may increase a voltage or current (such as is done by a transformer or resonant circuit). Passive components include two-terminal components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, and transformers.
• Electromechanical components can carry out electrical operations by using moving parts or by using electrical connections.

Most passive components with more than two terminals can be described in terms of two-port parameters that satisfy the principle of reciprocity&#;though there are rare exceptions.[5] In contrast, active components (with more than two terminals) generally lack that property.

Active components

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Semiconductors

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Transistors

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Transistors were considered the invention of the twentieth century that changed electronic circuits forever. A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic signals and electrical power.

Diodes

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Conduct electricity easily in one direction, among more specific behaviors.

Various examples of Light-emitting diodes

Integrated circuits

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Integrated Circuits can serve a variety of purposes, including acting as a timer, performing digital to analog conversion, performing amplification, or being used for logical operations.

Programmable devices

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Optoelectronic devices

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Display technologies

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Current:

Obsolete:

Vacuum tubes (valves)

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A vacuum tube is based on current conduction through a vacuum (see Vacuum tube).

Optical detectors or emitters

Discharge devices

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Obsolete:

Power sources

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Sources of electrical power:

Passive components

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Components incapable of controlling current by means of another electrical signal are called passive devices. Resistors, capacitors, inductors, and transformers are all considered passive devices.

Resistors

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SMD resistors on the backside of a PCB

Pass current in proportion to voltage (Ohm's law) and oppose current.

Capacitors

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Some different capacitors for electronic equipment

Capacitors store and release electrical charge. They are used for filtering power supply lines, tuning resonant circuits, and for blocking DC voltages while passing AC signals, among numerous other uses.

Integrated passive devices

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Integrated passive devices are passive devices integrated within one distinct package. They take up less space than equivalent combinations of discrete components.

Magnetic (inductive) devices

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Electrical components that use magnetism in the storage and release of electrical charge through current:

Memristor

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Electrical components that pass charge in proportion to magnetism or magnetic flux, and have the ability to retain a previous resistive state, hence the name of Memory plus Resistor.

Networks

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Components that use more than one type of passive component:

• RC network &#; forms an RC circuit, used in snubbers
• LC Network &#; forms an LC circuit, used in tunable transformers and RFI filters.

Transducers, sensors, detectors

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1. Transducers generate physical effects when driven by an electrical signal, or vice versa.
2. Sensors (detectors) are transducers that react to environmental conditions by changing their electrical properties or generating an electrical signal.
3. The transducers listed here are single electronic components (as opposed to complete assemblies), and are passive (see Semiconductors and Tubes for active ones). Only the most common ones are listed here.

Antennas

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Antennas transmit or receive radio waves

Assemblies, modules

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Multiple electronic components assembled in a device that is in itself used as a component

Prototyping aids

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Electromechanical devices

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A quartz crystal (left) and a crystal oscillator

Piezoelectric devices, crystals, resonators

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Passive components that use piezoelectric effect:

• Components that use the effect to generate or filter high frequencies
  • Crystal &#; a ceramic crystal used to generate precise frequencies (See the Modules class below for complete oscillators)
  • Ceramic resonator &#; Is a ceramic crystal used to generate semi-precise frequencies
  • Ceramic filter &#; Is a ceramic crystal used to filter a band of frequencies such as in radio receivers
  • surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters
• Components that use the effect as mechanical transducers.
  • Ultrasonic motor &#; Electric motor that uses the piezoelectric effects
  • For piezo buzzers and microphones, see the Transducer class below

Microelectromechanical systems

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Terminals and connectors

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Devices to make electrical connection

Cable assemblies

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Electrical cables with connectors or terminals at their ends

2 different miniature pushbutton switches

Switches

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Components that can pass current ("closed") or break the current ("open"):

Protection devices

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Passive components that protect circuits from excessive currents or voltages:

Mechanical accessories

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Other

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Obsolete

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• Carbon amplifier (see Carbon microphones used as amplifiers)
• Carbon arc (negative resistance device)
• Dynamo (historic rf generator)
• Coherer

Standard symbols

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On a circuit diagram, electronic devices are represented by conventional symbols. Reference designators are applied to the symbols to identify the components.

See also

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References

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The world of electronic components can be summarized with a short list of items. Here are more details on these essential parts of modern electronics.

What are the electronic components? The following components are among the most common found in electronic devices:

• Microcontroller
• Transformer
• Battery
• Fuse
• Relays
• Switches
• Motors
• Circuit Breakers

What are electronic components used for? Microcomputers are small computers used to control a multitude of devices, such as power tools, remote controls, medical equipment and office machines. Batteries convert chemical energy to electrical energy. The two different cells of a battery are anode (+) and cathode (-).

Fuses help preserve components from overloading with excessive current. A fuse consists of connection body, support, contacts and metal-fuse material such as Zinc or copper. As a protective device, a circuit breaker can be controlled with a remote switch. It is designed to protect the circuit from overloading or a short circuit.

Switches interrupt current. The four types of switches are: single pole single throw (SPST), single pole double throw (SPDT), double pole single throw (DPST) and double pole double throw (DPDT).

Relays are electromechanical switches that shut power on or off. A relay includes an electromagnet, an armature, a series of electrical contacts, and a spring.

Motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Key components include a rotor, stator, bearings, conduit box, enclosure, and eye bolt. From watches, to home entertainment equipment, to vehicles; motors can power a wide array of devices.

What are active and passive components in electronics? Active components include transistors, while passive components include transformers, inductors, resistors, capacitors. Transformers are commonly used to step up or step down power. A resistor restricts current flow. It is used in thermistors and potentiometers. Similar to a low capacity battery, a capacitor allows delays to occur in circuits. Inductors are used to control frequencies.

When building electronic circuits, you will work with a number of basic electronic components, including resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, inductors and integrated circuits. Below is a brief overview of the components and their functions.

1. Resistors: A resistor is one of the components you will come across in an integrated circuit. Like the name suggests, the device resists the flow of current. Resistors are graded based on their power ratings (amount of power they can handle without exploding) and resistance values (capacity to resist current). The measurement is done in units know as ohms. The electronic symbol of the unit is O.

2. Capacitors: These components can store electric charge temporarily. The components come in different varieties, with the most common ones being electrolytic and ceramic disk. The capacity of a component is usually measured in microfarads (µF).

3. Diodes: Diodes allow electric current to flow in a single direction only. Each diode has two terminals known as the anode and cathode. When the anode is charged with positive voltage and the cathode with a negative one, electric current can flow. Reversing these voltages will prevent the current from flowing.

4. Transistors: These components are easy to identify through their three terminals. For the components to work, voltage has to be applied to one of them; the base terminal. The base can then control current flow in the two other terminals (the emitter and collector).

5. Inductors: These are passive components that store energy in form of a magnetic field. An inductor simply consists of a coil of wire wound around some kind of core. The core could be a magnet or air. When current passes through the inductor, a magnetic field is created around it. The magnetic field is stronger if a magnet is used as the core.

Related Post: Inductors and Transformers: Similarities & Differences

6. Integrated Circuits: An integrated circuit refers to a special device that has all the components required in an electronic circuit. The component has diodes, transistors, and other devices, all of which are etched on a tiny piece of silicon. The components are used in many electronic devices, including watches and computers.

7. Microcontrollers: Microcontrollers are small computers used to control a multitude of devices, such as power tools, remote controls, medical equipment and office machines.

8. Transformers: Built with two coils of wire, transformers are commonly used to step up or step down power.

9. Batteries: Batteries convert chemical energy to electrical energy. The two different cells of a battery are anode (+) and cathode (-).

10. Fuses: Fuses help preserve components from overloading with excessive current. A fuse consists of connection body, support, contacts, and metal-fuse material such as zinc or copper.

11. Relays: These electromechanical switches shut power on or off. A relay includes an electromagnet, an armature, a series of electrical contacts and a spring.

12. Switches: Switches interrupt current. The four types of switches are: single pole single throw (SPST), single pole double throw (SPDT), double pole single throw (DPST), and double pole double throw (DPDT).

13. Motors: Motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy. Key components include a rotor, stator, bearings, conduit box, enclosure, and eye bolt.

14. Circuit Breakers: As a protective device, a circuit breaker can be controlled with a remote switch. It is designed to protect the circuit from overloading or a short circuit.