Basic Electronics

Basic components of electronics

what is inductor and inductance?

⦁ An inductor is also called a coil.

⦁ It is a two terminal 

⦁ electrical component which resists changes in

⦁ electric current passing through it.

⦁ It consists of a conductor such as a wire, usually wound into a coil. 

⦁ When a current flows through it,

⦁ energy is stored temporarily in a 

⦁ magnetic field in the coil.

⦁ An inductor is characterized by its inductance just like resistor is characterized by its resistance.

⦁ Inductance the ratio of the voltage to the rate of change of current, which has units of henries (H).

⦁ Inductors have values that typically range from 1 µH (10−6H) to 1 H. 

⦁ Inductors are widely used in alternating current (AC) electronic equipment, particularly in radio            equipment.

⦁     They are used to block the flow of AC current while allowing DC to pass; inductors designed for             this purpose are called chokes.

Practical Use Of Inductor

⦁ As useful as inductors are, the biggest problem with using them is their physical size. 

⦁ Inductors often dwarf all other electronic components used in a circuit and add a lot of weirs.

What is Resistance and resistance?

A resistor is a two-terminal electrical component that limits the current flow in a circuit by providing resistance. The primary function of a resistor is to restrict the flow of electrical current, controlling the voltage and current within a circuit.

 

Working of a Resistor:

Ohm's Law: The relationship between voltage (V), current (I), and resistance (R) is given by Ohm's Law, which states that:

𝑉=𝐼×𝑅

V=I×R

Where:

𝑉

V is the voltage across the resistor,

𝐼

I is the current through the resistor,

𝑅

R is the resistance of the resistor.

This means that the current flowing through a resistor is directly proportional to the voltage across it and inversely proportional to its resistance. The higher the resistance, the lower the current for a given voltage.

Energy Dissipation: As the electric current passes through the resistor, some of the electrical energy is converted into heat energy due to the collisions of electrons with the atoms in the resistor. This is why resistors can get hot when high current flows through them.

The resistor limits the flow of current as per its resistance value (R).

Types of Resistors:

Fixed Resistors: These have a specific resistance value that does not change (e.g., carbon composition, metal oxide resistors).

Variable Resistors (Potentiometers): These allow the resistance to be adjusted (e.g., volume control on a radio).

Specialized Resistors: Such as thermistors (resistance varies with temperature) or light-dependent resistors (LDRs, resistance varies with light intensity).

What is a Capacitor and Capacitance?

A capacitor is an electronic component that stores electrical energy in an electric field. It consists of two conductive plates separated by an insulating material, called the dielectric. When a voltage is applied across the plates, an electric field is created, and charge accumulates on the plates one plate becomes positively charged, and the other becomes negatively charged.

Capacitance is the property of a capacitor that describes its ability to store charge. It is defined as the amount of charge a capacitor can store per unit of voltage applied across its plates. The higher the capacitance, the more charge it can store for a given voltage. Capacitance is measured in farads (F), though it's often represented in smaller units like microfarads (µF), nano farads (nF), or picofarads (pF).

The formula for capacitance is:

C = Q. V

Where:

( C ) is the capacitance,

( Q ) is the charge stored,

( V ) is the voltage across the plates.

Capacitance depends on factors such as the surface area of the plates, the distance between them, and the type of dielectric material used.