Electronics Glossary

An electronic component which supplies energy to a circuit or provides power gain.

A system that converts an analog signal, such as a sound picked up by a microphone, into a digital signal.

An electric current which periodically reverses direction and changes its magnitude continuously with time.

Any continuous signal for which the time-varying feature of the signal is a representation of some other time-varying quantity.

The positively charged electrode by which the electrons leave a device.

The reduction in the strength of a signal, commonly measured in decibels (dB).

The range of frequencies within a given band, in particular that used for transmitting a signal.

A device consisting of one or more electrochemical cells with external connections for powering electrical devices.

The rate at which information is transferred in a communication channel, measured in bits per second.

The DC voltage or current which is maintained in a circuit to provide the desired operating conditions for a component.

Bipolar Junction Transistor; a type of transistor that uses both electron and hole charge carriers.

A DC-to-DC power converter that steps up voltage from its input to its output.

A reusable solderless device for prototyping electronic circuits and testing designs.

An arrangement of four or more diodes in a bridge circuit configuration that provides the same polarity of output for either polarity of input.

A DC-to-DC power converter which steps down voltage from its input to its output.

A component that stores electrical energy in an electric field. Often used for filtering and energy storage.

The negatively charged electrode by which the electrons enter an electrical device.

Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor; a technology for constructing integrated circuits.

A complete path for current flow. A continuity test checks if two points are electrically connected.

An electronic oscillator circuit that uses the mechanical resonance of a vibrating crystal of piezoelectric material to create an electrical signal with a precise frequency.

The rate of flow of electric charge through a conductor. Measured in Amperes (A).

A device that converts a digital signal into an analog signal.

A document that summarizes the performance and other technical characteristics of a component.

A capacitor used to decouple one part of an electrical network from another, typically to filter out noise.

A signal that represents data as a sequence of discrete values, usually 0 and 1.

A semiconductor device that allows current to flow in one direction but blocks it in the other.

Electric current flowing in one direction only.

Digital Signal Processor; a specialized microprocessor with an architecture optimized for the operational needs of digital signal processing.

The proportion of time during which a component, device, or system is operated.

Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory; a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices.

Disturbance generated by an external source that affects an electrical circuit by electromagnetic induction, electrostatic coupling, or conduction.

The SI unit of electrical capacitance.

A circuit designed to pass signals with desired frequencies and reject signals with undesired frequencies.

A circuit that has two stable states and can be used to store state information.

A chemical cleaning agent used before and during soldering of electronic components onto circuit boards.

Field-Programmable Gate Array; an integrated circuit designed to be configured by a customer or a designer after manufacturing.

A safety device consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level.

The ratio of the output power or amplitude to the input power or amplitude.

A common return path for electric current and a reference point for measuring voltages.

An electronic circuit that switches the polarity of a voltage applied to a load, often used to drive DC motors forward and backward.

Voltages or currents at frequencies that are integer multiples of the fundamental frequency.

A passive heat exchanger that transfers the heat generated by an electronic device to a fluid medium, such as air.

The SI unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second.

The lag between input and output changes, often used to prevent rapid switching (noise) in triggers.

Inter-Integrated Circuit; a multi-master, multi-slave, packet switched, single-ended, serial communication bus.

The total opposition that a circuit presents to alternating current, comprising both resistance and reactance.

A passive component that stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through it.

A set of electronic circuits on one small flat piece (or "chip") of semiconductor material.

An operational amplifier circuit with a topology that produces an output that is out of phase with the input.

Junction Field-Effect Transistor; a simple type of field-effect transistor used in low-noise applications.

The SI unit of work or energy, equal to the work done by a force of one newton when its point of application moves one meter.

An electrical wire, or group of them in a cable, with a connector or pin at each end, used to interconnect the components of a breadboard.

A unit of electrical resistance equal to one thousand ohms.

Two laws (Current Law and Voltage Law) that deal with the current and potential difference in electric circuits.

Low Dropout Regulator; a DC linear voltage regulator that can regulate the output voltage even when the supply voltage is very close to the output voltage.

A semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction.

An electrical component or portion of a circuit that consumes (dissipates) electric power.

An idealized or physical device implementing a Boolean function; that is, it performs a logical operation on one or more binary inputs.

A small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and programmable I/O.

Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor; a type of transistor used for switching or amplifying signals.

An electronic measuring instrument that combines several measurement functions in one unit (Volts, Ohms, Amps).

A device that selects between several analog or digital input signals and forwards the selected input to a single output line.

A logic gate which produces an output which is false only if all its inputs are true.

A process where a part of an output signal is fed back to the input with a phase that opposes the input signal.

Any point in a circuit where two or more circuit elements meet.

The fundamental relationship in electronics: V = I × R (Voltage = Current × Resistance).

A high-gain electronic voltage amplifier with a differential input and, usually, a single-ended output.

An electrical circuit in which the continuity is broken so that current does not flow.

A component that transfers electrical signals between two isolated circuits by using light.

A component that transfers electrical signals between two isolated circuits by using light.

A logic gate that gives a high output if one or more of its inputs are high.

An instrument that graphiceally displays varying signal voltages, usually as a calibrated two-dimensional plot of one or more signals as a function of time.

A circuit in which components are connected across the same two points, providing multiple paths for current.

An unavoidable and usually unwanted capacitance that exists between the parts of an electronic component or circuit because of their proximity to each other.

A component that does not require a source of energy to perform its intended function.

A board that mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components using conductive tracks etched from copper sheets.

The position of a point in time on a cycle of a periodic waveform.

A semiconductor device that converts light into an electrical current.

Proportional-Integral-Derivative controller; a control loop mechanism employing feedback that is widely used in industrial control systems.

A three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider.

The rate at which electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit. Measured in Watts (W). P = V × I.

A resistor used to ensure that a wire is pulled to a high logical level (VCC) in the absence of an active drive signal.

A technique for getting analog results with digital means by varies the width of the pulses in a pulse train.

A component used to create an electrical signal with a precise frequency, utilized in clocks and microcontrollers.

The current drawn by a circuit when it is not driving any load or performing any active function.

The opposition of a circuit element to a change in current or voltage, due to its capacitance or inductance.

An electrical device that converts alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).

An electrically operated switch that uses an electromagnet to mechanically operate a switch.

The measure of opposition to current flow in an electrical circuit. Measured in Ohms (Ω).

A passive component that provides a specific amount of resistance to current flow.

The small periodic variation of the DC voltage in a power supply which has been derived from an AC source.

A diagram that represents the elements of a system using abstract, graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures.

A comparator circuit with hysteresis implemented by applying positive feedback to the non-inverting input of a comparator or differential amplifier.

A semiconductor diode formed by the junction of a semiconductor with a metal, having a low forward voltage drop and a very fast switching action.

A circuit in which components are connected end-to-end, so that current flows through each one in turn.

A cascade of flip-flops, sharing the same clock, in which the output of each flip-flop is connected to the "data" input of the next.

An electrical circuit that allows a current to travel along an unintended path with no or very low electrical impedance.

A measure used in science and engineering that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise.

An electronic device in which the components are mounted or placed directly onto the surface of printed circuit boards.

A fusible metal alloy used to create a permanent bond between metal workpieces.

Serial Peripheral Interface; a synchronous serial communication interface specification used for short-distance communication.

A component that can disconnect or connect the conducting path in an electrical circuit, interrupting or diverting the flow of current.

A situation where an increase in temperature changes the conditions in a way that causes a further increase in temperature, often leading to destruction.

The maximum allowed deviation from the nominal value of a component (e.g., a 5% resistor).

A passive component that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another through electromagnetic induction.

A semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electronic signals and electrical power.

Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter; a computer hardware device for asynchronous serial communication.

An electrical connection between layers in a physical electronic circuit (PCB) that goes through the plane of one or more adjacent layers.

The electrical potential difference between two points. It is the "pressure" that pushes electric charge through a circuit.

A system designed to automatically maintain a constant voltage level.

The SI unit of power, equivalent to one joule per second.

An electrical circuit used to measure an unknown electrical resistance by balancing two legs of a bridge circuit.

A flexible metallic conductor, usually insulated, used to carry electric current.

A digital logic gate whose function is the logical complement of the exclusive OR (XOR) gate.

A digital logic gate that gives a true output when the number of true inputs is odd.

A safety-certified capacitor designed to be connected between a live line and the chassis (ground).

The percentage of correctly functioning items produced compared to the total number of items produced.

A special type of diode designed to reliably allow current to flow "backwards" when a certain set reverse voltage is reached.

A technique for detecting the point where an AC waveform passes through zero volts.