BASIC ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS

There are numerous basic electronic components that are used for building
electronic circuits. Without these components, circuit designs are never
complete or didn’t function well. These components include resistors, diodes,
capacitors, integrated circuits, and so on. Some of these components consists
of two or more terminals which are soldered to circuit boards. Some may be
packaged type like integrated circuits in which different semiconductor devices
are integrated. Here is a brief overview on each of these basic electronic
components and you can get in depth information by clicking links attached to
each component.

Major Electronic Components

Basic Electronics Components
An electronic circuit comprises of various types of components, which are
classified into two types: active components like transistors, diodes, IC’s; and
passive components like capacitors, resistors, inductors, etc.

In designing of an electronic circuit following are taken into consideration:

 Basic electronic  components: capacitors, resistors, diodes, transistors, etc.

 Power sources: Signal generators and DC power supplies.
 Measurement and analysis instruments: Cathode Ray Oscilloscope (CRO), 
multimeters, etc.
Passive Electronic Components
These components can store or maintains energy either in the form of current
or voltage. Some of these components are discussed below.

Resistors
A resistor is a two-terminal passive electronics component, used to oppose or
limit the current. Resistor works based on the principle of Ohm’s law which
states that “voltage applied across the terminals of a resistor is directly
proportional to the current flowing through it”
V=IR

The units of the resistance is ohms

Where R is the constant called resistance

Resistors
Resistors are further classified based on the following specifications such as
the power rating, type of material used and resistance value. This resistor
types are used for different applications.

Fixed resistors:
This type of resistor is used to set the right conditions in an electronic circuit.
The values of resistance in fixed resistors are determined during the design
phase of the circuit, based on this there is no need to adjust the circuit.
Variable resistors:
A device that is used to change the resistance according to our requirements
in an electronic circuit is known as a variable resistor. These resistors
comprise of a fixed resistor element and a slider which taps on to the resistor
element. Variable resistors are commonly used as a three terminal device for
calibration of the device.

Know more about resistors

Capacitors:
A capacitor made from two conductive plates with an insulator between them
and it stores electrical energy in the form of an electric field. A capacitor
blocks the DC signals and allows the AC signals and also used with a resistor
in a timing circuit.
The stored charge is Q=CV

Where
C is the capacitance of a capacitor and
V is the applied voltage.

Capacitors
These capacitors are different types like film, ceramic, electrolytic and variable
capacitors. For finding its value number and color coding methods are used
and it also possible to find the capacitance value with LCR meters.

Know more about capacitors

Inductors
An inductor is also referred as AC resistor which stores electrical energy in the
form of magnetic energy. It resists the changes in the current and the
standard unit of inductance is Henry. Capability of producing magnetic lines is
referred as inductance.

The inductance of the inductor is given as L= (µ.K.N2.S)/I.

Where,

L is inductance,
µ is Magnetic permeability,
K is magnetic coefficient,
S is theCross section area of the coil,
N is the Number of turns of the coils,
And I is the Length of the coil in axial direction.
Inductors
Other passive electronic components include different types of sensors,
motors, antennas, memristors, etc. To reducing the complexity of this article
few of the passive components are discussed above.

Know more about inductors

Active Electronic Components
These components rely on a source of energy and are able to control the
electron flow through them. Some of these components are semiconductors
like diodes, transistors, integrated circuits, various displays like LCD, LED,
CRTs and power sources like batteries, PV cells and other AC and DC supply
sources.

Diodes
A diode is a device that allows current to flow in one direction and usually
made with semiconductor material. It has two terminals, anode and cathode
terminals. These are mostly used in converting circuits like AC to DC circuits.
These are are of different types like PN diodes, Zener diodes, LEDs, photo
diodes, etc.
Diodes
Know more about diodes
Transistors
A transistor is a three terminal semiconductor device. Mostly it is used as
switching device and also as an amplifier. This switching device can be a
voltage or current controlled.By controlling the voltage applied to the one
terminal controls the current flow through the other two terminals. Transistors
are of two types, namely bipolar junction transistor (BJT) and field effect
transistors (FET). And further these can be PNP and NPN transistors.

Transistors
Know more about transistors
Integrated Circuits
An Integrated circuit is a special component which is fabricated with
thousands of transistors, resistors, diodes and other electronic components on
a tiny silicon chip. These are the building blocks of current electronic devices
like cell phones, computers, etc. These can be analog or digital integrated
circuits. Mostly used ICs in electronic circuits are Op-amps, timers,
comparators, switches ICs and so on. These can be classified as linear and
nonlinear ICs  depending on its application.

Integrated Circuits
Know more about ICs
Display Devices
LCD: A liquid crystal display (LCD) is a flat display technology, which is
mostly used in applications like computer monitors, cell phone display,
calculators, etc. This technology uses two polarized filters and electrodes for
selectively disable or enable the light to pass from reflective backing to the
eyes of the viewer.

LCD
Know more about LCD
CRT:
Cathode ray tube display technology is mostly used in televisions and
computer screens that works on the movement of an electron beam back and
forth on the back of the screen. This tube is an elongated vacuum tube in
which flattened surface has external components as electron gun, electron
beam and a phosphorescent screen.

Cathode Ray Tube

Know more about CRT
Batteries
Batteries are most common power source for standalone industrial, domestic
and handheld device applications. It converts chemical energy into electrical
energy through electrochemical discharge reactions. These consist of one or
more cells and each cell contains an anode, cathode and the electrolyte. The
battery cells are classified into two types namely primary cells and secondary
cells. The primary cells are not of rechargeable type but the secondary cells
cab be rechargeable.

Batteries
Know more about Batteries
These are the few basic electronic components with a brief explanation on
attached links. Along with electronic components symbols, reader might have
got a basic idea about these components. We are pioneers in developing
electronics projects using these basic components with advanced
controllers.Therefore, readers can comment below regarding any help for
testing these components and practical assembling into electronic circuits.