The Beginers Guide To Electronic Components and Abbreviations

Electronicsis the branch of science that deals with the study of flow and control of electrons (electricity) and the study of their behavior and effects in vacuums, gases, and semiconductors, and with devices using such electrons. This control of electrons is accomplished by devices that resist, carry, select, steer, switch, store, manipulate, and exploit the electron. 

Difference in “Electronics” and “Electrical”:  

Electronics deals with flow of charge (electron) through non-metal conductors (semi-conductors). 

Electrical deals with the flow of charge through metal conductors. 

Example: Flow of charge through silicon which is not a metal would come under electronics whereas flow of charge through copper which is a metal would come under electrical.

Analog circuits: Analog electronic circuits are those in which signals may vary continuously with time to correspond to the information being represented. Electronic equipments like voltage amplifiers, power amplifiers, tuning circuits, radios, and televisions are mainly analog. 

Discrete circuits: In digital electronic circuits, electric signals take on discrete values, which are not dependent upon time, to represent logical and numeric values. These values represent the information that is being processed. The transistor is one of the primary components used in discrete circuits, and combinations of these can be used to create logic gates. These logic gates may then be used in combination to create a desired output from an input. 

Mixed-signal circuits: Mixed-signal, are also called hybrid circuits, contain elements of both analog and digital circuits. Examples of Mixed-Signal Circuits are - comparators, timers, PLLs, ADCs (analog-to-digital converters), and DACs (digital-to-analog converters). 

Electronic components are basic electronic element or electronic parts usually packaged in a discrete form with two or more connecting leads or metallic pads. Electronic Components are intended to be connected together, usually by soldering to a printed circuit board (PCB), to create an electronic circuit with a particular function (for example an amplifier, radio receiver, oscillator, wireless). Some of the main Electronic Components are: resistor, capacitor, transistor, diode, operational amplifier, resistor array, logic gate etc.

Electronic Components are of 2 types: Passive and Active 

 

What are Active Devices? 

An active device is any type of circuit component with the ability to electrically control electron flow (electricity controlling electricity). In order for a circuit to be properly called electronic, it must contain at least one active device. Active devices include, but are not limited to, vacuum tubes, transistors, silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs), and TRIACs. All active devices control the flow of electrons through them. Some active devices allow a voltage to control this current while other active devices allow another current to do the job.

What are Passive Devices? 

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

Passive electronic components are those that do not have gain or directionality. They are also called Electrical elements or electrical components. e.g. resistors, capacitors, diodes, Inductors. 
Active components are those that have gain or directionality. e.g. transistors, integrated circuits or ICs, logic gates.

 

Electronic Components and their functions:

1. Terminals and Connectors: Components to make electrical connection. 

2. Resistors: Components used to resist current. 

3. Switches: Components that may be made to either conduct (closed) or not (open).

4. Capacitors: Components that store electrical charge in an electrical field. 

5. Magnetic or Inductive Components: These are Electrical components that use magnetism. 

6. Network Components: Components that use more than 1 type of Passive Component. 

7. Piezoelectric devices, crystals, resonators: Passive components that use piezoelectric. effect. 8. Semiconductors: Electronic control components with no moving parts.

 
9. Diodes: Components that conduct electricity in only one direction. 

10. Transistors: A semiconductor device capable of amplification.

11. Integrated Circuits or ICs: A microelectronic computer circuit incorporated into a chip or semiconductor; a whole system rather than a single component

Electronic Abbreviations

Here is a list of Electronic Component name abbreviations widely used in the electronics industry

• AE:aerial, antenna 
• B: battery 
• BR: bridge rectifier 
• C:capacitor 
• CRT:cathode ray tube 
• D or CR:diode
• F: fuse 
• GDT:gas discharge tube 
• IC:integrated circuit 
• J: wire link 
• JFET:junction gate field-effect transistor
• L:inductor 
• LCD:Liquid crystal display 
• LDR: light dependent resistor 
• LED: light emitting diode 
• LS:speaker
• M: motor 
• MCB:circuit breaker 
• Mic:microphone 
• Ne:neon lamp 
• OP:Operational Amplifier
• PCB:printed circuit board 
• PU:pickup
• Q:transistor 
• R: resistor 
• RLA: RY: relay 
• SCR:silicon controlled rectifier 
• FET:field effect transistor 
• MOSFET:Metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor
• TFT: thin film transistor(display) 
• VLSI:very large scale integration 
• DSP:digital signal processor
• SW: switch 
• T:transformer 
• TH:thermistor 
• TP: test point 
• Tr: transistor 
• U:integrated circuit
• V: valve (tube) 
• VC:variable capacitor 
• VFD:vacuum fluorescent display 
• VR:variable resistor 
• X: crystal, ceramic resonator
• XMER:transformer 
• XTAL:crystal 
• Z: zener diode