electronics mini-library
updated 21 April 2022
The baud rate is the rate at which information
is transferred in a communication channel. Baud rate
is commonly used when discussing electronics that
use serial communication. In the serial port context,
“9600 baud” means that the serial port is capable
of transferring a maximum of 9600 bits per second.
https://www.setra.com/blog/what-is-baud-rate-and-what-cable-length-is-required-1
Bandwidth, in electronics, the range of frequencies
occupied by a modulated radio-frequency signal, usually
given in hertz (cycles per second) or as a percentage
of the radio frequency.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/bandwidth
Cathode, negative terminal or electrode through
which electrons enter a direct current load, such as an
electrolytic cell or an electron tube, and the positive
terminal of a battery or other source of electrical
energy through which they return. This terminal corresponds
in electrochemistry to the terminal at which reduction occurs.
Within a gas discharge tube, electrons travel away from
the cathode, but positive ions (current carriers)
travel toward the cathode.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/cathode
Anode, the terminal or electrode from which electrons
leave a system. In a battery or other source of direct current
the anode is the negative terminal, but in a passive load it is
the positive terminal. For example, in an electron tube electrons
from the cathode travel across the tube toward the anode,
and in an electroplating cell negative ions
are deposited at the anode.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/anode
A circuit board is a physical piece of technology that allows
for the assembly of electrical or data circuits on a
horizontal layer of material. Advances in circuit boards
have led to new engineering and
manufacturing methods for these types of devices.
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/6478/circuit-board
An analog signal is time-varying and generally bound
to a range (e.g. +12V to -12V), but there is an infinite number
of values within that continuous range. An analog signal
uses a given property of the medium to convey the signal’s
information, such as electricity moving through a wire.
In an electrical signal, the voltage, current, or frequency of
the signal may be varied to represent the information. Analog signals
are often calculated responses to changes in light, sound,
temperature, position, pressure, or other physical phenomena.
A digital signal is a signal that represents
data as a sequence of discrete values. A digital
signal can only take on one value
from a finite set of possible values at a given time.
https://www.monolithicpower.com/en/analog-vs-digital-signal
An input device sends information to a computer
system for processing, and an output device reproduces
or displays the results of that processing. Input devices
only allow for input of data to a computer and output
devices only receive the output of data from another device.
https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001355.htm#:~:text=An%20input%20device%20sends%20information,the%20results%20of%20that%20processing.&text=Those%20signals%20are%20then%20interpreted,monitor%20as%20text%20or%20images.
Interfacing is the method of connecting or linking
together one device, especially a computer or micro-controller
with another allowing us to design or adapt the output
and input configurations of the two electronic
devices so that they can work together.
https://www.electronics-tutorials.ws/io/input-interfacing-circuits.html
In engineering, a mechanism is a device that transforms
input forces and movement into a desired set of output
forces and movement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanism_(engineering)
A microcontroller is an integrated circuit (IC)
device used for controlling other portions of an electronic system,
usually via a microprocessor unit (MPU), memory, and
some peripherals. These devices are optimized for embedded
applications that require both processing functionality
and agile, responsive interaction with digital,
analog, or electromechanical components.
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-articles/what-is-a-microcontroller-introduction-component-characteristics-component
In computer hardware and electronics, a module is
a relatively compact unit in a larger device or arrangement
that is designed to be separately installed, replaced, or serviced.
https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/module#:~:text=A%20module%20is%20a%20separate%20unit%20of%20software%20or%20hardware.&text=2)%20In%20computer%20hardware%20and,installed%2C%20replaced%2C%20or%20serviced.
A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product
built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a
variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics,
and software programming. A prototype is generally used to evaluate
a new design to enhance precision by system analysts and users.
Prototyping serves to provide specifications for a real, working
system rather than a theoretical one.
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/prototyping
A schematic, or schematic diagram, is a
representation of the elements of a system using abstract,
graphic symbols rather than realistic pictures. A schematic
usually omits all details that are not relevant to the
information the schematic is intended to convey, and
may add unrealistic elements that aid comprehension…
In an electronic circuit diagram, the layout of the
symbols may not resemble the layout in the circuit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schematic
A sensor is a device that measures physical input
from its environment and converts it into data that can be
interpreted by either a human or a machine. Most sensors are
electronic (the data is converted into electronic data),
but some are more simple, such as a glass thermometer,
which presents visual data.
https://www.fierceelectronics.com/sensors/what-a-sensor#:~:text=is%20a%20sensor%3F-,A%20sensor%20is%20a%20device%20that%20measures%20physical%20input%20from,thermometer%2C%20which%20presents%20visual%20data.
The basic idea of a “series” connection is that components are
connected end-to-end in a line to form a
single path through which current can flow.
The basic idea of a “parallel” connection, on the other hand,
is that all components are connected across each other’s leads.
In a purely parallel circuit, there are never more than two sets
of electrically common points, no matter how many components
are connected. There are many paths for current flow,
but only one voltage across all components.
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/textbook/direct-current/chpt-5/what-are-series-and-parallel-circuits
Servo motors (or servos) are self-contained
electric devices that rotate or push parts
of a machine with great precision.
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/references/introduction-to-servo-motors
Solderless breadboards make prototyping simple. Breadboards
enables you to connect electronic components in thousands of ways
to produce working circuits without soldering or damaging your
circuit board — and you don’t need additional tools. A breadboard
is made up of formed metal sockets firmly secured in a durable
plastic housing. The breadboard’s grid pattern is a useful combination
of isolated tie points serving as discrete points in the circuit as
well as a continuous bus structure that distributes
power and provides common ground points.
https://www.circuitspecialists.com/solderless-breadboards
Ohm's law is the relationship between
voltage, current, and resistance in a circuit. It is
the most common (and most simple) formula used
in electronics. Ohm’s law can be written in several ways,
all of which are commonly used.
Kirchhoff's circuit laws tie Ohm’s law into a
complete system. Kirchhoff’s Current Law follows
the principle of conservation of energy. It states
that the total sum of all current flowing
into a node (or point) on a circuit is
equal to the sum of the current flowing
out of the node.
https://www.lifewire.com/basic-circuit-laws-818993#:~:text=Ohm's%20law%20is%20the%20relationship,simple)%20formula%20used%20in%20electronics.&text=Resistance%20is%20equal%20to%20the%20voltage%20across%20a%20resistor%20divided,R%3DV%2FI).
Transistor, semiconductor device for amplifying,
controlling, and generating electrical signals. Transistors
are the active components of integrated circuits,
or “microchips,” which often contain billions of
these minuscule devices etched into their shiny
surfaces. Deeply embedded in almost everything
electronic, transistors have become the nerve
cells of the Information Age.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/transistor
A resistor is an electrical component that limits
or regulates the flow of electrical current in
an electronic circuit. Resistors can also be
used to provide a specific voltage for an
active device such as a transistor.
https://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/resistor