Chapter 1 - Introduction to Electronics

• Definition

• History

• Application of electronics

• Electronics components

Electronics - the branch of physics and technology concerned with the design of
circuits using transistors and microchips, and with the behavior and movement of
electrons in a semiconductor, conductor, vacuum, or gas.

Need of Electronics
We are living in an electronic era where machine robots are capable to do human
work with more ease and high efficiency. Capsules and tablets contain wireless sensors
that collect information from the body to diagnose. Transparent smartphones will exist
in the coming days, we can see through them and they may lead to the use of windows
or mirrors in our home to be used as PC screens and TV monitors. Sensors are placed on
the plants to detect the shortage of water and alert the farmers.

Not only above applications, there are numerous electronic applications that
change our daily lives in the nearby future.

Electronic devices are made up of active and passive elements and smaller IC
memories. The ICs, diodes, and transistor are made of semiconductor materials and their
working is dependent on current flow through them.

History of electronics
 Home appliances such as Washing Machine, Refrigerator, Air Conditioner, Microwave
Oven, Vacuum Cleaner etc.

Audio and Video Systems such as Headphone, VCRs, DVD players, Color TVs,
Microphone and Loudspeaker, Video game consoles.

Advanced Consumer Devices such as Setup Box, ATM, Dishwasher, Smart Phones,
PDA (personal digital assistant), Barcode Scanners, POS terminals.

Storage Devices for optical playback and taping, and portable infotainment. Examples
are DVDs, HDD jukebox, Portable MP3 player.

2. Industrial Electronics
This industry is powerful in making real-time
automation. This includes:

Industrial automation and motion control,

Machine learning, motor drive control,
Mechatronics and robotics, Power converting
Applications of Electronics technologies, Photo voltaic systems,
Renewable energy applications, Power
1. Consumer Electronics electronics, and Biomechanics.

Industrial automation and motion control

Machines are replacing humans these days with increased productivity, time and cost.
Moreover, safety is also considered for unmanageable works. Hence to delegate the
human’s, automation has become the preferable choice for industries.

Image processing

3D world has been evolved from a single or multiple 2D images. Various algorithms are
This industry is most applicable to the common people. Consumer Electronics are developed to extract 3D information from 2D patterns.
devices and equipment meant for everyday use. This is again categorized as:
Moreover, image processing has involved in computer graphics, Artificial intelligence,
Office Gadgets such as calculators, Personal computers, Scanners and Printers, FAX Robotics for navigation, Inspection and Assembly, Computer Vision for Face and gesture
machine, Front Projector etc. recognition, Virtual reality, medical analysis.
3. Medical applications • Anemometer measures the
Advanced sophisticated wind speed and wind direction
instruments are being
• Tipping Bucket Rain gauge for
developed for data
measuring the rainfall periodically
recording and physiological
stored in the Automatic weather
analysis. They are proven to
be more useful in diagnosing station such as Datalogger.
diseases and for healing
• Hygrometer measuring
purpose.
Humidity
Some of the medical
• Drifter Buoy measures current,
devices and equipment
temperature, and pressure levels in the oce
used are:
• Data logger for storing the data collected from various sensors like humidity,
• Stethoscope to listen inner sounds happening inside the human or animal body
temperature, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, Rain scale.
• Respiration Monitors for knowing the patient condition due to change in body
temperature, pulse, respiration and blood flow. 5. Defense and Aerospace
Defense and Aeronautical applications include:
• Defibrillator causes electrical shock to heart muscles and brings backs the heart
to the normal working condition. •Missile Launching systems

• Glucose meter for measuring sugar levels in the blood. •Rocket Launchers for space

• Pace Maker for reducing and increasing the count of the heartbeat •Aircraft systems

4. Meteorological and Oceanographic •Cockpit controllers

Environmental monitoring is done through various sensors and •Military Radars

Automatic weather stations. Some of them are:
•Boom barrier for military
• Barometer for predicting the weather is good or bad. It gives
applications
atmospheric pressure level as an indication. If pressure level is high
weather is good and if pressure is low, it means the weather is bad.
6. Automotive (Automobiles) Electronic components
1. Electronic Workbench
Source: Hughes Telematics, Inc

• Anti-collision unit

• Infotainment console

• Anti-lock braking system

• Cruise control

• Traction control

• Window regulators

• Electronic Control Unit (ECU)

2. Storage
• Airbag control
Electronic components can be
small and it’s a good idea to keep
everything organized. The most
Conclusion popular option is to use clear
plastic storage boxes for storing
Electronics is having a great scope and without electronic gadgets, our daily lives cannot
parts. In addition, you could use
happen. Technology is advancing quickly in the field of semiconductors and upgraded
plastic storage bins that hang from
electronic applications will shape the world.
a rack or fit on a shelf.
 3. Breadboard 6. Test Leads (Alligator Clips)
Breadboards are an essential Test leads are great for connecting components
tool for prototyping and building together to test a circuit without the need for
temporary circuits. These boards soldering.
contain holes for inserting wire and
components. Because of their
temporary nature, they allow you to
create circuits without soldering. The
holes in a breadboard are connected
7. Wire Cutter
in rows both horizontally and
vertically as shown below. Wire cutters are essential for stripping stranded and
solid copper wire.
4. Digital Multimeter
A multimeter is a device that’s used to
measure electric current (amps), voltage
(volts) and resistance (ohms). It’s a great for
troubleshooting circuits and is capable of 8. Precision Screwdriver Set
measuring both AC and DC voltage.
Precision screwdrivers are also known
as jeweler’s screwdrivers and usually come
as a set. The advantage of these over
normal screwdrivers is the precision tips of
each driver. These are very handy when
5. Battery Holders working with electronics that contain tiny
A battery holder is a plastic case that holds batteries from 9V to AA. Some holders are screws.
enclosed and may have an on/off switch-built in.
9. Helping 3rd Hand
When working with electronics, it seems you
never have enough hands to hold everything.
This is where the helping hand (3rd hand) comes
in. Great for holding circuit boards or wire when
soldering or tinning.
 13.Electronic Components
10.Heat Gun Now it’s time to talk about the different components that make your electronic projects
come to life. Below is a quick breakdown of the most common components and
A heat gun is used to shrink plastic tubing functions they perform.
known as heat shrink to help protect exposed
wire. Heat shrink has been called the duct tape 14.Switch
of electronics and comes in handy in a wide
Switches can come in many forms such as pushbutton,
variety of applications.
rocker, momentary and others. Their basic function is to
interrupt electric current by turning a circuit on or off.

11.Jumper Wire
These wires are used with breadboard
and development boards and are
generally 22-28 AWG solid core wire. 15.Resistor
Jumper wires can have male or female Resistors are used to resist the flow of current or to
ends depending on how they need to be control the voltage in a circuit. The amount of
used. resistance that a resistor offers is measured in Ohms.
Most resistors have colored stripes on the outside and
this code will tell you it’s value of resistance. You can
12.Soldering Iron use a multimeter or Digikey’s resistor color code
calculator to determine the value of a resistor.
When it’s time to create a
permanent circuit, you’ll want to
solder the parts together. To do
this, a soldering iron is the tool you 16.Variable Resistor (Potentiometer)
would use. Of course, a soldering A variable resistor is also known as a
iron isn’t any good unless you have potentiometer. These components can be found
solder to go with it. You can in devices such as a light dimmer or volume
choose leaded or lead-free solder control for a radio. When you turn the shaft of a
in a few diameters. potentiometer the resistance changes in the
circuit.
 anode (+) to the cathode (-) and never in the opposite
direction. The longer leg of the LED is the positive
17.Light-Dependent Resistor (LDR) (anode) side.

A light-dependent resistor is also a variable resistor but is

controlled by the light versus turning a knob. The resistance
in the circuit changes with the intensity of the light. These are
often found in exterior lights that automatically turn on at
dusk and off at dawn. 21. Transistor
Transistor are tiny switches that turn a current on or off when
triggered by an electric signal. In addition to being a switch, it
18. Capacitor can also be used to amplify electronic signals. A transistor is
similar to a relay except with no moving parts.
Capacitors store electricity and then discharges it back into
the circuit when there is a drop in voltage. A capacitor is like
a rechargeable battery and can be charged and then
discharged. The value is measured in F (Farad), nano Farad 22.Relay
(nF) or pico Farad (pF) range. A relay is an electrically operated switch that opens or closes
when power is applied. Inside a relay is an electromagnet
which controls a mechanical switch.
19. Diode
A diode allows electricity to flow in one direction and
blocks it from flowing the opposite way. The diode’s 23.Integrated Circuit (IC)
primary role is to route electricity from taking an
An integrated circuit is a circuit
unwanted path within the circuit. that’s been reduced in size to fit
inside a tiny chip. This circuit
contains electronic components
like resistors and capacitors but on
a much smaller scale. Integrated
20. Light-Emitting Diode (LED) circuits come in different variations
such as 555 timers, voltage
A light-emitting diode is like a standard diode in the fact that electrical current only flows regulators, microcontrollers and
in one direction. The main difference is an LED will emit light when electricity flows many more. Each pin on an IC is
through it. Inside an LED there is an anode and cathode. Current always flows from the unique in terms of its function.
24. Sample electronic circuit; LED rotating clock