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Electronic components

Electronic components can be classified in:

  • Active components: usually can inject power into a circuit. They are made of semiconductors. E.g: Diodes, transistors.
  • Passive components: cannot introduce net energy into the circuit. E.g: Resistors, capacitors

For a circuit to be properly called “electronic circuit” it must contain at least one active element.

Passive components

Fixed resistors 

  • They impede the flow of electric current
  • There is a colour code to know their value

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Variable resistors

  • Potentiometer: A potentiometer is a three-terminal resistor with a sliding or rotating contact that forms an adjustable voltage divider.

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  • Thermistor: semiconductor type of resistor whose resistance is strongly dependent on temperature. They can be
    • Negative-temperature-coefficient (NTC):  thermistors have less resistance at higher temperatures

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      • Positive-temperature-coefficient (PTC): thermistors have more resistance at higher temperatures

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  • Light Dependent Resistors (LDR): passive component that decreases resistance with respect to receiving luminosity on the component's sensitive surface

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Capacitors

Device that stores electrical energy by accumulating electric charges on two closely spaced surfaces that are insulated from each other.

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The property of a capacitor is the capacitance (C) that is defined as the amount of charge that can be stored at a given voltage. It is measured in Farads (F)

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Electronic symbol

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Active components

They are made up of semiconductor materials, whose properties allow to introduce "control" in the circuit. 

Diodes

Devices that allow current to flow just in one direction. 

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The most known are LED's: Light Emitting Diode

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Transistors 

It is a semiconductor device used to amplify or switch electrical signals and power. It is composed of semiconductor material, usually with at least three terminals for connection to an electronic circuit. A voltage or current applied to one  of the transistor's terminals (Base) controls the current through another pair of terminals (Collector and Emitter)

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There are two main types of transistors depending on the sense of the controlled current: NPN and PNP

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