Lesson 2 Assignment

By: Kendra Peach

A transistor regulates current or voltage flow and acts as a switch or gate for
electronic signals. A transistor consists of three layers of a semiconductor
material, each capable of carrying a current. A semiconductor is a material such
as germanium and silicon that conducts electricity in a "semi-enthusiastic" way.
It's somewhere between a real conductor such as copper and an insulator (like
the plastic wrapped around wires). Transistors are the basic elements in
integrated circuits (ICs), which consist of very large numbers of transistors
interconnected with circuitry and baked into a single silicon microchip or "chip."

A diode is a specialized electronic component

with two electrodes called the anode and the
cathode. Most diodes are made with
semiconductor materials such as silicon,
germanium, or selenium. Some diodes are
comprised of metal electrodes in a chamber
evacuated or filled with a pure elemental gas at
low pressure. Diodes can be used as rectifiers,
signal limiters, voltage regulators, switches,
signal modulators, signal mixers, signal
demodulators, and oscillators.

A resistor is a passive two-terminal electrical

component that implements electrical resistance
as a circuit element. Resistors act to reduce
current flow, and, at the same time, act to lower
voltage levels within circuits. In electronic circuits,
resistors are used to limit current flow, to adjust
signal levels, bias active elements, and terminate
transmission lines among other uses. High-power
resistors that can dissipate many watts of electrical
power as heat may be used as part of motor
controls, in power distribution systems, or as test
loads for generators. Fixed resistors have
resistances that only change slightly with
temperature, time or operating voltage. Variable
resistors can be used to adjust circuit elements
(such as a volume control or a lamp dimmer), or as
sensing devices for heat, light, humidity, force, or
chemical activity.

A capacitor is a passive electronic component

that stores energy in the form of an electrostatic
field. In its simplest form, a capacitor consists of
two conducting plates separated by an insulating
material called the dielectric. The capacitance is
directly proportional to the surface areas of the
plates, and is inversely proportional to the
separation between the plates. Capacitance also
depends on the dielectric constant of the
substance separating the plates. Large
capacitors are used in the power supplies of
electronic equipment o fall types, including
computers and their peripherals. In these
systems, the capacitors smooth out the rectified
utility AC, providing pure, battery-like DC.

An inductor is a passive electronic component that stores

energy in the form of a magnetic field. In its simplest form, an
inductor consists of a wire loop or coil. The inductance is
directly proportional to the number of turns in the coil.
Inductance also depends on the radius of the coil and on the
type of material around which the coil is wound. Inductors are
used with capacitors in various wireless communications
applications. An inductor connected in series or parallel with a
capacitor can provide discrimination against unwanted signals.
Large inductors are used in the power supplies of electronic
equipment of all types, including computers and their
peripherals. In these systems, the inductors help to smooth out
the rectified utility AC, providing pure, battery-like DC.