Science

AC is the abbreviation for alternating current, and DC is the abbreviation for direct current. They are both composed of moving charges. AC current has sinusoidal patterns and so moves back and...

Batteries can be connected together either in series or parallel configurations. A series arrangement creates a total voltage equal to the sum of voltage of all the batteries. Flashlight batteries...

Electromagnets are fundamentally useful devices, producing controllable amounts of magnetic force from an electric current. The strongest magnets are cool, have many turns of wire in their coils...

When a person is shocked by an electrical current, it can range from a slight pinching feeling on the skin to paralysis of the body. To avoid serious injury, it is important to have a good grasp...

A junction diode is a component used in electronic equipment. Its principal characteristic is that it allows current to flow in only one direction while inhibiting current flow in the opposite...

Diodes are semiconductors that function as one-way valves. An ideal diode--called forward-biased--allows current to flow in one direction; a diode with current flow in the wrong direction is...

A rheostat is a type of electrical component that provides the capacity to adjust resistance to electrical current. It is frequently equated with a potentiometer, which serves a similar function,...

Power inverters are becoming increasingly common as people are powering AC electronic equipment, including televisions and computers, with batteries such as those found in cars and boats....

Heating elements are available using both single phase and three phase power sources, but the most powerful heating elements are usually based in three phase systems. The reason is connected with...

Diodes have existed for more than 100 years and include the vacuum tube, the light-emitting diode or LED, and the semiconductor, which is likely in every electronic device (including your car)...

A transformer is used to change the voltage and current from an energy-supplying circuit to a receiving circuit. A magnetizable piece in between called a "core" is used to transmit the energy...

Diodes are semiconductor devices made from materials such as silicon. They allow current to flow in only one direction. Diodes can perform tasks such as emitting light, and can function as...

Fluorescent lights, unlike incandescent bulbs, need a regular supply of electrical current at a certain voltage in order to turn on. The way fluorescent lights create visible light is fairly...

In traditional incandescent lights, dimming is a relatively easy process: how much current flows into the bulb's filament directly affects how bright the light shines. Adjust the current, and the...

A diode is the joining of two semiconductors, one a p-type semiconductor, the other an n-type. Their joining produces strange effects at their interface. The two semiconductors each have a...

Making an electromagnet is a quick and simple way to learn about electricity and magnetism and how they interact. All you need are just a few items that are probably lying around your house...

Digital multimeters are an essential tool when building and testing circuits. Their most common functions are measuring resistance, voltage, and current in electrical devices and circuits. Casual...

Transistors are electronic devices used in all types of appliances and machines, which operate in all forms of business. They combine at least two semiconductors to benefit from the surface...

Transformers are magnetic interfaces between circuits of different alternating voltage and current. The two circuits are connected by a magnetic core (a magnetizable block of matter) serving as...

An electromagnet is a current-induced magnet. The basic setup is an electrical current circulating around some magnetizable material, such as an iron rod. The current and number of times the...

A diode is a semiconductor device that blocks current in one direction while allowing current flow in the other. A diode is symbolized by an arrow, to indicate the direction that the current flow...

Direct current (DC) is the flow of an electrical charge in one direction. Examples of this type of current include batteries and solar cells. Thomas Edison, who subsequently held many patents...

Electrophoresis is the process of separating certain large molecules so they can be examined more easily. The word itself is derived from Greek, "electro" referring to the electrical current that...

In building or understanding electrical circuits, it can be useful to calculate the voltage of a system from the wattage and current. Because watts are defined as volts times amps, as long as the...

Ammeters are electrical instruments that measure the current at a point in a circuit. They are usually inserted directly into the circuit line (series), but they can be parallel to the circuit,...

Electromagnets are powerful magnets that work by using an electric current to create a charge that makes an iron core magnetic. These powerful devices are commonplace in industry and consumer...

You can easily identify a direct current (abbreviated "DC") circuit when you know what to look for. It is the basic building block of modern electronic gadgets. Let's briefly explore the history...

Diodes are semiconductor devices that allow current to flow in one direction only so that they function as valves. Common materials used in their construction include silicon, germanium and...

The vacuum tube was invented at the turn of the 20th century. It amplified and directed electrical current in a way that made electronics like telephone systems, radio and television possible. The...

A transformer changes voltage in an alternating circuit. Because power loss equals current-squared times resistance, this allows transmission of large amounts of electricity with high voltage to...

Resistors are electrical components, usually conductors, that help control current flow in a circuit. A high resistance means that there is less current available for a given voltage. Resistors...

In mechanical terms, distortion refers to the changes an electrical current goes through as it passes from its source device into any type of receiver. Distortion can be caused by many things, but...

Circuit breakers are devices used to allow current to move along a circuit or, in the event of a surge or short circuit, to stop the current flow. Circuit breakers are standard in most modern...

Electric motors and generators are electromagnetic devices that are the opposite of each other. Electric motors convert electrical energy into mechanical energy, while electric generators convert...

Zener diodes are designed to specifically operate in the reverse-bias region. At certain voltages, they begin to conduct, and the current flow increases when the voltage does. Regular diodes...

Diodes are semiconductor devices that effectively block current in one direction while allowing current flow in the other. An ideal diode, therefore, acts like a switch that is open in one...

A current transformer (CT) is a transformer which measures the current of another circuit. It is coupled to an ammeter (A in the diagram) in its own circuit to perform this measurement. ...

Electromagnets are made from coils of wire that carry electric currents. These current-carrying wires produce magnetic fields that have north and south poles just like regular magnets. ...

This How To will hopefully explain a little about how LEDs work and how you would go about hooking up an LED to a current source. There are many applications for LEDs learn how to hook one up and...

Electromagnets are composed of coils of wire that carry electric currents. Wires that carry current produce magnetic fields that have north and south poles just like regular magnets. The strength...

Resistance is part of Ohm's Law, the basic law of electronics: Voltage equals Resistance times Current, V=RI Unlike voltage (whether supplied by battery or power supply) and current, a resistor...

It is a common problem in the world of electricity: the electronics on hand require an input of one voltage, and the only voltage source provides a different, second voltage. The electricity that...

The core of the electromagnet must be made of a magnetic substance, such as iron, cobalt or nickel. An iron or iron-containing steel nail can be used to make a small electromagnet.

Alternating current motors form the backbone of the electrical generation of work and the mechanical generation of electricity. Their introduction in 1888 marked the beginning of what is known as...

The heart of an analog multimeter is a D'Arsonval (or Weston) meter movement. This device uses DC current passing through a coil and magnet assembly to swing a pivot-mounted needle. The amount of...

The Digital MultiMeter (DMM) is the most common piece of electronics test equipment. They range from the most basic, available for under $5.00, to sophisticated and very accurate models costing...

Electric currents are comprised of charges that flow. This flow is caused by potential differences resulting from power sources that produce either AC or DC currents.

Ohm's Law is the basic formula for electronics. With it, we may calculate Resistance (Ohms), Voltage (Volts) or Current (Amps) by knowing any two of the three values.

Electric current can reach the user in two forms: alternating (AC) or direct (DC). For example, the power delivered by utility companies is AC and the one obtained from a battery or solar cell is...

Five basic electrical symbols tend to show up in electrical diagrams or schematics. By referring to the included image, you can match these to their definitions.