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Lecture Notes - Chapter 1

(These Lecture Notes are for courses using the book the Complete Electronics Self-Teaching Guide with Projects. Instructors of courses using that text are permitted to use these Lecture Notes as-is or adapt them for their use).

Fundamentals of DC Circuits

  • Current Flow
    •   Introduce the term electric current.
      • An electric current is a flow of electric charge.
    • Discuss the difference between conventional current flow and electron flow.
    • Discuss common ways to generate electric current.     
  • Ohms Law
    • Discuss the equation for Ohm's law in the form to calculate voltage.
      • Larger current results in larger voltage for any given resistance.
      • The unit of measurement for voltage is volts.
    • Discuss the equation for Ohm's law in the form to calculate current.
      • Larger resistance results in smaller current for any given voltage.
      • The unit of measurement for current is amperes.
    • Discuss the equation for Ohm's law in the form to calculate resistance.
      • Used to determine the necessary resistance in a circuit to result in a targeted current value for a given voltage.
      • The unit of measurement for resistance is ohms (Ω).
      • Discuss the resistor color code.
  • Resistors in Series
    • Discuss the equation for RT for series resistors.
  • Resistors in Parallel
    • Discuss the equation for RT for parallel resistors.
    • Introduce the equation for RT for two parallel resistors.
      • RT is always smaller than the smallest of the resistors in parallel.
  • Power
    • Discuss the equation to calculate power when voltage and current are known.
    • Discuss the equation to calculate power when current and resistance are known.
    • Discuss the equation to calculate power when voltage and resistance are known.
      • The unit of measurement for power is watts.
    • Discuss the use of these equations to determine the power ratings of resistors and other components used in circuits.
  • Small Currents
    • Discuss the range of currents seen in electronic circuits.
      • Introduce the term milliampere (mA).
      • Introduce the term microampere (µA).
    • Discuss the range of resistance seen in electronic circuits.
      • Introduce the term kilohm (kΩ).
      • Introduce the term megohm (MΩ).
  • The Graph of Resistance
    • Introduce the term V-I curve.
      • The V-I curve for a resistor is a straight line (figure 1-6).
      • The value of the resistor is the slope of the line.
  • The Voltage Divider
    • Review the voltage divider circuit (figure 1-7).
    • Introduce the term; voltage drop.
    • Discuss the equation for Vo.
    • Introduce Kirchhoff's voltage law (KVL)
      • The sum of the voltage drops in a circuit equals the voltage supplied to a circuit.
  • The Breadboard
    • Introduce the use of breadboards to make temporary circuits.
    • Discuss the + V and ground busses.
    • Discuss the use of interconnected contact holes.
    • Discuss the use of jumper wires.
  • The Current Divider
    • Review the current divider circuit.(figure 1-9).
    • Discuss the equation that determines the current flowing through each resistor in this circuit.
      • If one resistor is larger than the other the current flowing through the higher value resistor will be the smaller of the two.
    • Introduce Kirchhoff's current law (KCL).
      • The total current entering a junction in a circuit equals the sum of the currents leaving that junction.
  • The Multimeter
    • Discuss how the multimeter is used to measure voltage.
    • Discuss how the multimeter is used to measure current.
    • Discuss how the multimeter is used to measure resistance.
  • Switches
    • Review the single pole single throw (SPST) switch (figure 1-13 ).
    • Review the single pole double throw (SPDT) switch (figure 1-14).
  • Capacitors in a DC Circuit
    • Discuss the process of charging a capacitor
    • Introduce the term; time constant (τ).
    • Discuss the equation for τ.
    • Review the capacitor charging graph (figure 1-16).
    • Discuss the process of discharging a capacitor (figure 1-17)
    • Discuss the equation for CT for capacitors in series.
    • Discuss the equation for CT for capacitors in parallel.

 

This page includes material extracted, by permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, from Complete Electronics Self-Teaching Guide with Projects, ISBN: 9781118217320.

Copyright © 2007 - 2012 Hawk's Perch Technical Writing, LLC - All rights reserved

 

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