Must Knowt Electric Circuit Components for AP Physics 2

Resistor

It is a passive component that opposes current flow in a circuit. It controls the flow of current and divides voltage.

Ohm's Law

It relates voltage, current, and resistance. It states that V = IR, where V is voltage, I is current, and R is resistance.

Capacitor

stores electrical energy in an electric field. Its capacitance (C) is measured in farads (F), and it can smooth voltage fluctuations.

Inductor

stores energy in a magnetic field when current flows through it. It resists changes in current, useful in filters and transformers.

Diode

allows current to flow in only one direction. It is commonly used in rectifiers, signal clipping, and voltage regulation.

P-N Junction Diode

a semiconductor device with a positive and negative side. It has a forward voltage drop of 0.7V for silicon diodes.

Transistor

a semiconductor device used as an amplifier or switch. It can control the flow of current between two terminals.

Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT)

a type of transistor with three terminals: base, collector, and emitter. It amplifies current using both electron and hole charge carriers.

Field-Effect Transistor (FET)

controls current with an electric field. They include MOSFETs and JFETs, which differ in how they control current.

Battery

converts chemical energy into electrical energy. It supplies direct current (DC) power through electrochemical reactions.

Primary Battery

is non-rechargeable. It provides energy until it is drained, such as alkaline or zinc-carbon batteries.

Secondary Battery

is rechargeable. Examples include lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Fuel Cell

generates electrical energy from chemical reactions. Hydrogen fuel cells are commonly used in electric vehicles.

Switch

opens or closes an electrical circuit to control current flow. It can be mechanical or electronic.

SPST Switch

a simple on/off switch that controls one circuit.

SPDT Switch

connects a single input to one of two outputs, providing two possible paths.

Fuse

protects circuits by melting when the current exceeds a safe limit. This breaks the circuit to prevent damage.

Circuit Breaker

disconnects a circuit when excessive current flows. Unlike fuses, it can be reset after activation.

Thermal Fuse

operates by heating up and melting when current exceeds its rated value, opening the circuit.

Magnetic Circuit Breaker

uses a coil to generate a magnetic field that trips a lever and opens the circuit when current exceeds a threshold.

Transformer

transfers electrical energy between circuits via electromagnetic induction. It can step up or step down voltage.

Step-up Transformer

increases voltage for long-distance transmission. It has more turns on the secondary coil than the primary.

Step-down Transformer

reduces voltage for safe use in homes and businesses. It has fewer turns on the secondary coil than the primary.

Integrated Circuit (IC)

is a miniaturized electronic circuit with components like transistors, resistors, and capacitors on a single chip.

Analog IC

handles continuous signals. Examples include operational amplifiers, voltage regulators, and timers.

Digital IC

processes discrete signals. Examples include logic gates, microcontrollers, and memory ICs.

Mixed-Signal IC

combines both analog and digital circuits. It is used for systems requiring both types of signal processing.

Op-Amp

is a type of analog IC used for amplifying signals in various applications like filters and oscillators.

Voltage Regulator

is an analog IC that maintains a constant output voltage, regardless of input voltage or load changes.

Microcontroller

is a digital IC used to control systems and process data in devices like computers and household appliances.