Introduction to Electronics - Electrical Circuits

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts related to electric circuits and their analysis.

Electric Circuit

An arrangement of resistors, wires, or other electrical components that has current flowing through it.

Voltage Source

A component that provides the electrical potential difference necessary to drive current through a circuit.

Series Circuit

A circuit where components are connected one after another so that the same current flows through each component.

Parallel Circuit

A circuit where components are connected across the same voltage source, allowing current to divide among them.

Load

The part of the circuit on which work must be done to move current through it, such as a lightbulb.

Ohm's Law

A fundamental principle stating that the current flowing through a conductor between two points is directly proportional to the voltage across the two points.

Resistor

A device used in circuits to limit current flow or set voltage levels within circuits.

Power Dissipation

The process of converting electrical energy into heat in a resistor, which is critical to avoid exceeding the resistor's power rating.

Unit Prefixes

Standard shorthand used to denote powers of ten in resistance values, such as kΩ for kilo-ohms and MΩ for mega-ohms.

Kirchhoff’s Laws

Laws that describe the current and voltage relationships in electrical circuits, including Kirchhoff’s current law and Kirchhoff’s voltage law.

Current Divider

An equation used to determine the current flowing through individual resistors connected in parallel.

Voltage Divider

An equation used to calculate the voltage drop across series resistors based on their resistances.

Galvanometer

An instrument for measuring small currents, typically used in ammeters and ohmmeters.

Real Voltmeter Model

A voltmeter that has finite input resistance and draws current to measure voltage.

Ideal Meter Characteristics

Theoretical properties of voltmeters, ammeters, and ohmmeters that do not affect the circuit under test.