A common question asked by new student of electronics is what is a momentary switch? The short answer is that a momentary switch is a unit capable of turning any electronic device to either an on or off state when an end-user presses the switch. This type of switch can actually represent one of two …
A piezoelectric transducer is a device that converts electricity into mechanical forces or vibrations. Although piezoelectric transducers have other uses, ultrasonic devices require them. Piezoelectric transducers usually converts electricity into vibrations and vibrations into electricity, although this is not always the case. They rely on two phenomena known as “electrostriction” and “the piezoelectric effect.” How …
Resistors can come in different sizes and shapes allowing for different voltages to go through it. However, unless the size of the resistor is large, the code is rarely written on it because it would require very tiny markings. Therefore, a system was developed to use colors to determine the resistor code. In other words, …
A Capacitor Bank is a group of several capacitors of the same rating that are connected in series or parallel with each other to store electrical energy . The resulting bank is then used to counteract or correct a power factor lag or phase shift in an alternating current (AC) power supply. They can also be …
A rheostat is an electrical component that has an adjustable resistance. It is a type of potentiometer that has two terminals instead of three. The two main types of rheostat are the rotary and slider. The symbol for a rheostat is a resistor symbol with an arrow diagonally across it. Rheostats are used in many …
An isolation transformer is made of two copper coils that are wound around each other and are each supplied by their own power source. While the term “isolation transformer” technically refers to any transformer, it is specifically a transformer that isolates a circuit from an alternating current. An isolation transformer does this by separating two …
A rectifier changes alternating current into direct current. This process is called rectification. The three main types of rectifier are the half-wave, full-wave, and bridge. A rectifier is the opposite of an inverter, which changes direct current into alternating current. Half-Wave Rectifier The simplest type is the half-wave rectifier, which can be made with just …
A solid state relay is a device that controls voltage to allow or prevent a voltage or current from passing through a circuit without using any moving parts. Solid state relays are commonly found in control systems that use large amounts of power and must be switched on and off on a regular basis. Solid …
A relay is a remote switch controlled by current, magnetism, or temperature. The relay was invented in 1835 by Joseph Henry (1979-1878), an American scientist. Relays are a common component in many devices, and there are many different types of relays. Relay Types The two main types of relay are electromechanical and solid-state. Electromechanical relays …
An ultrasonic sensor is a device that works in much the same way as RADAR and SONAR. In fact, ultrasonic sensors mimic bats and other animals’ natural ability to use ultrasonic frequencies for navigation. Ultrasonic sensors broadcast a powerful, ultrasonic frequency, then detect the ultrasonic sound waves as they bounce off of objects and return …