Ralph Morrison - Practical Electronics: A Self-Teaching Guide

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ix

1 Resistors, Capacitors, and Voltage

2 Inductors, Transformers, and Resonance

3 Introduction to Semiconductors

4 More Semiconductor Circuits

5 Feedback and IC Amplifiers

6 IC Applications

Welcome to the study of electronics. This is a fascinating field, one whose relevance to life in the twenty-first century cannot be overestimated. Our lives have been changed immeasurably by electronic devices from cell phones to computers. Electronics are used in medicine, in aviation and space travel, in the cars we drive, and in the many devices in our homes. Indeed, some form of electronics touches every aspect of our lives. Yet these countless devices are built from the same basic components. So the study of basic electronics will give you a way to understand how many of the electronics we use every day actually function.

My approach has been to start with the fundamentals and build up your knowledge step by step. In chapter 1 you'll begin working with just two of the simplest electronic components, and will learn how to combine them into circuits. Then you will add more components and move on to more complicated circuits.

Understanding electronics depends on your having some familiarity with electricity itself. You need to know the basics of voltage, current, and Ohm's law. If it has been some time since you studied basic electricity I have provided a review for you in chapter 8. If you need to brush up on these concepts, chapter 8 is the place to start, even before you start on chapter 1.

If you are completely unfamiliar with electricity, you may find that the review in chapter 8 is not enough. In this case it makes sense to prepare yourself for the study of electronics by reading Basic Electricity, which is also part of this series of Self-Teaching Guides.

The basic principles of electronics are ultimately derived from physics. Many of these principles can be expressed most simply and completely as algebraic equations. In an equation, letters and symbols are used to represent the components and variables used in electronics. Algebra provides us with techniques for stating principles and solving problems using these letters and symbols. You will find a number of equations used in this book. If it has been some time since you used algebra, you will find a review of it in appendix II. If you are completely unfamiliar with algebra, there are many textbooks on elementary algebra available. An understanding of trigonometry will help in some sections of the book, but it is not required and you will be able to proceed without it.