Basic Electrical Circuit Materials

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Basic Electrical Circuit Materials

• Colts Neck High School
• Applied Technology

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Conductance

• The effectiveness of a conductor is measured in
  conductance.
• The unit of measure for conductance is the
  siemens. (Ernst von Siemens)

G I/R
G conductance (in siemens) R is resistance
(in ohms)
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Conductors

• Pathways that allow electrons to flow through an
  electric circuit.
• Made from a variety of materials, usually metals.
• Copper, Aluminum, Brass, Silver

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Conductor Size

• Circular conductors are sized by the American
  Wire Gauge System.
• The larger the gauge number, the smaller the
  cross-sectional area
• Circular Mils
• A mil is equal to 1/1000th of an inch
• A circular mil is equal to the diameter of a
  round conductor squared (D2)

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Conductor Insulation

• Insulators materials with few free electrons,
  thus poor conductors of electrons.
• Insulation protective coating surrounding a
  conductor that prevents contact with other
  conductors and people.

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Types of Conductors
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Conductor Resistance

• Cross-sectional area of a conductor
• The larger the surface area or diameter of a
  conductor, the lower the resistance.
• Type of material
• Different materials have different resistance
  values.
• Length of conductor
• The longer the conductor, the greater the
  resistance.
• Temperature of material
• Resistance of a material rises with the rising
  temperature.

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Special Conductor Pathways

• Breadboards a device consisting of a piece of
  insulation material with a series of holes
  aligned in rows across it. Copper strips are run
  in parallel under it to provide pathways.

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Special Conductor Pathways

• Printed Circuit Board ( PCB) A thin layer of
  conductor material, usually copper, cut into
  strips and attached to an insulated board.

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Special Conductor Pathways

• Chassis a metallic surface that serves as a
  part of the circuitry.
• Example the chassis of an automobile.

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Common Circuit Devices

• Common circuit devices provide for a means of
  controlling the flow of electrons in an
  electronic or electric circuit. They also provide
  for safe operation. These include
• Switches
• Connectors
• Circuit Protection Devices

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Switches

• Switches are categorized by their mechanical
  actuators, the part that causes it to open or
  close.
• Simplest switch is a single-pole single-throw
  (SPST)

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Circuit Protection Devices

• Circuit protection devices include fuses and
  circuit breakers
• Fuses are small glass tubes that contain wires
  that are engineered to burn if the current is too
  high.
• Circuit Breakers are reusable safety devices that
  work on bi-metal actuators, or magnetism.

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Connectors

• Connectors are used to connect various components
  and conductors in an electronic or electric
  circuit. Many of them are solder less, some may
  require an additional crimping tool.

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Resistors

• Resistor a component used to create desirable
  voltage drops and limit current values in
  electronic circuitry.
• Various types exit such as composition resistor,
  chip resistor , potentiometers, and thermisters

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Resistor Color Code

• Resistors have color coded bands that represent
  the value, in Ohms, of the resister.