2006-12-27 09:22:58 · 5 answers · asked by eng. 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
A single transistor is the simpliest amplifying solid state device. In the analog realm, it can have an infinite number of different outputs, each unique to an infinite number of distinct inputs, e.g, a one-to-one function between the range of cut-off and saturation. This mode of operation is probably NOT what your question is about. The following probably is:
If you restrict the transisitor to one of 2 valid inputs, say "high" and "low", you will have one of 2 outputs which you can use to represent a binary bit, which can represent any 2 things you like, such as on/off, high/low, low/high, true/false, or zero/one. If you have more than one transistor, the pair can represent 2*2=4 possible conditions since each can be in one of 2 possible states, right?
Expanding further, since 8 bits equals one byte, 8 transistors can be used to represent a byte of information that is one of 2^8=256 possible states, enough to cover every character, decimal digit, and a bunch of grammatical symbols. This is somewhat how text files are manipulated and stored in a computer, one byte (8 transistors)per character. If you have 8 thousand transistors available, you can use them to represent 1000 characters.
Of course, transistors are used for many other electronic purposes. Processors with millions of transistors can be designed where some of them are wired as RAM, some as cache, some for logical operations, some for memory management, some for computational elements, etc.
2006-12-27 11:41:30 · answer #1 · answered by Gary H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes a transistor is an amplification device. It works by changing its resistance in proportion to a small input signal.
It gets its name partly from the word resistor which is an electrical component of a fixed resistance.
The Trans part I believed came from its ability to Transition from one resistance(or conductance) value to another. I have also heard the Trans part came from the word transform referring to its usage to transform audio signal from a microphone into electrical signals
Finally I found a reference which I disagree with but indicates that Trans comes from the word transmit
TRANS + ISTOR = TRANSISTOR
2006-12-27 20:31:36 · answer #2 · answered by MarkG 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simply put, a transistor is a semiconductor device that can amplify an electronic signal.
2006-12-27 17:29:20 · answer #3 · answered by Ray D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are voltage switchs nothing more...
Note: Transistors are not LEDS, or Diodes...
2006-12-27 17:26:35 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
it was another name for radios,wireless.Portable radio in the 50s
2006-12-27 17:28:19 · answer #5 · answered by siaosi 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋