How to really understand electrical circuits?

Question

Whenever I get kits or books about electronics, they don't explain what every little part in a circuit is used for and how it completely works, it gives a more overall, genral type explanation.

And the more advanced kits explain the details even less. I want to understand the details, what every little component in the circuit is used for, so I know enough to make my own circuits.

How can I do this?

Answer 1

The only way to do what you want, in my opinion, is to develop strong math skills, from basic arithmetic to differential/integral calculus; read books on electronic circuit operation and design, then build circuits. It is always a good idea to keep a notebook on your circuit designs, the problems you ran into, and how you solved them.

I would like to recommend the following outstanding electronic source books:

1. Practical Electronics for INVENTORS, 1st. edition, by
Paul Scherz. ISBN: 0-07-058078-2
Its really useful in both analog and digital circuit theory and design.

2. Practical Electronics for INVENTORS, 2nd. edition, by
Paul Scherz ISBN - 13: 978-0-07-145281-6
Also gets into analog and digital circuits, but the main focus is on component and network theory. If you really want a solid understanding of electronic components, get this book. Scherz does an excellent job of describing electronic component theory from a mathematical perspective as well as from a more intuitive one.

Check out both books. I promise you that you'll be glad you did.

Answer 2

There are only a limited number of components and they work together in a limited number of ways, but they can be interconnected to produce an almost infinite number of circuit functions.

All community colleges and technical schools offer courses in basic electricity and electronics that will provide you the information you need. Just stop by your local community college and ask for a catalog. You can probably find the department chairperson and get any question about the courses and requirements answered that you may have.

Answer 3

There is no easy way. Some learn it by sheer experience, working with circuits for years. Other way is to take years of college courses to know exactly why each component is necessary. Majority of the time, certain elements are used in certain places always for the same reasons. Basic circuit functions are not that many actually, such as: coupling, filtering, biasing, feedback, bypass etc. Good luck.

Answer 4

A lot of electronics is like hydraulics. But once you recognize which parts do what, it should get easier. You already know about the basics, right? Resistors are restrictors. capacitors block low freq's and pass high freq's. Transistors are switches, and can act as valves. In fact, the old radio tubes were CALLED valves. You get the same effect these days from FET's. [Field Effect Transistors]. And of course, IC's are just the same circuits packed into really small packages.

Answer 5

I don't know what kits you mean. but Radio Shack 200 in 1 kits do have pretty good explanations. Marketed for younger people they are actually interesting and fun for adults too. I even got one when I was in college. Had one in elementary school too. It probably taught me more than a year of basic electronics courses. You actually get to make it work and you can see how changing componets and values affect the circuit.
I have been in the electronic manuf. feild for 25 yr. and have found even that basic info has been extremely valuable to me. From understanding how to build them to testing and even making suuggestions to our engineers. Great hobby.

Answer 6

There are only 4 basic electric elements in electric circuits:

1) Resistors that are measured in Ohm and consume energy.

2)Inductors that are measured in Henry and store magnetic energy.

3)Capacitors that are measured in Faraday and store electric energy.

4)Sources (both voltage & current ) that provide energy.

All other elements such as transistors, transformers and integrated circuits are made up of the above elements.

You have to understant that by these elements you can use a specific input siganl to get a desired ouput electric signal.

Answer 7

This diagram is read from left to right. The first line then indicates a positive voltage (in respect to time).