Electrolytic Capacitors. Capacitors are like batteries, but they dump their entire charge in a tiny fraction of a second, where a battery would take minutes. They are commonly used for anything that requires a flash, such as a camera. They can also be used to even out voltage or block DC current. See other types of capacitors next.
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Light-emitting Diodes (LEDs). Basically, LEDs are just tiny light bulbs that fit easily into an electrical circuit. Some uses of LEDs include forming the numbers on digital clocks, transmitting information from remote controls, lighting up watches and telling you when your appliances are turned on. Collected together, they can illuminate a traffic light. Learn what inductors do next.
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Inductors. An inductor is about as simple as an electronic component can get -- it is simply a coil of wire. It is used in traffic light sensors. If you team up an inductor with a capacitor you create an oscillator. Learn about everyday devices that use oscillators next.
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Semiconductor Chips/Integrated Circuits. An integrated circuit, also called a chip, may contain millions of transistors and other components surrounded by a plastic or ceramic case. It connects to a circuit board via the metal pins seen above. Chips are often used in cars, computers, calculators and more. Next, learn about microcontrollers.
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Microcontrollers. Most modern electronic devices -- TVs, VCRs, microwaves and so on -- contain an embedded microcontroller. It's basically a dedicated computer. Next, see a microprocessor, which is a key component in computers.
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Electric Motors. An electromagnet is the basis of an electric motor. In your house, almost every mechanical movement that you see around you is caused by an AC (alternating current) or DC (direct current) electric motor. See a brushless motor next.
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Brushless Electric Motors. In a brushless DC motor (BLDC), you put the permanent magnets on the rotor and you move the electromagnets to the stator. Then you use a computer (connected to high-power transistors) to charge up the electromagnets as the shaft turns. You'll likely need the next part to even get your motor started.
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Relays. A relay is a simple electromechanical switch made up of an electromagnet and a set of contacts. Relays are quite common in home appliances where there is an electronic control turning on something like a motor or a light. See what device is used to get electricity to your gadgets next.
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Power-cube Transformers. The purpose of a transformer is to convert one AC voltage to another AC voltage. A typical home probably has five to 10 of these little transformers plugged into the wall at any given time, and they are used with printers, speakers, cell phone chargers, electric drills and more. How many electronic parts can you identify now? See the next page to test your knowledge.
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What are the three components pictured here? See the next page for the answer.
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Chip on top with a transistor and LED below. Pictured above is another LED surrounded by resistors and diodes.
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Batteries. Batteries have enabled us to build portable, cordless devices. But where does their power come from? Batteries deliver electrical current when a conductive circuit connects an anode to a cathode, unleashing the flow of chemical energy from the electrolyte in between. Above, a rechargeable battery is seen in the cargo area of a Ford Escape Hybrid SUV.
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Fuel Cells. Like a battery, a fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device. Unlike a battery, a fuel cell requires a constant influx of chemical fuel. In most cases, this fuel is simply hydrogen and oxygen, which the cell combines to create water, giving off useful electricity as a byproduct. Next, see how electrical systems bridge the gaps.
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Switches. Switches might seem simple, but they are absolutely crucial to designing useful electrical systems and devices. Typically, a switch is a component that can be manipulated either to close or open a circuit. For example, flipping on a light switch closes the circuit between the power source and the bulb, allowing current to flow freely and illuminate the room. Circuit breakers, shown above, are another kind of switch -- they're designed to automatically open a circuit that is in danger of overload.
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Transducers. Transducers are the interpreters in the world of electronics. They take electricity and translate it into another form of energy, or they take another form of energy and translate it into electricity. The pickups on this electric bass guitar are transducers. They detect the vibration in the magnetic field of the guitar's metal strings, and then they translate that vibration into an electrical signal for the amplifier. Check out another type of transducer on the next page.
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Antennas. Antennas are transducers designed to detect wireless radio signals and interpret them into electrical information. Antennas allow us to broadcast radio and television signals, as well as to use cordless telephones and wireless computer networks.
Now that you've seen our Electronics Parts Pictures, take our Computer Accessories Quiz!
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