learn the fundamentals of electricity and electronics without taking a course

This app will help you learn the fundamentals of electricity and electronics without taking a formal course. It can serve as a do-it-yourself study guide or as a classroom text. This contains new material about switching power supplies, class-D amplifiers, lithium-polymer batteries, microcontrollers, and Arduino.

You’ll find a multiple-choice quiz at the end of every chapter. The quizzes are “open-book,” meaning that you may (and should) refer to the chapter text as you work out the answers. When you have finished a chapter, take the quiz, write down your answers, and then give your list of answers to a friend. Have the friend tell you your score, but not which questions you got wrong. That way, you can take the test again without bias.

This app includes:

Contents

Preface

Part 1 Direct Current

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1 Background Physics

Atoms

Protons, Neutrons, and Atomic Numbers

Isotopes and Atomic Weights

Electrons

Ions

Compounds

Molecules

Conductors

Insulators

Resistors

Semiconductors

Current

Static Electricity

Electromotive Force

Non-Electrical Energy

Quiz

2 Electrical Units

The Volt

Current Flow

The Ampere

Resistance and the Ohm

Conductance and the Siemens

Power and the Watt

A Word about Notation

Energy and the Watt-Hour

Other Energy Units

Alternating Current and the Hertz

Rectification and Pulsating Direct Current

Stay Safe!

Magnetism

Magnetic Units

Quiz

3 Measuring Devices

Electromagnetic Deflection

Electrostatic Deflection

Thermal Heating

Ammeters

Voltmeters

Ohmmeters

Multimeters

FET Voltmeters

Wattmeters

Watt-Hour Meters

Digital Readout Meters

Frequency Counters

Other Meter Types

Quiz

4 Direct-Current Circuit Basics

Schematic Symbols

Schematic and Wiring Diagrams

Circuit Simplification

Ohm’s Law

Current Calculations

Voltage Calculations

The Rule of Significant Figures

Resistance Calculations

Power Calculations

Resistances in Series

Resistances in Parallel

Division of Power

Resistances in Series-Parallel

Quiz

5 Direct-Current Circuit Analysis

Current through Series Resistances

Voltages across Series Resistances

Voltage across Parallel Resistances

Currents through Parallel Resistances

Power Distribution in Series Circuits

Power Distribution in Parallel Circuits

Kirchhoff’s First Law

Kirchhoff’s Second Law

Voltage Division

Quiz

6 Resistors

Purpose of the Resistor

Fixed Resistors

The Potentiometer

The Decibel

Resistor Specifications

Quiz

7 Cells and Batteries

Electrochemical Energy

“Grocery Store” Cells and Batteries

Miniature Cells and Batteries

Lead-Acid Batteries

Nickel-Based Cells and Batteries

Photovoltaic Cells and Batteries

Fuel Cells

Quiz

8 Magnetism

Geomagnetism

Magnetic Force

Magnetic Field Strength

Electromagnets

Magnetic Materials

Magnetic Machines

Quiz

Test: Part 1

Part 2 Alternating Current

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9 Alternating-Current Basics

Definition of AC

Period and Frequency

The Sine Wave