Practical Electronics for Inventors

Acknowledgments xxv

CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Electronics 1

CHAPTER 2 Theory 5

2.1 Theory of Electronics 5

2.2 Electric Current 6

2.2.1 Currents in Perspective 9

2.3 Voltage 9

2.3.1 The Mechanisms of Voltage 11

2.3.2 Definition of Volt and Generalized Power Law 14

2.3.3 Combining Batteries 15

2.3.4 Other Voltage Sources 16

2.3.5 Water Analogies 17

2.4 A Microscopic View of Conduction (for Those

Who Are Interested) 18

2.4.1 Applying a Voltage 21

2.5 Resistance, Resistivity, Conductivity 23

2.5.1 How the Shape of a Conductor Affects Resistance 24

2.5.2 Resistivity and Conductivity 25

2.6 Insulators, Conductors, and Semiconductors 28

2.7 Heat and Power 31

2.8 Thermal Heat Conduction and Thermal Resistance 34

2.8.1 Importance of Heat Production 37

2.9 Wire Gauges 39

2.10 Grounds 40

2.10.1 Earth Ground 42

2.10.2 Different Types of Ground Symbols 45

2.10.3 Loose Ends on Grounding 47