IGCSE Physics: Electronics components
Potential divider
Arrangement of resistors which provides a reduced output voltage.
Rectification
Changing AC current to DC.
Full-wave rectification
Converting AC current to DC current using a bridge circuit.
Relay
Electromagnetic switch; lets a low-current circuit control a high-current circuit (as in a car ignition).
LED
Light-emitting diode; used mostly to show current is present.
Semi-conductor
Material, usually silicon, made to have a certain resistance, which will decrease with heat.
Diode
Only allows current in one direction.
Half-wave rectification
Removing half of an AC wave using one diode.
Smoothing
Removing the peaks from rectified current.
Use of capacitors
Smoothing output voltage, time delay circuits, flash bulbs in cameras & phones.
Capacitor
Stores electric charge.
Reed switch
Switch operated by a magnetic field.
Microchips
Tiny circuits with many components, may be as small as a few millimetres across.
Forward bias
When current flows through a diode in the direction of low resistance.
Reverse bias
When current tries to flow the wrong way in a diode and is blocked by high resistance.