Electronics

Terms related to electronics, including definitions about electrical components and words and phrases about computers, laptops parts, digital cameras, televisions and home appliances.
  • phase-locked loop (PLL) - A phase-locked loop (PLL) is an electronic circuit with a voltage or voltage-driven oscillator that constantly adjusts to match the frequency of an input signal.
  • pixel - The pixel -- a word invented from picture element -- is the basic unit of programmable color on a computer display or in a computer image.
  • Planck's constant - Planck's constant, symbolized as h, is a fundamental universal constant that defines the quantum nature of energy and relates the energy of a photon to its frequency.
  • plenum - In building construction, a plenum (pronounced PLEH-nuhm, from Latin meaning full) is a separate space provided for air circulation for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (sometimes referred to as HVAC).
  • plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) - A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) is a type of hybrid electric vehicle that combines a gasoline or diesel engine with an electric motor and a large battery, which can be recharged by plugging it into an electrical outlet or charging stations.
  • point of care (POC) testing - Point of care testing (POC testing or POCT) is medical testing performed with the patient, outside of a laboratory setting.
  • positron - A positron is a particle of matter with the same mass as an electron but an opposite charge.
  • power - Electrical power is the rate at which electrical energy is converted to another form, such as motion, heat, or an electromagnetic field.
  • power factor correction (PFC) - Power factor correction (PFC) is the set of mechanisms built into a power supply circuit to raise the power factor (PF).
  • power-on reset (PoR) - A power-on reset (PoR) is a circuit that provides a predictable, regulated voltage to a microprocessor or microcontroller with the initial application of power.
  • printed circuit board (PCB) - A printed circuit board (PCB) is a structure for assembling electronic components and their connections into a unified circuit that allows electrical current to pass between components.
  • processing in memory (PIM) - Processing in memory, or PIM (sometimes called processor in memory), refers to the integration of a processor with Random Access Memory (RAM) on a single chip.
  • proton - A proton is a subatomic particle found in the nucleus of every atom.
  • pulse - A pulse is a burst of current, voltage, or electromagnetic-field energy.
  • quad-core processor - A quad-core processor is a chip with four independent units called cores that read and execute central processing unit (CPU) instructions such as add, move data and branch.
  • quantum interference - Quantum interference is when subatomic particles interact with and influence themselves and other particles while in a probabilistic superposition state.
  • raceway - A raceway, sometimes referred to as a raceway system, is an enclosed conduit that forms a physical pathway for electrical wiring.
  • radio frequency (RF, rf) - Radio frequency (RF) is a measurement representing the oscillation rate of electromagnetic radiation spectrum, or electromagnetic radio waves, from frequencies ranging from 300 GHz to as low as 9 kHz.
  • reactance - Reactance is a form of opposition generated by components in an electric circuit when alternating current (AC) passes through it.
  • resistor - A resistor is an electrical component that limits or regulates the flow of electrical current in an electronic circuit.
  • resolution - Resolution is the number of pixels -- picture elements or individual points of color -- that can be contained on a display screen or in a camera sensor.
  • RFID tagging - RFID tagging uses small radio frequency identification devices to track and identify objects.
  • RGB (red, green and blue) - RGB (red, green and blue) refers to a system representing the colors used on a digital display screen.
  • scanner - A scanner is a device that captures images from photographic prints, posters, magazine pages and similar sources for computer editing and display.
  • screen door effect - The screen door effect is the occurrence of thin, dark lines or a mesh appearance caused by the gaps between pixels on a screen or projected image.
  • Seebeck effect - The Seebeck effect is a phenomenon in which a temperature difference between two dissimilar electrical conductors or semiconductors produces a voltage difference between the two substances.
  • semiconductor fab - A semiconductor fab -- short for fabrication -- is a manufacturing plant in which raw silicon wafers are turned into integrated circuits (ICs).
  • sensor - A sensor is a device that detects and responds to some type of input from the physical environment.
  • Serial ATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment or SATA) - Serial ATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment or SATA) is a command and transport protocol that defines how data is transferred between a computer's motherboard and mass storage devices, such as hard disk drives (HDDs), optical drives and solid-state drives (SSDs).
  • serial peripheral interface (SPI) - A serial peripheral interface (SPI) is an interface commonly used in computers and embedded systems to facilitate short-distance communication between a microcontroller and one or more peripheral integrated circuits (ICs).
  • seven wastes - The seven wastes are categories of unproductive manufacturing practices identified by Taiichi Ohno, the father of the Toyota Production System (TPS).
  • shift register - A shift register is a digital memory circuit found in calculators, computers, and data-processing systems.
  • soap opera effect (motion interpolation) - The soap opera effect is the colloquial name for a visual effect caused by motion interpolation on television sets that some people find undesirable.
  • solar power - Solar power is a renewable form of energy harvested from the sun for the purpose of producing electricity or thermal energy (heat).
  • solid - A solid is a state of matter that retains its shape and density when not confined.
  • solid-state - Solid-state is a common descriptor used to refer to electronic components, devices and systems based entirely on semiconductor materials such as silicon, germanium or gallium arsenide.
  • solid-state storage - Solid-state storage is a type of computer storage media that stores data electronically and has no moving parts.
  • sound card - A sound card is a computer component responsible for generating and recording audio.
  • sound wave - A sound wave is the pattern of disturbance caused by the movement of energy traveling through a medium (such as air, water or any other liquid or solid matter) as it propagates away from the source of the sound.
  • spatial computing - Spatial computing broadly characterizes the processes and tools used to capture, process and interact with three-dimensional (3D) data.
  • stack pointer - A stack pointer is a small register that stores the memory address of the last data element added to the stack or, in some cases, the first available address in the stack.
  • standard temperature and pressure (STP) - Standard temperature and pressure (STP) refers to the nominal conditions in the atmosphere at sea level.
  • standing wave ratio (SWR) - Standing wave ratio (SWR) is the ratio of the maximum magnitude or amplitude of a standing wave to its minimum magnitude.
  • superconductivity - Superconductivity is the ability of certain materials to conduct a direct electric current (DC) with practically zero resistance.
  • tablet (tablet PC) - A tablet is a wireless, portable personal computer with a touchscreen interface.
  • teleoperations (telerobotics) - Teleoperation, also called telerobotics, is the technical term for the remote control of a robot.
  • thyristor - A thyristor is a four-layer semiconductor device, consisting of alternating P-type and N-type materials (PNPN).
  • toroid - A toroid is a coil of insulated or enameled wire wound on a donut-shaped form made of powdered iron.
  • touch screen - A touch screen is an electronic display screen that is also an input device.
  • transconductance - Transconductance is an expression of the performance of a bipolar transistoror field-effect transistor (FET).
  • transistor-to-transistor logic (TTL) - Transistor-to-transistor logic -- also known as simply transistor-transistor logic or TTL -- is a family of digital logic design built from a family of bipolar junction transistors that act on direct-current pulses.
  • transponder - A transponder is a wireless communication, monitoring or control device that picks up and automatically responds to an incoming signal.
  • volt-ampere (VA) - A volt-ampere (VA) is a measurement of power in a direct current (DC) electrical circuit.
  • voltage reference - A voltage reference is an electronic component or circuit that produces a constant DC (direct-current) output voltage regardless of variations in external conditions such as temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, current demand, or the passage of time.
  • Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive - The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is a legislative act that the European Union adopted to address the growing amounts of e-waste that come from electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) at the end of its life.
  • water cooling - Water cooling, also called liquid cooling, is a method used to lower the temperature of computer processor units (CPUs), and sometimes graphics processor units (GPUs).
  • watt - A watt (symbolized W) is the standard unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI).
  • watt-hour (Wh) - The watt-hour, which is symbolized Wh, is a unit of energy equivalent to one watt of power expended for one hour of time.
  • wave number - A wave number, or wavenumber, refers to the spatial frequency of a wave over a specific unit distance.
  • What are functional requirements? - Functional requirements are the desired operations of a program or system.
  • What are logic gates? - A logic gate is a device that acts as a building block for digital circuits.
  • What is a capacitor (capacitance)? - A capacitor is a passive electronic component that stores electrical charge.
  • What is a complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS)? - A complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) is the semiconductor technology used in most of today's integrated circuits (ICs), also known as chips or microchips.
  • What is a conductor? - A conductor, or electrical conductor, is a substance or material that allows electricity to flow through it.
  • What is a diode? - A diode is a specialized electronic component, specifically a two-terminal semiconductor device, with two electrodes called the anode and the cathode.
  • What is a drone (UAV)? - A drone is an unmanned aircraft.
  • What is a farad (F)? - A farad (F) is the standard unit of electrical capacitance (C) in the International System of Units.
  • What is a microcontroller (MCU)? - A microcontroller is a compact integrated circuit designed to govern a specific operation in an embedded system.
  • What is a motherboard? - A motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in a computer.
  • What is a network node? - A network node is a connection point in a communications network.
  • What is a quantum circuit? Quantum vs. classical circuit - Quantum circuits are systems consisting of logic gates that operate on quantum bits (qubits) to process information and perform calculations based on principles of quantum mechanics.
  • What is a robot? Definition, purpose, uses - A robot is a machine designed to execute one or more tasks automatically with speed and precision.
  • What is a semiconductor, and what is it used for? - A semiconductor is a substance that can act as a conductor or insulator depending on other factors, enabling it to serve as a foundation for computers and other electronic devices.
  • What is a transistor? - A transistor is a miniature semiconductor that regulates or controls current or voltage flow in addition to amplifying and generating these electrical signals and acting as a switch/gate for them.
  • What is an AI assistant? - An AI assistant, or digital assistant, is software that uses artificial intelligence to understand natural language voice commands and complete tasks for the user.
  • What is an inductor? - An inductor is a passive electronic component that temporarily stores energy in a magnetic field when electric current flows through the inductor's coil.
  • What is attenuation? - Attenuation is a general term referring to when any type of signal -- digital or analog -- reduces in strength.
  • What is brain-computer interface (BCI)? - Brain-computer interface (BCI) is a device that translates signals in the brain to control some external activity.
  • What is coexistence testing? - Coexistence testing, similar to compatibility testing, measures the ability of multiple devices to interact in a single environment with limited bandwidth.
  • What is computer numerical control (CNC)? - Computer numerical control (CNC) is a manufacturing method that automates the control, movement and precision of machine tools through the use of preprogrammed computer software, which is embedded inside the tools.
  • What is e-waste? - Electronic waste, or end-of-life (EOL) electronics or e-waste, refers to discarded, recycled or refurbished electrical and electronic products.
  • What is EM shielding (electromagnetic shielding)? - EM shielding (electromagnetic shielding) is the practice of surrounding electronics and cables with conductive or magnetic materials to guard against incoming or outgoing emissions of electromagnetic frequencies (EMF).
  • What is green networking? - Green networking is the practice of selecting energy-efficient networking technologies and products to minimize resource use whenever possible.
  • What is HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)? - HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a proprietary specification designed to ensure compatibility between video and audio devices over a single digital interface.
  • What is impedance? - Impedance, denoted with Z, is an expression of the opposition that an electronic component, circuit or system offers to alternating or direct electric current.
  • What is MIMO (multiple input, multiple output)? - MIMO (multiple input, multiple output) is an antenna technology for wireless communications in which multiple antennas are used at both the source (transmitter) and the destination (receiver).
  • What is modulation? - Modulation is the process of converting data into radio waves by adding information to an electronic or optical carrier signal.
  • What is neural radiance field (NeRF)? - Neural radiance fields (NeRFs) use deep learning to turn 2D images of objects or scenes into detailed 3D representations by encoding the entire scene into an artificial neural network.
  • What is NRZ (non-return-to-zero)? - NRZ (non-return-to-zero) is a form of digital data transmission in which the binary low and high states, represented by numerals 0 and 1, are transmitted by specific and constant direct current (DC) voltages.
  • What is passive keyless entry (PKE)? - Passive keyless entry (PKE) is an automotive security system that operates automatically when the user is in proximity to the vehicle, unlocking the door on approach or when the door handle is pulled, and locking it when the user walks away or touches the car on exit.
  • What is podcasting? - Podcasting is the preparation and distribution of digital audio files to the computers of subscribed users using Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds.
  • What is quantum entanglement and how does it work? - Quantum entanglement is a foundational phenomenon in quantum mechanics where two or more particles become interconnected in such a way that the state of one particle instantly influences the state of the other, regardless of the distance separating them.
  • What is quantum superposition? - Quantum superposition is the ability of a quantum system to act as if it is in multiple states at the same time until it is measured.
  • What is quantum theory? - Quantum theory, or quantum mechanics, is the theoretical basis of modern physics that explains the nature and behavior of matter and energy on the subatomic level.
  • What is SRAM (static random access memory)? - SRAM (static RAM) is a type of random access memory (RAM) that retains data bits in its memory as long as power is being supplied.
  • What is the double-slit experiment? - The double-slit experiment is a 19th century investigation into the properties of light that has since been found to demonstrate the wave-particle duality of photons, electrons and other particle types, as well as other quantum properties, such as superposition and interference.
  • What is unobtainium? - Unobtainium is a term used to refer to a material that cannot be accessed.
  • What is vendor neutral archive (VNA)? - A vendor neutral archive (VNA) is a medical imaging technology that stores medical images in a standard format and utilizes a standard interface, making them accessible to healthcare professionals regardless of what proprietary system was used to create those images.
  • What is wavelength? - Wavelength is the distance between identical points, or adjacent crests, in the adjacent cycles of a waveform signal propagated in space or along a wire.
  • x86-64 - x86-64 (also called x86_64, x64, or amd64) is the 64-bit CPU architecture that is used in Intel and AMD processors.