This document provides an overview of electrical schematics and their components. It defines a schematic as a diagram that represents an electrical or mechanical system. Schematics are used to graphically represent how a circuit functions and its components. Common schematic symbols are presented for components like resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes, transistors, and logic gates. The document also discusses tie points, grounds, and how schematics illustrate current flow between components. Finally, it notes that block diagrams and pictorial diagrams are additional ways to express circuit ideas.

1. Basic Electronics Refresher
By
Chris Franckowiak

2. A schematic is a structural or procedural diagram, especially of an
electrical or mechanical system.
schematic. (n.d.) The American Heritage® Dictionary of the
English Language, Fourth Edition. (2003). Retrieved June 25 2012
from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/schematic

3. Used to graphically represent what a
circuit is doing and how it is
functioning.
An atlas or roadmap of an electrical
circuit
Each components is represented by
a symbol, usually with either a label
or value

4. The following slides look at some of the most
common symbols found in electrical
schematics
Not all-inclusive – many others used

5. Variable
Resistor
(Pods)
• Fixed Resistor
• A resistor is part of an electrical circuit that resists the flow of
current
• Measured in Ohms after Ohms Law
• Ohms Law: I (current) = V (Voltage) / R (Resistance)

6. Air Core Inductor • Variable
Inductor
• A passive electrical component that stores energy in its
magnetic field
• Also known as coils and chokes
• Used in analog circuits and signal processing

7. A passive electrical component used to store
energy in an electric field
Used to block DC while allowing AC to pass
(filter)
Smoothing outputs of power supplies

8. Many types (Zener, Avalanche, Gunn,
IMPATT)
Low resistance to current flow in one
direction and high (indefinite) resistance in
the other direction
Used in rectifiers
General Gunn

9. Tie
Points
• Tie Points show things that are connected
• Considered a path

10. Different types of grounds
Earth ground tied to earth
Chassis ground tied to common ground on
the circuit/equipment
Earth Chassis

11. Tie Points and overlapping lines
How current reaches individual components
(resistors, capacitors, etc..)

12. Many, many types
Classified by poles, throw
Used to redirect current flow

13. Many different types
Used to amplify and switch electronic signals

14. Power supplies
DC, AC

15. Known as chokes, coils
Stores energy in its electrical field
Many types as well

16. Logic gates
And, OR, NAND, NOR, NOT, XOR, XNOR
Can be used to store data

17. Symbols represent how the circuit functions
Many slides could be made for each
component (this is just a review of what you will
see)
By knowing what each one is and how they
work – schematics become very familiar
It is a learning process

19. The commonly used way of expressing ideas in
electronics is with a block diagram.
It guides step by step operation of a certain
device
It uses rectangles or triangles to represent a
component, a group of components or a group
of units and arrows to show connection and
flow of certain device

21. Another form of diagram that is a help
mostly to the beginners is the Pictorial
diagram
It shows the pictures of actual
components and wiring connections.
Although it does not provide the exact
size of the components, it shows the
shape in proportion to the actual one.