Description

An electronic circuit is composed ofindividual electronic components, such as resistors, transistors,capacitors, inductors and diodes, connected by conductive wires ortraces through which electric current can flow. The combination ofcomponents and wires allows various simple and complex operationsto be performed: signals can be amplified, computations can beperformed, and data can be moved from one place toanother.[1]

Circuits can be constructed of discrete components connected byindividual pieces of wire, but today it is much more common tocreate interconnections by photolithographic techniques on alaminated substrate (a printed circuit board or PCB) and solder thecomponents to these interconnections to create a finished circuit.In an integrated circuit or IC, the components and interconnectionsare formed on the same substrate, typically a semiconductor such assilicon or (less commonly) gallium arsenide.[2]

An electronic circuit can usually be categorized as an analogcircuit, a digital circuit, or a mixed-signal circuit (acombination of analog circuits and digital circuits).

Breadboards, perfboards, and stripboards are common for testing newdesigns. They allow the designer to make quick changes to thecircuit during development.