Here’s a clear list of basic electronic components, along with their symbols (in text form) and main purposes:
🔌 BASIC ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS
| Component | Symbol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Resistor | ▭ or R |
Limits or controls current flow; drops voltage |
| 2. Capacitor | ‖ or C |
Stores electrical energy; used in filtering, timing, and smoothing signals |
| 3. Inductor | ⎍ or L |
Stores energy in a magnetic field; resists sudden current changes |
| 4. Diode | → | |
| 5. Light Emitting Diode (LED) | → | > |
| 6. Transistor (NPN/PNP) | ⎍ or Q |
Amplifies signals or acts as a switch; heart of digital circuits |
| 7. Switch | ━/ ━ | Manually opens or closes a circuit |
| 8. Battery | +‖− | Provides a fixed DC voltage source |
| 9. Fuse | ~ | ~ |
| 10. Transformer | ʘ—ʘ | Transfers energy between circuits; used for voltage step-up/down |
| 11. Relay | Coil+Switch | Electrically controlled switch; used for isolation and control |
| 12. Potentiometer (Variable Resistor) | ↔▭ | Adjusts resistance; used to control volume, brightness, etc. |
| 13. Crystal Oscillator | ┤ | ├ |
| 14. Integrated Circuit (IC) | ▭▭ | A whole circuit on a chip; contains many transistors, etc. |
| 15. Photodiode/Phototransistor | → | ● or →Q |
🧠Summary Analogy:
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Resistor = Brake
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Capacitor = Bucket for charge
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Inductor = Magnetic spring
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Diode = One-way gate
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Transistor = Electric gatekeeper or amplifier
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IC = Tiny brain
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Battery = Power source