Electronics

Terms related to electronics, including definitions about electrical components and words and phrases about computers, laptops parts, digital cameras, televisions and home appliances.

horsepower (hp) - Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement in the foot-pound-second (fps or ft-lb/s) or English system, sometimes used to express the rate at which mechanical energy is expended.
hydraulics - Hydraulics is a mechanical function that operates through the force of liquid pressure.
IBM Roadrunner - Roadrunner was a supercomputer developed by IBM at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.
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.
instant app (Google Android instant app) - A Google Android instant app is a small software program that enables users to test out a portion of a native Android app without installing it on a device.
integrated circuit (IC) - An integrated circuit (IC), sometimes called a chip, microchip or microelectronic circuit, is a semiconductor wafer on which thousands or millions of tiny resistors, capacitors, diodes and transistors are fabricated.
intellectual property core (IP core) - An intellectual property core (IP core) is a functional block of logic or data used to make a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) or application-specific integrated circuit for a product.
intelligent system - An intelligent system is an advanced computer system that can gather, analyze and respond to the data it collects from its surrounding environment.
interlaced display - An interlaced display, or interlaced scan video, is when a video only changes every other row of pixels in the image at each screen refresh.
International System of Units (SI) - The International System of Units is a global standard for expressing the magnitudes or quantities of important natural phenomena.
iPhone - The iPhone is a smartphone made by Apple that combines a computer, iPod, digital camera and cellular phone into one device with a touchscreen interface.
kill switch - A kill switch in an IT context is a mechanism used to shut down or disable a device or program.
laser - A laser is a coherent and focused beam of photons; coherent, in this context, means that it is all one wavelength, unlike ordinary light which showers on us in many wavelengths.
lithium polymer battery (LiPo) - A lithium polymer battery is a rechargeable battery with a polymer electrolyte instead of a liquid electrolyte.
logic gate (AND, OR, XOR, NOT, NAND, NOR and XNOR) - A logic gate is a device that acts as a building block for digital circuits.
logical equivalence - Logical equivalence is the condition of equality that exists between two statements or sentences in propositional logic or Boolean algebra.
machine-to-machine (M2M) - Machine-to-machine, or M2M, is a broad label that can be used to describe any technology that enables networked devices to exchange information and perform actions without the manual assistance of humans.
magnetic field strength - Magnetic field strength is a measure of the intensity of a magnetic field in a given area of that field.
magnetomotive force (magnetic potential) - Magnetomotive force, also known as magnetic potential, is the property of certain substances or phenomena that gives rise to magnetic field s.
memristor - A memristor is an electrical component that limits or regulates the flow of electrical current in a circuit and remembers the amount of charge that has previously flowed through it.
MEMS (micro-electromechanical systems) - A MEMS (micro-electromechanical system) is a miniature machine that has both mechanical and electronic components.
metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) - The metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET, pronounced MAWS-feht) is the most common type of field-effect transistor (FET).
micro USB - A micro USB is a miniaturized version of the Universal Serial Bus interface developed for connecting compact and mobile devices, such as smartphones, MP3 players, Global Positioning System devices, printers and digital cameras.
microchip - A microchip -- also called a chip, computer chip or integrated circuit (IC) -- is a unit of integrated circuitry that is manufactured at a microscopic scale using a semiconductor material, such as silicon or, to a lesser degree, germanium.
microfarad - The microfarad -- symbolized as µF using the Greek symbol mu -- is a unit of capacitance, equivalent to 0.
microphone - A microphone is a device that translates sound vibrations in the air into electronic signals and scribes them to a recording medium or over a loudspeaker.
milliampere-hour (mAh) - A milliampere-hour (mAh) is one-thousandth of an ampere hour (Ah), which can also be written as 1 mAh = 0.
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).
molecule - A molecule is two or more atoms connected by chemical bonds, which form the smallest unit of a substance that retains the composition and properties of that substance.
motherboard - A motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in a computer.
MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) - MP3 (MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3) is a method to compress and store audio.
mPOS (mobile point-of-sale) - MPOS, or mobile point-of-sale, is a smartphone, tablet or dedicated wireless device that performs the functions of a cash register or electronic POS terminal wirelessly.
mu - The lowercase Greek letter µ (pronounced mu) generally represents the prefix multiplier 0.
NAND flash memory - NAND flash memory is a type of non-volatile storage technology that does not require power to retain data.
nanosecond (ns or nsec) - A nanosecond (ns or nsec) is one-billionth (10-9) of a second.
neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) - A neighborhood electric vehicle (NEV) is a type of battery-electric vehicle that is capable of traveling at a maximum speed of 25 mph and which has a maximum loaded weight of 3,000 lbs.
network node - A computer network is a system of computers and computing devices that are connected via communication links.
neural radiance field (NeRF) - Neural radiance fields (NeRF) are a technique that generates 3D representations of an object or scene from 2D images by using advanced machine learning.
neutron - A neutron is a subatomic particle found in the nucleus of every atom except that of simple hydrogen.
noise - Noise is unwanted electrical or electromagnetic energy that degrades the quality of signals and data.
non-interlaced display - A non-interlaced display is a screen display in which the lines are scanned progressively from the top to the bottom of the screen.
NOR flash memory - NOR flash memory is one of two types of non-volatile storage technologies.
NRZ (non-return-to-zero) - NRZ (non-return-to-zero) refers to 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 DC (direct-current) voltage s.
Nyquist theorem - The Nyquist theorem is also known as the sampling theorem.
ohm - The ohm is the standard unit of electrical resistance in the International System of Units (SI).
Ohm's Law - Ohm's Law is the mathematical relationship among electric current, resistance, and voltage.
OLED TV (organic light-emitting diode television) - An OLED TV (organic light-emitting diode television) is a type of display technology that uses OLEDs to render images on the panels used for TV screens.
on-screen display (OSD) - An on-screen display (OSD) is a control panel superimposed on a computer monitor, mobile device, television screen or another electronic device display that enables users to select viewing options and/or adjust components of the display, such as brightness, contrast, and horizontal and vertical positioning.
optoisolator (optical coupler or optocoupler) - An optoisolator (also known as an optical coupler, photocoupler, optocoupler) is a semiconductor device that transfers an electrical signal between isolated circuits using light.
oscillator - An oscillator is a mechanical or electronic device that works on the principles of oscillation: a periodic fluctuation between two things based on changes in energy.
oscilloscope - An oscilloscope is a laboratory instrument commonly used to display and analyze the waveform of electronic signals.
Parallel ATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment or PATA) - Parallel ATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment or PATA) is a legacy standard for connecting internal floppy disks, hard disk drives (HDDs) and optical drives to older computer systems.
pascal - The pascal (Pa) is the unit of pressure or stress in the International System of Units (SI).
peak-to-peak (pk-pk) - Peak-to-peak (pk-pk) is the difference between the highest and the lowest values in a waveform.
permittivity (electric permittivity) - Permittivity (electric permittivity) is defined as the ratio of electric displacement to the electric field intensity.
permittivity of free space - The permittivity of free space is a physical constant that reflects the ability of electrical fields to pass through a classical vacuum.
personal digital assistant (PDA) - A personal digital assistant (PDA) is a small, mobile, handheld device that provides computing and information storage and retrieval capabilities for personal or business use, often for keeping schedules, calendars and address book information handy.
phase - In electronic signaling, a phase is the position of a wave at a point in time (instant) on a waveform cycle.
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.
polarity - Polarity is when an entity contains two distinct and opposite poles that can either attract or repel each other.
positron - A positron is a particle of matter with the same mass as an electron but an opposite charge.
potential energy (U) - Potential energy, expressed in science as U, is energy that is stored within an object, not in motion but capable of becoming active.
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 take-off (PTO) - Power take-off (PTO) is a device that transfers an engine's mechanical power to another piece of equipment.
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.
processor (CPU) - A processor is the logic circuitry that responds to and processes the basic instructions that drive a computer.
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.
pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) - Pulse amplitude modulation (PAM) is the transmission of data by varying the amplitudes (voltage or power levels) of the individual pulses in a regularly timed sequence of electrical or electromagnetic pulses.
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.
random numbers - As the term suggests, a random number is a number chosen by chance -- i.
reactance - Reactance is a form of opposition generated by components in an electric circuit when alternating current (AC) passes through it.
resistance - Resistance is the opposition that a substance offers to the flow of electric current; the term contrasts with conductance, which is a measure of the ease with which current flows through a substance.
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.
resonance charging - Resonance charging is a wireless charging method for items that require large amounts of power, such as an electric car, robot, vacuum cleaner or laptop computer.
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.
robot - A robot is a machine designed to execute one or more tasks automatically with speed and precision.
S-Video (Super-Video, Y/C Video, component video) - S-Video (Super-Video, sometimes referred to as Y/C Video, or component video) is a video signal transmission in which the luminance signal and the chrominance signal are transmitted separately to achieve superior picture clarity.
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 - A semiconductor is a substance that has specific electrical properties that enable it to serve as a foundation for computers and other electronic devices.
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).