BUILD TO UNDERSTAND CIRCUITS
Building Electronics Tutorial
(Table of Contents)

PART 1. IN THE KINGDOM OF ELECTRICITY (PASSIVE CIRCUITS)

Applying Ohm's Law ...

1. Voltage Causes Current in the most elementary 2-component voltage-controlled electric circuit (a voltage source and a resistor).

General principle: Difference causes movement.
General building blocks: pressurelike source, impediment as a load.
General atributes: pressurelike, flowlike, impedimentlike.

Electric principle: Voltage causes current.
Electric building blocks: ideal voltage source, real (resistive, Ohmic) load.
Electric variables: voltage, current, resistance.


2. Voltage Causes Current in the more "complicated" 3-component voltage-controlled electric circuit (the previous 2-component circuit enlarged with an ideal current load).

Building blocks derived: voltage-to-current converter, ideal current load.


3. Producing a Current from a Voltage by the circuit of a compound voltage-controlled current source. Building block composed: voltage controlled current source (ideal voltage source + voltage-to-current converter).

Applications: battery charger, current loop interface.

4. Measuring a Voltage by a Current in the circuit of a compound voltage load.

Building block composed: compound voltage load (voltage-to-current converter + ideal current load).

Applications: compound voltmeter (voltage-to-current converter + ammeter), LED indicator, transistor switch.

5. Resistance Determines Current. Resistance as an input in the 3-component voltage-controlled electric circuit.

Building block derived: resistance-to-current converter.

6. Producing a Current by Varying a Resistance in the circuit of a compound resistance-controlled (RC)current source.

Building block composed: resistance controlled current source (constant voltage source + resistance-to-current converter).

Applications: rheostat, DC motor current supply.

7. Measuring a Resistance by a Current.

Building blocks composed (applications): compound ohmmeter (constant voltage source + ammeter),resistive sensors with current output (constant voltage source + resistance-to-current converter + ammeter).

8. Both Voltage and Resistance Set Current in the 3-component voltage-controlled electric circuit.

Building block derived: voltage-into-resistance divider.

Applications: R/2R ladder DAC with current output (principle).


Reversing Ohm's Law ...

9. Current Causes Voltage in the Norton elementary 2-component electric circuit (a current source and a resistor).

General principle: Movement causes difference.

General building block: flowlike source.

Electric principle: Current causes voltage.

Electric building block: ideal current source.

10. Current Causes Voltage in the more "complicated" 3-component current-controlled electric circuit (the previous 2-component circuit enlarged with an ideal voltage load).

Building blocks derived: current-to-voltage converter, ideal voltage load.

11. Producing a Voltage from a Current by the circuit of a current-controlled voltage source.

Building block composed: current controlled voltage source (ideal current source + current-to-voltage converter).

12. Measuring a Current by a Voltage in the circuit of a compound current load.

Building block composed: compound current load (current-to-voltage converter + ideal voltage load).

Applications: compound ammeter (current-to-voltage converter + voltmeter), current sensing, current feedback etc.

13. Resistance Determines Current. Resistance as an input in the 3-component current-controlled electric circuit.

Building block derived: resistance-to-voltage converter.

14. Producing a Voltage by Varying a Resistance in the circuit of a compound resistance-controlled voltage source.

Building block composed: resistance controlled voltage source (constant current source + resistance-to-voltage converter).

15. Measuring a Resistance by a Voltage.

Building blocks composed (applications): compound ohmmeter (constant current source + voltmeter), resistive sensors with voltage output (constant current source + resistance-to-voltage converter + voltmeter).

16. Both Current and Resistance Set Voltage in the 3-component current-controlled electric circuit.

Building block derived: current-by-resistance multiplier.

Applications: R/2R ladder DAC with voltage output (principle).

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To be continued