- n-type semiconductor
A semiconductor compound formed by doping an intrinsic
semiconductor with a pentavalent element. An n-type material contains an
excess of conduction band electrons.
- negative
- Terminal that has an excess of electrons.
- negative charge
- A charge that has more electrons than protons
- negative feedback
- A feedback signal 180° out of phase with an amplifier input
signal. Used to increase amplifier stability, bandwidth and input
impedance. Also reduces distortion.
- negative ground
- A system where the negative terminal of the source is
connected to the system's metal chassis.
- negative ion
- An atom having a greater number of electrons in orbit than
there are protons in the nucleus.
- negative resistance
- A resistance such that when the current through it increases
the voltage drop across the resistance decreases.
- negative temperature coefficient
- A term used to describe a component whose resistance or
capacitance decreases when temperature increases.
- neon bulb
- Glass envelope filled with neon gas which when ionized by an
applied voltage will glow red.
- network
- Combination of interconnected components, circuits or
systems.
- neutral
- A terminal, point or object with balanced charges. Neither
positive or negative.
- neutral atom
- An atom in which the number of negative charges (electrons in
orbit) is equal to the number of positive charges (protons in the
nucleus).
- neutral wire
- The conductor of a polyphase circuit or a single-phase three
wire circuit that is intended to have a ground potential. The potential
difference between the neutral and each of the other conductors are
approximately equal in magnitude and equally spaced in phase.
- neutron
- Subatomic particle in the nucleus of an atom and having no
electrical charge.
- nickel-cadmium cell
- A secondary cell that uses a nickel oxide positive electrode
and a cadmium negative electrode.
- node
- Junction or branch point in a circuit.
- noise
- Unwanted electromagnetic radiation within an electrical or
mechanical system.
An operational amplifier circuit having no phase inversion between
the input and output.
- non-inverting input
- The terminal on an operational amplifier that is identified
by a plus sign.
- non-linear scale
- A scale in which the divisions are not equally spaced.
- normall closed
- Designation which states that the contacts of a switch or
relay are closed or connected when at rest. When activated, the contacts
open or separated.
- normally open
- Designation which states that the contacts of a switch or
relay are normally open or not connected. When activated the contacts
close or become connected.
- north pole
- Pole of a magnet out of which magnetic lines of force are
assumed to originate.
- Norton's theorem
- Any network of voltage sources and resistors can be replace
by a single current source in parallel with a single resistor.
- notch filter
- A filter which blocks a narrow band of frequencies and passes
all frequencies above and below the band.
- npn transistor
- A bipolar junction transistor in which a p-type base element
is sandwiched between an n-type emitter and an n-type collector.
- nucleus
- Core of an atom. The nucleus contains both positive (protons)
and neutral (neutrons) subatomic particles.
O
- octave
Interval between two sounds whose fundamental frequencies
differ by a ratio of 2 to 1. 440 Hz. is one octave above 220 Hz.
- offset null
- An op amp control pin used to eliminate the effects of
internal component voltages on the output of the device.
- ohm
- Unit of resistance symbolized by the Greek capital letter
omega (W).
- ohmmeter
- Device used to measure electrical resistance.
- Ohm's law
- Relationship between voltage, current and resistance. Ohm's
law states that current in a resistance varies in direct proportion to
voltage applied and inversely proportional to resistance.
- Ohms per volt
- Refers to a value of ohms per volt of full scale defection
for a moving coil meter movement. The number of ohms per volt is the
reciprocal of the amount of current required to produce full scale
deflection of the needle. A meter requiring 50 microamps for full scale
deflection has an internal resistance of 20 kW
per volt. The higher the ohms per volt rating, the more sensitive the
meter.
- one-shot
- Monostable multivibrator.
- op-amp
- Abbreviation for operational amplifier.
- open loop gain
- Gain of an amplifier when no feedback is present.
- open loop mode
- An amplifier circuit having no means of comparing the output
with the input. (No feedback.)
- operational amplifier
- A high gain DC amplifier that has a high input impedance and
a low output impedance. Op-amps are the most basic type of linear
integrated circuits.
- oscillate
- To produce a continuous output waveform without an input
signal present.
- oscillator
- An electronic circuit that produces a continuous output
waveform with only DC applied.
- oscilloscope
- An instrument used to display a signal graphically. Shows
signal amplitude, period and waveshape in addition to any DC voltage
present. A multiple trace oscilloscope can show two or more waveforms at
the same time for phase comparison and timing measurements.
- out of phase
- When the maximum and minimum points of two or more waveshpes
do not occur at the same time.
- output
- Terminal at which a component, circuit or piece of equipment
delivers current, voltage or power.
- output impedance
- Impedance measured across the output terminals of a device
without a load connected.
- output power
- Amount of power a component, circuit or system can deliver to
a load.
- overload
- Codition that occurs when the load is greater than the system
was designed to handle. (Load resistance too small, load current too
high.) Overload results in waveform distortion and/or overheating.
- overload protection
- Protective device such as a fuse or circuit breaker that
outomatically disconnects a load when current exceeds a predetermined
value.
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