Introduction
Electronics changed the world during the 20th century, from radios, telephones and cinema to modern computing and the so-called Information Age. This revolution may turn out to be as important as the Industrial Revolution. The Internet was recently voted the greatest invention of all time – and yet it’s not even 25 years old. Each new electronic gadget is adopted quicker than the last (you may be reading this book on an e-reader or tablet computer) and mobile phones now outnumber people on the planet.
Yet despite using electronics every day, many people have virtually no understanding of what’s going on under their thumbs and behind those screens; the process may just as well be magic to them. Fortunately, you don’t have to understand completely the inner workings of every component, even if you want to design an amazing new electronic gizmo.
This book is for people who’ve always been fascinated by electronics but didn’t make a career out of it. In these pages, you find clear and concise explanations of the most important concepts that form the basis of all electronic devices, such as the nature of electricity (if you think you know what it is, you’re kidding yourself); the difference between voltage, amperage and wattage; how basic components such as resistors, capacitors, diodes and transistors work; and how you can use some super-complex components such as integrated circuits to realise your own dream project.
You not only gain an appreciation of the electronic ...
