Chapter 1
Understanding Digital Electronics
In This Chapter
Comparing analogue and digital circuits
Counting in binary code
Building simple logic circuits with switches and lamps
Welcome to the world of digital electronics. In this chapter, you discover the fundamental building-block circuits that you can use ultimately to create computers and other advanced electronic devices. This material sets you up nicely for the other chapters in this minibook, where you explore the amazing world of digital electronics.
This area of electronics is a complex, almost-overwhelming topic, but fortunately the essentials are fairly simple. We introduce you to the basic principles, such as the differences between analogue and digital circuits and how the binary system and basic logic operations work.
Hang on in there! Digital electronics really isn’t as hard as you may expect.
Distinguishing Analogue and Digital Electronics
Electronics can be divided into two broad categories:
Analogue electronics: Refers to circuits in which quantities such as voltage or current vary at a continuous rate. When you ...
