Electrical Engineering and Electronics

Electrical engineering is the practical application of electricity to create new tools and devices.

Terminology

Term	Definition
Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)	A converter that changes an analog signal to a digital signal.
Baud Rate	The number of bits per second that can be sent over a serial connection
Conductor	A material that conducts electricity well because it has weak valence bonds such as copper, gold, silver, aluminum, or even saltwater.
Digital Pin	A type of pin that can only be in an "on" or "off" state.
Digital to Analog Converter (DAC)	A converter that changes a digital signal to an analog signal.
Electrical Contact	An electrical circuit component that consists of a conductive material (typically metal) that, when touched to another contact, can pass an electrical current.
Electrical Load	The portion of a circuit that uses electrical power
Electrical Signal	An variation in voltage or current frequency, phase, or duration used to represent information
Insulator	A material that conducts electricity poorly because it has strong valence bonds such as glass, rubber, plastic, and even air
Pin	A type of electrical contact in which the connection is designed to be pressed together (i.e. a plug) to form a reliable, low-resistance connection.
Power Supply	Av electrical device that supplies power to a circuit
Semiconductor	A material that can act like an insulator or conductor, depending on the circumstances such as Silicon
Serial Port	An interface through which an electrical signal is transferred sequentially, one bit at a time
Two Wire Interface (TWI)	A communication protocol consisting of a data line and a clock line.