Electrical terms and their definitions

Below are the 500 most common Electrical Terms and their definitions. Many find these terms might sound confusing to you. Hope this electrical glossary helps you understand those. Electrical terms list AC (Alternating Current) Electric current that periodically reverses direction, commonly used in power transmission. AC Coupling A method of coupling two circuits together through … Read more

Hysteresis loss and Eddy current loss and their difference

In electric machines, a varying magnetic field causes eddy currents in all metallic parts and hysteresis in ferromagnetic core. The losses caused due to eddy currents are known as eddy current loss and that caused due to hysteresis is known as hysteresis loss. In the following sections, we will learn, eddy currents, the phenomenon of … Read more

PN Junction Diodes

What is a diode? A diode is an electrical component that allows the current to flow in only one particular direction. Diodes are made up of silicon and germanium. They are used to protect the circuit by limiting the voltage and transforming the AC voltage into DC voltage. There are many types of diodes and … Read more

Zener diodes – Operation, Symbol and V-I Characteristics

What are zener diodes? Zener diodes are silicon semiconductor devices that can allow the passage of current in both forward and reverse directions. Unlike p-n junction diodes, they are designed in such a way to handle the reverse breakdown voltage without damaging themselves. They are heavily doped than normal p-n junction diodes, thereby forming a … Read more

Difference between resistance and impedance

When we speak about DC electricity, resistance is the term used to refer to opposition to current flow whereas impedance is the term used in AC electricity. Impedance is basically a combination of resistance and reactance. Here is the difference between resistance and impedance. Resistance Resistance is the term used to denote the opposition to … Read more

Difference between EMF and Voltage

The difference between EMF and voltage is that the EMF is the potential difference measured across a power source without a load connected to it whereas voltage is the potential difference measured between any two points in a circuit. We use the term EMF when we speak about batteries, generators, transformers, and other power sources … Read more

Differences between resistance and resistivity

Understanding the differences between resistance and resistivity is very important as they are closely related. This article aims to bring you clarity on resistance and resistivity by comparing each of their properties, definitions and formula. Introduction Every object posses some amount of opposition to the flow of electric current. If the object is a conductor, … Read more

Electromagnetic Induction

Electromagnetic induction is a phenomenon by which electromotive force is produced across a conductor placed in a varying magnetic field. It was discovered by Michael Faraday in 1831 after performing several experiments for over 10 years in his laboratory in London. The discovery of electromagnetic induction led to the invention of electric transformers, motors, and … Read more

Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction

Michael Faraday discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction in 1831 which was a major breakthrough and led to the invention of electric motor and generator. Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction describes two phenomena: interaction between a conductor and a magnetic field, and the EMF generated by the magnetic field, which is widely known as Faraday’s … Read more

Lenz’s law

Heinrich Friedrich Emil Lenz was a Russian physicist, working at the University of St. Petersburg, Russia. He formulated Lenz’s law in 1834. This law predicts the direction of the current and the induced voltage in a coil held in a magnetic field. Lenz’s law – Statement The direction of an induced e.m.f. is always such … Read more