WIRES

Wires Connected Wires Unconnected Wires

Represents a conductor that Represents the connection of Represents two unconnected

conducts electrical current. two conductors. Dot shows the wires/conductors.

Also called a power line or junction point.

electric line or wire.

Input Bus Line Output Bus Line Terminal

Represents a bus for input or Represents a bus for output or Represents start or end

incoming data. outgoing data. point.

Bus Line

Represents a number of

conductors joined together to

form a bus wire.

SWITCHES

Push Button (Normally Open) Push Button (Normally Closed) Spst Switch
This switch is in ON state This switch is initially in ON Single pole single throw is

when the button is pressed state. This goes to OFF state abbreviated as SPST. This

otherwise it is in OFF state. when it is released. acts as ON/OFF switch.

Poles define the number of

circuits it can be connected

to and throws defines the

number of positions that a

pole connects.

Spdt Switch Dpst Switch Dpdt Switch

Double pole double throw is

Single pole double throw is Double pole single throw is the full form of DPDT. This

abbreviated as SPDT. This abbreviated as DPST. This can connect the four circuits

switch allows the current to switch can drive two circuits at by changing the position.

flow in any one of the two a time.

directions by adjusting its

position.
Relay Switch

This represents the relay

switch. This can control the

AC Loads using the DC

voltage applied to the coil.

SOURCES

AC Supply DC Supply Constant Current Source

This represents the DC power The symbol represents an

This represents AC supply in supply. It applies DC supply to independent current source

the circuit. the circuit. which delivers constant

current.

Controlled current Source Controlled Voltage Source Single Cell Battery

It is a dependent current It is a dependent voltage This provides supply to the

source. Usually depends on source. Usually depends on circuit.

other sources (voltage or other sources (voltage or

current). current).

Multi Cell Battery

Combination of multiple single

cell batteries or a single large

cell battery. The voltage is

usually higher.

Wave Generators

Sinusoidal Generator Pulse Generator Triangular Wave

Represents sine wave Represents pulse or square Represents triangular wave

generator. wave generator. generator.

GROUND SYMBOLS

Ground Signal Ground Chassis Ground

It is equivalent to theoretical
0V and is used as zero
potential reference. It is the
potential of perfectly
conducting earth.
RESISTOR SYMBOLS
Fixed Resistor
It is a device that opposes the
flow of current in a circuit.
It is a reference point from
It acts as a barrier between
which the signal is measured.
user and the circuit and
There may be several signal
prevents electric shock.
grounds in a circuit due to the
voltage drops in a circuit.
These two symbols are used

to represent fixed resistor.

VARIABLE RESISTOR

Rheostat Preset Thermistor

It is a two terminal variable It is a mini variable resistor. It It is a temperature sensitive

resistor. They are generally is also called Trimmer Resistor resistor. They are used in

used to control the current in or Trim Pot. The resistance is temperature sensing, current

the circuit. Generally used in adjusted with rotary control limiting circuits, over-current

tuning circuits and power present on top of it with the protection circuits etc.

control applications like help of a screw driver. They

heaters, ovens etc are used to adjust the

sensitivity of the circuit like

temperature or light.

Varistor Magneto Resistor LDR

It is a Voltage Dependent They are also called as They are also called as

Resistor. It has non-linear Magnetic Dependent Resistors Photo Resistors. The

current-voltage (MDR). The resistance of resistance of LDR varies with

characteristics. Generally magneto resistor varies the intensity of the light

used in circuit protection from according to the external incident on it. They are

voltage surges and excessive magnetic field strength. They generally used in light

transient voltages. are used in electronic sensing applications.

compass, ferrous material

detection, position sensors etc.

Tapped resistor Attenuator Memristor

A wire-wound type fixed It is a device used to lower the The resistance of memristor

resistor with one or more power of a signal. They are is varied according to the

terminals along its length. made from simple voltage direction of flow of charge.

Generally used in voltage dividers and hence can be Memristors can be used in

divider applications. classified in the family of the signal processing,

resistors. logic/computation, non-

volatile memory etc.

CAPACITOR SYMBOLS

Non Polarized Capacitor Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic Capacitor

Capacitor stores the charge in Polarized capacitors are small Almost all electrolytic

the form of electrical energy. in size but have high capacitors are polarized and

These two symbols are used capacitance. They are used in hence used in DC circuits

for non-polarized capacitor. DC circuits. They can be used

Non-polarized capacitors are as filters, for bypassing or

big in size with small passing low frequency signals.

capacitance. They can be

used in both AC and DC

circuits.

Feed through Capacitor Variable Capacitor

They provide low impedance The capacitance of the variable

path to ground for high capacitor can be adjusted by

frequency signals turning the knob. They are

widely used to adjust the

frequency , that is for tuning.

INDUCTORS

Iron Core Inductor Ferrite Core Inductors Center Tapped Inductors

These are used as substitutes Core material, in this type of These are used in coupling

to ferrite core inductors. inductors is made of ferrite of signals,

Ferrite core or Ferromagnetic material. These are mostly

inductors have high used to suppress the

permeability and require air interference of electromagnetic

gap to reduce it. Iron waves.

powdered core inductors have

this air gap integrated.

Variable Inductors

Movable ferrite magnetic core

variable inductors are most

common. The inductance is

varied by sliding the core in or

out of the coil.

DIODES

Pn Junction Diode Zener Diode Photodiode

A PN junction diode allows the In forward bias condition, it Photodiode detects the light

current to flow only in forward acts as normal diode and energy and converts it into

bias condition. These diodes allows current. It also allows current or voltage by a

can be used in clipping and current to flow in reverse bias mechanism called

clamping circuits , as rectifiers condition when the voltage photoelectric effect. These

in dc circuits etc. reaches a certain break-down are used in CD players ,

point. Generally used in Cameras etc.

voltage regulator and over

voltage protection circuits.

Led Varactor Diode Shockley Diode

Light emitting diode is similar Varactor diode is called varicap This is a four layer diode.

to PN junction diode but they or variable capacitance diode. This had fast switching

emit energy in the form of light The capacitance of this diode operation and hence is used

instead of heat. These are varies according to the applied in switching applications.

mostly used in indication , input voltage. This is used in

lightening applications. frequency controlled oscillators

, frequency multipliers etc.

Schottky Diode Tunnel Diode Thyristor

It represents Schottky diode. It This is also known as Esaki It consists of four layers of

has low forward voltage drop diode.It can switch very fastly alternating P and N

and it can switch rapidly. Used and can perform well in micro materials. They act as

in voltage clamping, rectifiers, wave frequency range. This is bistable switches and are

reverse current and discharge used in oscillator circuits and used in circuits where high

protection micro wave circuits. voltages and currents are

involved.

Constant Current Diode Laser Diode

Also called as Current Limiting The laser diode is similar to

Diode or Current Regulating light emitting diode. The active

Diode. It limits the current to a region is formed in intrinsic

specified maximum value. region in PIN structure. Laser

diodes find its applications in

laser printing, laser scanning

etc.
TRANSISTOR SYMBOLS

NPN PNP

It is made of combination of P- It is made of combination of N-

type semiconductor between type semiconductor between

two N-type semiconductors. It two P-type semiconductors. It

is switched ON when the is switched ON when the base-

base-emitter junction is emitter junction is reverse

forward biased. They are biased. These are used for

commonly used for amplifying amplifying and switching

and switching applications. applications.

JFET

N- Channel JFET P-Channel JFET

N-channel JFET is made by n- P-Channel JFET is made by p-

type silicon bars which form type silicon bar which forms

two PN junctions at the side. two PN junctions at the side.

Majority charge carriers here Majority charge carriers here

are electrons. are holes.

MOSFET

Enhancement MOSFET Depletion MOSFET

The enhancement mode The depletion mode has

MOSFET has positive gate negative gate operation. This

operation. It induces negative decreases the width of the

charges into the n-channel depletion layer.

and thus number of negative

charges increases, enhancing

the channel conductivity.

Phototransistor Photo Darlington Darlington Transistor

The photo transistor converts Photo Darlington Transistor is This configuration produces

the light energy falling on it to similar to phototransistor with high current gain. They are

its corresponding electrical very high gain and sensitivity used in power regulators,

energy. This can be used in output stages of audio

light sensing amplifiers, display drivers

applications.Base is left etc.

disconnected as light is used

to enable the flow of current.

LOGIC GATES
And Gate Or Gate Nand Gate

This is the basic gate and it The OR gate implements It is complement of AND

implements logical logical disjunction.The output is gate. The output is low only

conjunction. The output of the high if any one of the inputs is when both the inputs are

AND gate is high, only if both high. high, otherwise it is high.

the inputs are high otherwise

both are low.

Nor Gate Not Gate Exor

NOR gate is a not OR gate. Inverter or NOT gate This gate implements
Output of this gate is high, if
both the inputs are Low,
otherwise it is High.
Exnor
This gate implements
negation of EXOR logic. The
output of this gate is high ,
only if the two inputs are
identical.
Flip Flop
implements logical negation.
This gate inverts the input.
Buffer
It is an audio signaling device.
Generally used in alarms,
timers and for confirmation
messages.
exclusive OR logic. The
output of this gate is high ,if
both the inputs are different.
Tri-State Buffer
Similar to a normal buffer but
with a control signal. In case
of active high buffer, it
operates normally only when
control signal is 1. In case of
active low buffer, it operates
normally only when control
signal is 0.
Flip flop is the also

a memory element but this is

a synchronous device. The

figure below shows the basic

D-flip-flop.

AMPLIFIERS

Basic Amplifier Operational Amplifier

An amplifier is a device that Operational Amplifier (Op

amplifies a relatively small Amp) is a voltage amplifier with

input signal i.e. it increases very high gain. The input is

the power of the signal. They differential. They are used in

are used in communication instrumentation devices, signal

systems, audio devices etc processing, control systems

etc

ANTENNA

Antenna Loop Antenna Dipole Antenna

This symbol belongs to Aerial Loop antenna is named after It is most widely used

or Antenna. It converts its loop like shape of wire or antenna.Generally used in

electrical power into radio other electrical conductor. set-top TV, shortwave

waves. It is used in wireless They are used as receiving transmission and FM

communication to transmit or antennas in low frequency receivers.

receive the signals. range.

TRANSFORMER
Transformer Iron Core Center Tapped

Transformer is the basic Uses a piece of magnetic The center tapped

element that transfers energy material as core. Generally transformer has its

in one circuit to the other Ferro magnetic metals like iron secondary winding divided

circuit through are used. The core has high into two parts with same

electromagnetic induction. permeability and is used to number of turns in each part.

They are generally used in confine the magnetic field. This results in two individual

electric power applications to output voltages across two

increase or decrease the line ends. Used in rectifier

voltage of AC current. circuits.

Step Up Transformer Step Down Transformer

The no. of turns in secondary The no. of turns in secondary

winding is more than that of winding is less than that of

primary winding. The output primary winding. The output

voltage is higher than input voltage is lesser than input

voltage. Significantly used in voltage. It is widely used in low

inverters. power applications.

MISCELLANEOUS

Buzzer Loud Speaker Light Bulb

This is sound producing This is also an audio device. The symbol represents the
device. This produces buzz The electrical signal is light bulb. The bulb glows

sound when the voltage is converted into sound signal when required voltage is

applied. here. applied.

Motor Fuse

This converts the electric Symbol represents the fuse

energy to mechanical energy. that protects the circuit from

over current.

Crystal Oscillator ADC DAC

Used to generate clock signal Analog to Digital converter is Digital to Analog converter is

of very precise frequency. used convert analog signals used to convert digital code

(usually voltage) to digital to analog signals.

values.

Thermocouple

It is used to measure

temperature.