BASIC ELECTRONIC SYMBOLS

An electrical or electronic symbol is a visual symbol that represents a particular type of

electrical component in a wiring diagram or similar schematic. The diagram may also include
reference designators, codes that refer to specific components and may provide some
additional context through the documentation that accompanies the diagram. The person
drawing the diagram may use such designations to limit confusion.
 Using an electrical symbol in a diagram provides an easy way to clearly and visually lay
out information. It can be difficult to describe complex systems verbally, and a simple drawing
or photograph might obscure important information. The diagram, with symbols to represent
key components, provides a clear visual overview and ample information for someone who
might need to build, repair, or work on an electrical system.

Below are different kind of symbols we mentioned category wise. Hope this information will
help you to understand clearly.
 Wire Switch
A wire is a single, usually cylindrical, A switch is a small control for an electrical
flexible strand or rod of metal. Wires are device which you use to turn the device
used to bear mechanical loads or on or off. Below are symbols for wires
electricity and telecommunications used in electronics.
signals. Below are symbols for wires
used in electronics. Push button (Open) - This
Wire - Represents a conductor switch is in ON state when the
that conducts electrical button is pressed otherwise it
current. Also called a power is in OFF state.
line or electric line or wire.
Push button (Closed) - This
switch is initially in ON state.
Connected Wire - Represents This goes to OFF state when it
the connection of two
conductors. Dot shows the is released.
SPST Switch - Single pole single
junction point.
throw is abbreviated as SPST.
Unconnected Wire – This acts as ON/OFF switch.
Represents two unconnected Poles define the number of
wires/conductors. circuits it can be connected to
and throws defines the number
of positions that a pole
Input Bus Line - Represents a connects.
bus for input or incoming SPDT Switch - Single pole
data. double throw is abbreviated as
SPDT. This switch allows the
current to flow in any one of the
Output Bus Line - Represents two directions by adjusting its
a bus for output or outgoing position.
data. DPST - Double pole single throw
is abbreviated as DPST. This
switch can drive two circuits at
Bus Line - Represents a
a time.
number of conductors joined
together to form a bus wire.
DPDT - Double pole double
throw is the full form of DPDT.
This can connect the four
Terminal - Represents start or circuits by changing the
end point. position.

Sources Ground
AC Supply - This represents AC
Ground - It is equivalent to
supply in the circuit.
theoretical 0V and is used as
zero potential reference. It is
the potential of perfectly
DC Supply - This represents conducting earth.
the DC power supply. It
applies DC supply to the
circuit.
 Signal Ground - It is a
reference point from which the
Constant Current Source - The signal is measured. There may
symbol represents an be several signal grounds in a
independent current source circuit due to the voltage
which delivers constant drops in a circuit.
current. Chassis Ground - It acts as a
barrier between user and the
Controlled Current Source - It circuit and prevents electric
is a dependent current source. shock.
Usually depends on other
sources (voltage or current).
Capacitor
A capacitor is a device that stores electrical
Controlled Voltage Source - It energy in an electric field. It is a passive
is a dependent voltage source. electronic component with two terminals.
Usually depends on other The effect of a capacitor is known as
sources (voltage or current). capacitance.
Non Polarized Capacitor - Non-
Single Cell Battery - This polarized capacitors are big in
provides supply to the circuit. size with small capacitance.
They can be used in both AC
and DC circuits.
Polarized Capacitor - Polarized
Multi-cell Battery - capacitors are small in size but
Combination of multiple single have high capacitance. They
cell batteries or a single large are used in DC circuits. They
cell battery. The voltage is can be used as filters, for
usually higher. bypassing or passing low
frequency signals.
Sinusoidal Generator -
Represents sine wave Electrolytic Capacitor - Almost
generator. all electrolytic capacitors are
polarized and hence used in
Pulse Generator - Represents DC circuits.
pulse or square wave generator.
Feed Through Capacitor - They
provide low impedance path to
ground for high frequency
Triangular Wave - Represents signals
triangular wave generator. Variable Capacitor - They are
widely used to adjust the
frequency, that is for tuning.

Resistor Diodes
Resistor, electrical component that Diode, an electrical component that allows
opposes the flow of either direct
the flow of current in only one direction.
or alternating current, employed to protect,
operate, or control the circuit. PN Junction Diode - Allows the
Fixed Resistor - It is a device current to flow only in forward
that opposes the flow of bias condition. These diodes can
current in a circuit. These two be used in clipping and clamping
symbols are used to represent circuits , as rectifiers in dc circuits
fixed resistor. etc.
 Zener Diode - In forward bias
Rheostat - It is a two terminal condition, it acts as normal diode
variable resistor. Generally and allows current. It also allows
used in tuning circuits and current to flow in reverse bias
power control applications like condition when the voltage
heaters, ovens etc reaches a certain break-down
point.
Preset - It is a mini variable Photodiode - Detects the light
resistor. It is also called energy and converts it into
Trimmer Resistor or Trim Pot. current or voltage by a
They are used to adjust the mechanism called photoelectric
sensitivity of the circuit like effect.
temperature or light. LED - Light emitting diode is
Thermistor - It is a similar to PN junction diode but
temperature sensitive they emit energy in the form of
resistor. They are used in light instead of heat.
temperature sensing, current Varactor Diode - It is called
limiting circuits, over-current varicap or variable capacitance
protection circuits etc. diode. This is used in frequency
Varistor - It is a Voltage controlled oscillators, frequency
Dependent Resistor. Generally multipliers etc.
used in circuit protection from Shockley Diode - This is a four
voltage surges and excessive layer diode. This had fast
transient voltages. switching operation and hence is
Magneto Resistor - They are used in switching applications.
also called as Magnetic
Shotty Diode - It represents
Dependent Resistors (MDR).
Schottky diode. It has low forward
They are used in electronic
voltage drop and it can switch
compass, ferrous material
rapidly. Used in voltage clamping,
detection, position sensors
rectifiers, reverse current and
etc.
LDR - They are also called as discharge protection.
Tunnel Diode - Also known as
Photo Resistors. They are Esaki diode. This is used in
generally used in light sensing oscillator circuits and micro wave
applications. circuits current and discharge
protection.
Tapped Resistor - A wire- Thryristor - Act as bi-stable
wound type fixed resistor with switches and are used in circuits
one or more terminals along where high voltages and currents
its length. Generally used in are involved.
voltage divider applications. Constant Current Diode - Also
called as Current Limiting Diode
or Current Regulating Diode. It
Memristor - Memristors can be
limits the current to a specified
used in signal processing,
maximum value.
logic/computation, non- Laser Diode - Similar to light
volatile memory etc. emitting diode. Its applications in
laser printing, laser scanning etc.

Inductor Logic Gates

Inductors are essentially coils of
conducting wire; they store magnetic
energy in the form of a magnetic field
generated by the current in the coil. AND Gate - This is the basic gate
Iron Core Inductor These are used and it implements logical
as substitutes to ferrite core conjunction. The output of the
inductors. Ferrite core or AND gate is high, only if both the
Ferromagnetic inductors have inputs are high otherwise both
high permeability and require air are low.
gap to reduce it. Iron powdered
core inductors have this air gap
 OR Gate - It implements logical
disjunction. The output is high if
any one of the inputs is high.
Ferrite Core Inductor - Core
material, in this type of inductors NAND Gate - It is complement of
is made of ferrite material. These AND gate. The output is low only
are mostly used to suppress the when both the inputs are high,
interference of electromagnetic otherwise it is high.
waves.
NOR Gate - NOR gate is a not OR
Center Tapped Inductor - These gate. Output of this gate is high, if
are used in coupling of signals both the inputs are Low,
otherwise it is High.
Variable Inductor - Movable ferrite Inverter - Inverter or NOT gate
magnetic core variable inductors implements logical negation. This
are most common. The gate inverts the input.
inductance is varied by sliding the
core in or out of the coil.
EXOR - This gate implements
exclusive OR logic. The output of
this gate is high, if both the inputs
Antenna are different.
Antenna, also called Aerial, component
of radio, television, and radar systems that EXNOR - This gate implements
directs incoming and outgoing radio waves. negation of EXOR logic. The
output of this gate is high, only if
Antenna - This symbol belongs to the two inputs are identical.
Aerial or Antenna. It converts
electrical power into radio waves. Buffer - It is an audio signaling
It is used in wireless device. Generally used in alarms,
communication to transmit or timers and for confirmation
receive the signals. messages.
Loop Antenna - Loop antenna is
Tristate Buffer - Similar to a
named after its loop like shape of
normal buffer but with a control
wire or other electrical conductor.
signal. In case of active high
They are used as receiving
buffer, it operates normally only
antennas in low frequency range.
when control signal is 1. In case
of active low buffer, it operates
Dipole Antenna - It is most widely normally only when control signal
used antenna. Generally used in Flip Flop - Flip flop is the also
set-top TV, shortwave a memory element but this is a
transmission and FM receivers. synchronous device.

Transistor Transformer
ansistor, semiconductor device for Transformer – It is the basic
amplifying, controlling, and element that transfers energy in
generating electrical signals. one circuit to the other circuit
NPN - It is made of combination of through electromagnetic
P-type semiconductor between induction. They are generally
two N-type semiconductors. It is used in electric power
switched ON when the base- applications to increase or
emitter junction is forward biased. decrease the voltage of AC
They are commonly used for
amplifying and switching
 Iron Core Transformer - Uses a
piece of magnetic material as
core. The core has high
PNP - It is made of combination of permeability and is used to
N-type semiconductor between confine the magnetic field.
two P-type semiconductors. It is Center Tapped Transformer - has
switched ON when the base- its secondary winding divided into
emitter junction is reverse biased. two parts with same number of
These are used for amplifying and turns in each part. This results in
switching applications. two individual output voltages
N-Channel JFET - It is made by n- across two line ends. Used in
type silicon bars which form two rectifier circuits.
PN junctions at the side. Majority Step-up Transformer - The no. of
charge carriers here are turns in secondary winding is
electrons. more than that of primary
P-Channel JFET - It is made by p- winding. The output voltage is
type silicon bar which forms two higher than input voltage.
PN junctions at the side. Majority Significantly used in inverters.
charge carriers here are holes. Step-down Transformer - The no.
of turns in secondary winding is
Enhancement MOSFET - It has less than that of primary winding.
positive gate operation. It induces The output voltage is lesser than
negative charges into the n- input voltage. It is widely used in
channel and thus number of low power applications.
negative charges increases,
enhancing the channel
Amplifiers
Depletion MOSFET – It has
Amplifier, in electronics, device that
negative gate operation. This
responds to a small input signal
decreases the width of the
depletion layer. (voltage, current, or power) and delivers a
Photo Transistor - It converts the larger output signal that contains the
light energy falling on it to its essential waveform features of the input
corresponding electrical energy. Basic Amplifier - It is a device that
This can be used in light sensing amplifies a relatively small input
applications. signal i.e. it increases the power
of the signal. They are used in
Photo Darlington - It is similar to
communication systems, audio
phototransistor with very high
devices etc.
gain and sensitivity
Operational Amplifier – It is a
Darlington Transistor - This voltage amplifier with very high
configuration produces high gain. The input is differential.
current gain. They are used in They are used in instrumentation
power regulators, output stages devices, signal processing, control
of audio amplifiers, display drivers systems etc.
etc.

Miscellaneous

Buzzer - This is sound producing

device. This produces buzz sound
when the voltage is applied.

Loud Speaker - This is also an

audio device. The electrical signal
is converted into sound signal
here.
Motor - This converts the electric
energy to mechanical energy.

Fuse - Symbol represents the fuse

that protects the circuit from over
current.

ADC - Analog to Digital converter

is used convert analog signals
(usually voltage) to digital values.

DAC - Digital to Analog converter

is used to convert digital code to
analog signals.

Thermocouple - It is used to
measure temperature.