Unit 8: Electronics and Technology

Section 1: Electronic Signals & Semiconductors  Objectives:  Define and compare digital and analog signals  Describe the use of semiconductors  Assessment Anchor:  S8.A.3.2  S8.A.3.3

What is electronics?  The use of electricity to control, communicate, and process information  Based on electronic signals  Electronic signal – a varying electric current that represents information

Analog vs. Digital Signals  Analog – current is varied smoothly to represent information  Ex: Playing a record  Digital – current changes in steps  Ex: Playing a CD

Semiconductors  We already talked about conductors and insulators…what about semiconductors?  Definition: a material that conducts current better than insulators, but not as well as conductors

Examples of semiconductors  Diode – allows current to flow in only one direction  Transistor – amplifies electronic signal or switches current on or off  Integrated Circuit – a circuit manufactured on a tiny piece of semiconductor (chip)

Section 2: Electronic Communication  Objectives:  Explain the difference between AM and FM radio signals  Apply the EM Spectrum to data transmission  Assessment Anchor:  S8.A.3.2  S8.A.3.3

Electromagnetic Waves  EM Waves allow for electronic signals to be carried over long distances

Telephones  Transmitter –converts sound into an electronic signal  Receiver – converts electronic signal back to sound

Radios  AM Radio  AM = Amplitude Modulation  The amplitude of the wave is changed  FM Radio  FM = Frequency Modulation  The frequency of the wave is changed

Section 3: The Binary System  Objectives:  Describe how the binary system works  Convert numbers between binary and base-10  Assessment Anchor:  S8.A.3.2  S8.A.3.3

Binary System  Uses combinations of 0 and 1 to represent information

How does the binary system work?  Placeholders represent the numbers: 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc…  The 0 and 1 represent how many of each placeholder there are  Then you add the numbers together

Practice with the binary system Number

More Practice with the binary system Number