CE163-4-AP-NW:
Foundations of Electronics I
2021/22
Computer Science and Electronic Engineering (School of)
Northwest University
Autumn & Spring
Undergraduate: Level 4
Current
Thursday 07 October 2021
Friday 25 March 2022
15
24 June 2021
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
CE216, CE266
BSC H60E Electronic System Engineering,
BSC H60ECO Electronic System Engineering
This module is one of two concerned with scientific and engineering foundations on which electronics is based.
All electronics components are based on physical principles that relate voltage, current flow and the storage or loss of energy. All the theory we need to learn about how circuits behave is based on the fact that electric charge cannot be created or destroyed, and that the energy of each electron just depends on where it is, and how fast it is moving. How charges move in materials depends on their crystal structures. From basic ideas, the main principles of electronics are built up so that they can be used in the wider study of electronics to solve problems.
The aim of this module is to introduce electronic components based on physical principles that relate voltage, current flow and the storage or loss of energy. These are illustrated in laboratory practical work.
Upon completion of this module, students should have gained an understanding of electronic principles that enables them to analyse basic network circuit problems.
After completing this module, students will be expected to be able to:
1. Apply dimensional analysis to electrical units and formulae
2. Apply concepts such as Thévenin and Norton sources to resistor networks
3. Apply systematic circuit analysis methods such as mesh and nodal analyses
4. Apply analysis of electric fields to explain capacitance
5. Explain the basic properties of conductors, insulators and semiconductors
6. Design and explain performance of a basic transistor amplifier.
Outline Syllabus
• Use of physical units; the MKSA system of units; introduction to vectors
• Concept of resistance and Ohms law for linear materials; conductance; series and parallel combinations. Series and parallel circuit paths; Basic electrical measurements
• Principles of conservation and Kirchhoff laws as basis for electrical theory; Networks with sources: Thevenin and Norton theorems. Matrix description of a network. Systematic circuit analysis methods.
• Charges and Fields; Forces on static and moving charges due to electric and magnetic fields; Electric fields due to charges; conservation of charge. Potential and electrical energy.
• Charge mobility in materials, electrical current as collective charge motion.
• Introduction to semiconductor devices; diodes and bipolar transistors and basic transistor amplifiers
Lectures and Laboratories
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Progress Test (Week 3) |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Laboratory Report 1 (Lab 2) |
|
20% |
| Coursework |
Laboratory Report 2 (Lab3) |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Laboratory Report 3 (Lab4) |
|
30% |
| Exam |
Main exam: 120 minutes during Autumn Special
|
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Dr Xinruo Zhang, email: xinruo.zhang@essex.ac.uk.
Dr Xinruo Zhang
School Office, email: csee-schooloffice (non-Essex users should add @essex.ac.uk to create full e-mail address), Telephone 01206 872770
No
No
No
Dr Xu Wang
Heriot-Watt University
Associate Professor
Available via Moodle
No lecture recording information available for this module.
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