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Basic Electronics

PROGRAM OUTLINE

Instruction Sets
Your at-home learning program includes ten Instruction Sets designed to take you step-by-step through the techniques and skills you’ll employ in your new career in Electronics.

Here's how it works: Your first Instruction Set will be sent to you as soon as your enrollment has been accepted. Other Instruction Sets will follow as you complete your exams, so that you will always have training materials to work with. Here is an overview of what you’ll learn and the order in which you’ll receive your learning materials:

Instruction Set 1

Learning Strategies
The advantages of learning at home; types of study materials; types of examinations; accessing and using the features of our website; determining what kind of learner you are; establishing a study schedule; using study tips; preparing for and taking examinations.

Introduction to Electronics
Conductors, resistors, and insulators; direct current and alternating current; job opportunities.

Instruction Set 2

Nature of Electricity
Dangers and benefits of static electricity; volts, amperes, and ohms; series and parallel circuits.

Learning Aids:
• Electronics Practice Kit
• Component Color Code Wheel

Practical Exercise 1

Instruction Set 3

Conductors, Insulators, and Batteries
Conductors and conductivity; insulating materials; safety precautions when using storage batteries.

Circuit Analysis and Ohm’s Law
Finding the voltage, current, and resistance; the use of Ohm’s Law.

Multimeter Usage Manual
Multimeter operation; AC and DC voltage measurement.

Learning Aids:
• Electronics Practice Kit
• Circuit Formula Quick Reference Chart

Practical Exercise 2

Instruction Set 4

Basic Measuring Instruments
Analog or digital VOMs; using VOMs to measure voltage; safe handling of a multimeter.

Electronic Hardware
Mechanical connectors; types of solder tools.

Switching Devices
Types of switches; basic relay ladder diagrams.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Equipment:
• Soldering Iron
• Desoldering Pump

Practical Exercise 3

Instruction Set 5

Magnetism and Electromagnetism
Simple, compound, and closed magnetic circuits; simple electromagnetic relays.

Capacitors and Inductors
Types of capacitors; how an inductor regulates the flow of current.

Basic Semiconductor Components: Diodes
How a diode works; selecting the proper diode for replacement in a circuit.

Basic Semiconductor Components: Transistors
Bipolar transistors; using an ohmmeter; basic troubleshooting.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Practical Exercise 4

Instruction Set 6

Alternating Current
Characteristics of an AC cycle; calculating power.

Capacitors in AC Circuits
Reactance and impedance; how AC frequency affects impedance.

Inductors in AC Circuits
Applying Ohm’s law; understanding and calculating impedance; how inductors are made and how they operate.

Transformers
Connecting single-phase transformers; operation of autotransformers.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Practical Exercise 5

Instruction Set 7

Reactance and Impedance
Determining the reactance of a capacitor and inductor; finding phase angles between voltage and current.

Resonant Circuits
Serial and parallel resonance; calculating the value of the Quality Factor, Q.

Application of Resonant Circuits
Low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, and band-reject filters; identifying power-supply filter designs.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Practical Exercise 6

Instruction Set 8

Rectifiers and Power Supplies
Basic types of electronic rectifiers; operation of power-supply filters.

Amplifiers
Transistor amplifier operations; determining biasing conditions.

Oscillators
Oscillator circuits; effects of temperature on oscillator circuits.

Fiber Optic and Optoelectronic Components
Basic theory of light communications; electron microscopes; how fluorescent lights operate.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Practical Exercise 7

Instruction Set 9

Electronic Sensors
Bridge circuits; concepts of “stress” and “strain” in electronics.

Modulation and Detection Circuits
Degrees of modulation; AM and FM signals; modulation and detector circuits.

Electronic Devices and Amplifiers
Passive and active devices; determining amplifier gain.

Using Basic Oscilloscopes
Operation of an oscilloscope; performing low-voltage measurements.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Practical Exercise 8

Instruction Set 10

Audio and RF Circuits
Tone frequencies used in control systems; virtues of AM, FM, and SSB transmission.

Oscillator and Feedback Waveforms
Oscillator circuits; how waveforms are created.

Electronic Power Supplies
Basic operation of DC and AC conversion equipment; selecting the proper type of battery.

Learning Aid: Electronics Practice Kit

Practical Exercise 9

Online Library and Librarian
Students in Penn Foster Career School have access to an online library for use during their studies. Students can use this library to do the required research in the courses they complete or can use it for general reference and links to valuable resources. The library contains helpful research assistance, articles, databases, books, and Web links. A librarian is available to answer questions on general research-related topics via email and assist students in research activities during their studies with Penn Foster Career School.

We reserve the right to change program content and materials when it becomes necessary.

Electronics Workbench is a trademark of Interactive Image Technologies, Ltd. registered in the United States of America and/or other jurisdictions.

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Speak with a Penn Foster Enrollment Advisor, 1-800-275-4410
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